Indian Olympiad Qualifier [IOQ]

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Mar 21, 2024

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Due to the prevailing pandemic situation, the first two stages of the HBCSE National Olympiad Programme in Science have been changed to a three-hour and two-part examination called the Indian Olympiad Qualifier (IOQ). There are some major changes in the exam pattern, and the number of stages in the exam has also been reduced. The IOQ is now considered as the first step towards International Olympiads in Science subjects.

Latest Updates-

  • IOQ 2023-24 exam revised dates are now announced.

Table of Contents

What is IOQ Olympiad?

The Indian Olympiad Qualifier Exam in Science is a three-hour duration exam conducted jointly by the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT) and Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education– HBCSE.

As the pandemic disturbed a lot of the academic-related areas, the National Olympic program of this year also underwent several changes in the exam pattern. Moreover, the number of stages through which the exams are conducted has been reduced.

Tabulated below are the highlights of the IOQ Olympiad.

IOQ Olympiad Highlights
Introduced in 2020
Conducting body Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT)
Regulating body Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE)
Eligibility Students from class 8 to class 12
Exam Date March 2024 (tentative)
Exam duration 3 hours
Results link IAPT
Total number of students expected to be selected 500

Different Subjects in IOQ

The Indian Olympiad Qualifier Exam in science has different categories or subjects under it, and candidates can choose which paper they are going to write.

The list of categories of the Indian Olympiad Qualifier Exam is given below:

  • Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Astronomy (IOQA)
  • Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Physics (IOQP)
  • Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Chemistry (IOQC)
  • Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Biology (IOQB)
  • Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics (IOQM)
  • Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Junior Science (IOQJS)

IOQ 2023-24 Eligibility Criteria

The Indian Olympiad Qualifier Examination has some basic eligibility criteria to select eligible candidates to write the exam. It is the candidate's responsibility to make sure that they are capable. If, at some stage, the candidate is found to be not eligible, they will be disqualified.

Eligibility criteria for IOQ Junior science and other subjects are as follows,

Eligibility Criteria for IOQ Junior Science (IOQJS)

Here we list down the eligibility criteria for enrollment in the Indian Olympiad Qualifier Junior Science:

  • The candidate must be an Indian Citizen.
  • The candidate's date of birth should be between 1st January 2007 and 31st December 2008, both days inclusive.
  • The candidate must be staying and studying in India since 30th November 2019 or before OR must be studying in an Indian school system since 30th November 2019 or before.
  • The candidate must be studying in class 8, 9, or 10 and not have completed (or scheduled to complete) the class 10 board examination before 30th November 2021.
  • The candidate must not be appearing in any of IOQA, IOQB, IOQC, or IOQP in the academic year 2021-2024.

Eligibility Criteria for IOQA, IOQB, IOQC, and IOQP

Here we provide the details of the eligibility criteria of IOQA, IOQB, IOQC, and IOQP:

  • The aspirant must be eligible to hold an Indian passport.
  • The candidate's date of birth should be between 1st July 2002 and 30th June 2007, both days inclusive.
  • The candidate must be staying and studying in India since 30th November 2019 or before OR must be studying in an Indian school system since 30th November 2019 or before.
  • The candidate must be a student of class 8, 9, 10, 11, or 12 and should not have completed (or scheduled to complete)
  • The candidate's class 12 board examination before 30th November 2021.
  • The aspirant must not have enrolled for (or planning to commence) studies in a university by 1st June 2024.

Note: The candidates having OCI cards are not capable of Indian team selection in the International Mathematical Olympiad.

IOQ 2023-24 Registration Process

The eligible candidates can apply or register online for the IOQ. The Online registration for the Indian Olympiad Qualifier Examination is expected to start on the IAPT website around 25th September 2021.

The steps for registration of the Indian Qualifier Examination are listed below:

  • Firstly the candidate needs to visit the official website of IAPT.
  • From there, the candidate can download the application form.
  • The candidates must fill out the Indian Olympiad Qualifier application form and submit it to the registration center.
  • The candidates are expected to complete the registration process by 15th October 2021.

IOQ 2023-24 Exam Pattern

The pandemic has urged the authorities at Indian Olympiad Qualifier to make certain changes in the exam pattern and the conduct of the exam. It is always for the candidates to know these changes and to be fine-tuned with the question paper.

