SOF NSO / ISOSOF International Science Olympiad (formerly National Science Olympiad)
About SOF NSO / ISO
SOF’s science olympiad — long known as NSO and now catalogued as the International Science Olympiad (ISO) — is one of India’s largest school contests, administered through registered schools for Classes 1 to 12. The one-hour paper mixes curriculum-aligned science with logical reasoning and a higher-weightage Achievers Section that separates the toppers.
It is fundamentally different from the government NSE–INO olympiad cycle: SOF’s exam benchmarks students against national and international peers and rewards them with ranks, medals and scholarships, but it plays no role in selecting India’s international science olympiad teams. Schools value it as low-stakes competitive exposure from an early age.
Accepted by: SOF awards, medals, cash prizes and scholarships plus international, zonal and school ranks; participation certificates for all — it is a benchmarking contest and confers no admission or team-selection rights
Official websiteSOF NSO / ISO eligibility
Classes 1–12 (Level 2 is held for Classes 3–12 among top Level 1 performers)
SOF NSO / ISO exam pattern
Sections
- Logical Reasoning
- Science
- Achievers Section (higher-weightage questions)
Marking scheme: None
SOF NSO / ISO syllabus outline
- Science and reasoning aligned to the CBSE/ICSE/State-board syllabus of the student’s own class
- Two-level structure: Level 1 in school; Level 2 for qualifying students of Classes 3–12 (top performers class-wise)
- SOF has rebranded the exam from National Science Olympiad (NSO) to International Science Olympiad (ISO) in its current catalogue
Preparing for SOF NSO / ISO?
Olympiads reward deep fundamentals — the same preparation that pays off later in JEE, NEET and other entrance exams. Explore every national and international olympiad, or check the official site for this year's dates and registration.