NSEC 2023

The NSEC Examination is jointly conducted by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education and the Indian Association of Physics Teachers. This test is held every year in November, and numerous examination centres are designated for its administration. The National Science Education Center promotes chemistry as a topic and aims to foster interest in it. The NSEC encourages students’ achievements, depending on their examination results.

Students interested in participating in NSEC 2023 should read the article below for all the necessary information on the NSEC application form, eligibility, exam pattern, curriculum, and rewards.

NSEC 2023: Examination Dates

Event Date  (Tentative)
Centre Registration August 1st, 2023 to August 20th, 2023
Student Enrolment August 21st, 2023 to September 14th, 2023
NSEC exam date 26 th November 2023

Application Form for NSEC 2023

Every year, during the month of September, the NSEC application form is accessible. The NSEC Application Form is available both online and offline. For the above-mentioned time period, the NSEC application form will be accessible at separate NSE Centres. Please follow the instructions below to obtain your own copy of the NSEC Application Form:

  1. Find the NSE Center closest to you: The first step is to find the nearest NSE Center. Over the last few years, IAPT has opened over a thousand centres around the country. Each centre’s name, address, and phone number is included in a PDF file here.
  2. Filling out the NSEC Application Form is the second step. You can get the NSEC Application Form from the Centre Coordinator, when you’ve found an NSE Centre and filled it out.

Exam Pattern for NSEC 2023

The Indian National Olympiad will be formed by combining the first two levels of the NSEC/IOQA examinations into a single stage (IOQA). According to the IAPT, each test will consist of a single examination with two sections that will be taken in one sitting.

Exam Timings 11:30 am to 1:30 pm (tentative)
Duration of Exam Two hours
Test Paper Level/ Syllabus Is broadly equivalent to senior secondary level (up to and including Class XII) of CBSE India
Test Medium/ Language Question paper will be in English, Hindi, Gujarati, Bangla, Tamil and Telugu or any Indian Language provided 300 students OPT for it (option during registration).

Type of questions – Objective type with multiple choices

Sections Two parts
Total Number of Questions 60 MCQs
Total Marks 216 Marks

Syllabus for the 2023 Session of the NSEC

The syllabus has still not been confirmed by the organisers, but based on previous examinations and the syllabus that was followed, we can fairly claim that students can follow the syllabus for grades 11 and 12. All of the chapters that should be covered for the test are listed below:

Class 11 Chapters
  • Some basic concepts of Chemistry
  • Structure of Atoms
  • Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties
  • Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
  • States of Matter: Solid, Liquid and Gas
  • Chemical thermodynamics
  • Equilibrium
  • Redox Reaction
  • Hydrogen
  • S-block Elements
  • P- block Elements
  • Organic Chemistry: Some Basic principles and techniques
  • Hydrocarbons
  • Environmental Chemistry
Class 12 Chapters
  • Solid State
  • Solutions
  • ElectroChemistry
  • Chemical Kinetics
  • Surface Chemistry
  • General Principles and Processes of Isolation of elements
  • P-block elements
  • Coordination Compounds
  • Haloalkanes and Haloarenes
  • Alcohol, Phenols and Ethers
  • Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids
  • Amines
  • Biomolecules
  • Polymers
  • Chemistry in everyday life

NSEC 2023 Session Eligibility Criteria

This test is for Indian students who have studied Chemistry and excelled in it. This test is taken by students in higher secondary school, and the organisers have designated roughly 850 centres in various towns, cities, and villages to make the examination procedure easier. Students must meet the following qualifying requirements:

  • The learner must first and foremost be an Indian citizen.
  • The NSEP test is designed for students in grades 9 and 10.
  • Date of birth between 1 July 2004 and 30 June 2009, both days inclusive.
  • Must be residing and studying in India since 30 November 2021 or earlier. Must be studying in an Indian school system since 30 November 2021 or earlier. OR Must be studying in an Indian school system since 30 November 2021 or earlier
  • Must not have completed (or scheduled to complete) class 12 board examination earlier than 30 November 2023
  • Must not have commenced (or planning to commence) studies in a university or equivalent institution by 1 June, 2023.
  • Must not be appearing in NSEJS 2023

Chemistry Olympiad Stages

The phases of the Chemistry Olympiad are as follows:

  • National Standard Examination in Chemistry (NSEC).
  • Indian National Chemistry Olympiad (INChO).
  • Orientation cum Selection camp of Chemistry (OSC).
  • Pre-departure Training camp for INChO (PDT).
  • Participation in the International Chemistry Olympiad.

Other Exams

NSEB -National Standard Examination in Biology
NSEP – National Standard Examination in Physics

Frequently Asked Questions on NSEC 

Q1

How to prepare effectively for NSEC?

In this test, time will not be a barrier; students can begin with inorganic chemistry and then go on to organic chemistry. Learn all of the laboratory conditions of organic chemistry processes, such as catalyst names, temperature, and pressure. Since the subjects in inorganic chemistry are quite volatile, you should go through the whole NCERT curriculum.
Q2

What is NSEC?

The National Standard Examination in Chemistry, or NSEC, is an examination in chemistry for students in India’s higher secondary schools. The test is generally held in late November. This test is overseen by the Indian Association of Chemistry Teachers. More than 30,000 pupils, the majority of whom are in Class 12, take this exam.
Q3

What is the significance of NSEC?

The NSEC test is a higher-level examination that is intended to be taken by students in their senior year of high school. NSEC is significant since it is the first level that students must pass in order to compete in the International Chemistry Olympiad. IAPT holds this exam to assess students’ chemistry knowledge in order to pick the top candidates to represent India at the world level. Students must pay a one-time registration fee in order to get their admission cards.
Q4

Is it possible for me to immediately compete in the International Chemistry Olympiad?

No, a student who has not completed the several phases of testing that lead to IMO selection would not be permitted to represent India abroad. If a student wishes to participate in IMO, he or she must first pass the NSEC exam. Students who pass the tests will be allowed to join the training camp.
Q5

Is it possible for me to take the NSEC in 2023?

Students who meet the following conditions are eligible to take the NSEC in 2023:
  • The learner must first and foremost be an Indian citizen.
  • The NSEP test is designed for students in grades 9 and 10.
  • Date of birth between 1 July 2004 and 30 June 2009, both days inclusive.
  • Must be residing and studying in India since 30 November 2021 or earlier. Must be studying in an Indian school system since 30 November 2021 or earlier. OR Must be studying in an Indian school system since 30 November 2021 or earlier
  • Must not have completed (or scheduled to complete) class 12 board examination earlier than 30 November 2023
  • Must not have commenced (or planning to commence) studies in a university or equivalent institution by 1 June, 2023.
  • Must not be appearing in NSEJS 2023