Detailed below is the exam pattern of the Indian Olympiad Qualifier:

  • The question paper will have both objective and descriptive types of questions.
  • The exam duration is three hours and is conducted in two parts.
  • The details of the two parts are given below:
    • Part I: National Standard Examination (NSE): This part is one hour long, and the type of questions are multiple-choice. This part is considered as a screening test for evaluating the second part, INO.
    • Part II: Indian National Olympiad (INO): This part of the exam is two hours long and will constitute detailed questions. The INO is performed for determining the selection of the aspirants to the next level. The selection will be based exclusively on the performance of the INO.
  • The IOQ in each subject is a combination of two examinations, held in a single sitting for the candidates.

IOQ 2023-24 Syllabus

The syllabus of the Indian Olympiad Qualifier hasn't undergone much change, and it is the same as the previous year and mostly consists of topics from their CBSE textbooks.

The details of the Indian Olympiad Qualifier syllabus is given below:

Indian Olympiad Qualifier Syllabus
Subjects Syllabus
IOQP (Physics) Mainly equivalent to senior secondary level (up to and including Class XII) of CBSE.
IOQC (Chemistry) Mainly equivalent to senior secondary level (up to and including Class XII) of CBSE.
IOQA (Astronomy) Mainly equivalent to senior secondary level (up to and including Class XII) of CBSE. There will be a greater priority on Elementary Astronomy, Mathematics, and Physics.
IOQB (Biology) Mainly equivalent to senior secondary level (up to and including Class XII) of CBSE.
IOQJS (Junior Science) Mainly equivalent to the secondary school level (up to and including Class X) of CBSE. All the main subjects of science (Biology, Physics and Chemistry) and Mathematics may have roughly equal priority.

IOQ 2023-24 Exam Dates

The Indian Olympiad Qualifier exams will begin in January, and these are important dates the candidates must note.

Tabulated below are the exam dates of the Indian Olympiad Qualifier:

IOQ Exam Dates
Exam Date and Time (tentative)
IOQM (Mathematics) March 2024 (Sunday), 9:00 – 13:00 hrs
IOQJS (Junior Science) March 2024 (Sunday), 14:30 – 18:00 hrs
IOQP (Physics) March 2024 (Sunday), 9:00 - 12:30 hrs
IOQC (Chemistry) March 2024 (Sunday), 14:30 – 18:00 hrs
IOQA (Astronomy) March 2024 (Sunday), 9:00 – 12:30 hrs
IOQB (Biology) March 2024 (Sunday), 14:30 – 18:00 hrs

Note: As per the official website, these dates are tentative and are subject to change depending on the covid situation in the country.

IOQ 2023-24 Results

The results of the Indian Olympiad Qualifier in science is most likely to be released in February 2024. The candidates should visit the official website to check their results.

IOQ 2023-24 Selection Criteria

The candidates should write both parts of the Indian Olympiad Qualifier. The first part, which is the National Standard Examination (NSE), is conducted as a screening test to evaluate the first one.

The selection criteria for the part 2 exam and the OCSC is given below:

Selection Criteria for Part-2 Exam: This part will be evaluated only for those candidates screened through the first part (NSE). The selection for the next level (OCSC) will be determined solely by the achievement in this part.

Selection Criteria for OCSC: The Orientation Cum Selection Camp (OCSC) is organized by the HBCSE. The candidates are selected based on their performance on their Part 2 examination of IOQ.

IOQ Previous Year Question Papers

The previous year's question papers of the Indian Olympiad Qualifier are very beneficial to practice, and it also helps in the performance of the candidate.

The previous year question papers can be downloaded below in pdf format:

IOQ Previous Year Answer Keys

The candidate must also check the answers to the previous year's question papers of the Indian Olympiad Qualifier. It is important to check your answers and make corrections.

The answer keys of the previous year's question papers can be downloaded below in pdf format:

IOQ 2023-24 Preparation Tips

Participating in Olympiads will look good on your school CV. The Indian Olympiad Qualifiers exams give a great opportunity for this, and it is one of the competitive Olympiads at the school level.

Here we provide some tips that can be useful for the candidates planning to write the IOQ this year:

  • Prepare a timetable for your studies and study only when your mind is concentrated and alert.
  • Breaks are important to keep us focused and allow our brain to absorb the things we have studied.
  • Make your studies more creative. Try to learn theories in the form of stories which will make them easier to understand and remember.
  • Set your targets for the day. The importance of establishing ambitious goals from a young age would also reflect in your future life.
  • Doubts should not be procrastinated. Doubts should be asked and cleared by teachers or mentors.

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