SOF National Science Olympiad (NSO) is a school level competitive exam conducted by Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) for students studying in class 1 to 2. The NSO exam is conducted for every class and it is based on their respective syllabus. The medium of the NSO exam is English only. NSO Olympiad helps the students to judge themselves academically within the school, city, and zone and above all at the International level. The students are selected after a strict and accurate selection process which consists of 2 levels. In order to qualify for the SOF NSO Exam, students have to opt for better preparation as appearing in NSO is easier but getting an International rank is quite tough. To get a good result in the NSO Exam, a systematic approach and smart study are required. Here we have mentioned some of the important tips suggested by some experts which will help the students to crack the NSO Exam in easier and in a more confident way.
How to Prepare for NSO 2019 - Check NSO Preparation Tips
NSO is a science olympiad that is conducted for school students and students should keep the following points in mind while preparing for NSO Olympiad.
NSO Olympiad Preparation Tips
- Know NSO Exam Pattern
- Opt for right study material for Science Olympiad
- Know about Olympiad trends
- Practise with NSO Sample Papers
- Opt for NSO Olympiad Helper
Know the NSO Exam Pattern
It is essential to know about the exam pattern and exam structure before start preparing for the exam. Broadly, the exam is comprised of 50 questions which are divided into three sections, i.e. Verbal & Non-verbal Reasoning, Science, and High order thinking questions. It is suggested to check the NSO Exam Pattern carefully for better preparation.
Class |
Section |
No. of Ques |
Marks/Question |
Total Marks |
1 to 4 |
Logical Reasoning |
5 |
1 |
5 |
Science |
25 |
1 |
25 |
|
Achievers Section |
5 |
2 |
10 |
|
|
Grand Total |
35 |
|
40 |
5 to 10 |
Logical Reasoning |
10 |
1 |
10 |
Science |
35 |
1 |
35 |
|
Achievers Section |
5 |
3 |
15 |
|
|
Grand Total |
50 |
|
60 |
11 to 12 |
Physics & Chemistry |
25 |
1 |
25 |
Achievers Section |
5 |
3 |
15 |
|
Mathematics/Biology |
20 |
1 |
20 |
|
|
Grand Total |
50 |
|
60 |
Opt for Updated NSO Study Material For Right Guidance
The NSO Syllabus is based on the syllabus prescribed by the CBSE, ICSE and other state boards. It is important to cover the NCERT books thoroughly for the students studying in CBSE recognized School. One should focus on their school’s textbooks which are studying in ICSE and other state boards. Apart from school textbooks, it is suggested to get enhanced study materials from some good publishers. NSO sample papers, previous years NSO question papers are the best study materials for the preparation of NSO Exam.
Know about the trends
The students must know about the types of questions asked in the NSO Exam. The students who are appearing for NSO exam should expect questions of varying difficulty level. The questions are designed to test the logical and observational skills of the students rather than the conceptual knowledge.
Know about the relevant Science Olympiad books
The students must thoroughly study the course books suggested by the school board, i.e. ICSE/ CBSE/ State Board. Apart from that, students can refer to the books which are designed for Olympiad preparation to get the good marks in the NSO exam. There are various books available such as MTG Books on various topics (available on official website), E-Quiz, E-books, Olympiads’ Books of Reasoning (for preparation for the reasoning section of the National Science Olympiad), and other books for preparing for logical and reasoning part.
Practice with NSO sample papers
The students who are going to appear for the NSO exam must procure previous years NSO Question Papers beforehand. By solving the NSO sample papers will give a fair idea of the exam pattern of questions asked in the NSO exam. It will also be useful for improving speed for attempting paper in the given time. The NSO sample papers can be obtained from the official website for every class.
Opt for an NSO Olympiad Helper
The Olympiad Helper provides enough material and practice so that the candidates are confident about getting good marks in SOF NSO Exam.
All the registered candidates will be provided with a practice booklet that contains NSO syllabus and a few sample papers. The students can solve the questions in the booklet and can analyse the topics that need extra attention.
Each student is provided with a Student Performance Report (SPR). The SPR analyses the strong and weak areas of the student and also provides a detailed performance comparison of the students at the school, state and international level.
Deal with Distractions and Stay Motivated for NSO 2019
While studying for the National Science Olympiad, it can be demotivating when the student is not able to solve some of the questions. It is advisable to make notes about the relevant topics and don’t leave any questions unanswered. Students should motivate themselves to be healthy mentally as well as physically.
- Take a deep breath while getting distracted
- Turn off the internet while studying for the exam
- Get curious about the Science subject
- Put the mobile, tablets etc. on silent mode or switched it off
- Group study with friends who are seriously interested in the subject
One of the most critical NSO Preparation Tips is that, mark all the questions that you are not able to answer and discuss it with the mentors/ parents/ friends/ teachers regardless of hampering your brain.
The students should have to make a deliberate and committed effort to crack the SOF National Science Olympiad 2019. We hope that the above-mentioned preparation tips will help in understanding - How to prepare for NSO.