Optical bench · physics laboratory

OLYMPIADS / YOUR NEXT CHAPTER

NSEP — National Standard Examination in Physics

See the world through its laws.

Investigate motion, light and the physical world through the physics olympiad pathway.

Explore the pathway Official website ↗

StageScience olympiad pathway

Where it leadsPhysics olympiad progression

Conducting bodyIndian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT)

A real educational optics apparatus at Cuesta College, illustrating the subject rather than an exam venue.

Photo: Waifer X · CC BY 2.0 · Displayed with responsive cropping.

UNDERSTAND THE BIGGER PICTURE

Your pathway, at a glance.

First stage of the Physics Olympiad pathway leading to INPhO and the International Physics Olympiad selection.

Know the requirements

Check the eligibility and exam-cycle information published by the conducting body.

Build your preparation

Use the official syllabus and paper pattern to guide your study plan.

Explore what follows

Physics olympiad progression. Selection depends on the applicable programme rules.

ELIGIBILITY

Who can take this exam?

Eligibility

Open to students enrolled in Class 11 or 12 (or equivalent) at a school affiliated for IAPT Olympiad registration; exact class/age windows are set by IAPT each cycle.

Academic requirements

A solid Class 11-12 physics foundation (mechanics, electricity & magnetism, optics, modern physics) beyond routine board-exam depth.

APPLICATION

Make your application count.

Application process

Registration is done through schools affiliated with the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT), the exam's conducting body.

PATTERN

Know what you are preparing for.

Exam pattern

An objective paper covering physics concepts beyond the standard school curriculum — the first stage of the Physics Olympiad pathway toward INPhO.

SYLLABUS

Build your subject foundation.

Syllabus

Class 11-12 physics (mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity & magnetism, optics, modern physics) treated with greater conceptual depth and problem-solving rigor than board-exam level.

PREPARATION

Prepare with a sense of direction.

Preparation strategy

Build depth beyond NCERT/board-level physics using standard Olympiad-prep texts, and solve past NSEP papers with a focus on conceptual problem-solving over formula recall.

Learning resources ↗Browse courses ↗Practice & assessments ↗

CHECK THE ORIGINAL SOURCE

Dates, notices & documents.

NSEP 2026 Exam DateCycle: 2026-272026-11-22

Full official noticeboard ↗Visit NSEP — National Standard Examination in Physics portal ↗