The National Science Olympiad Syllabus plays a crucial role for every student who wants to prepare effectively for the SOF NSO 2025 exam. Since the Science Olympiad Foundation has already announced the exam dates which are 13th and 27th November 2025, and 11th December 2025, so the students preparing for the exam should gear up their preparation and also students appearing next year should follow the syllabus and the exam paper carefully and also should prepare with the right strategy. As the National Science Olympiad (NSO) tests both Logical Reasoning and Science, students must understand the entire National Science Olympiad Syllabus class-wise before beginning their preparation.
From the starting, the SOF NSO exam aims to check conceptual clarity, application ability, and higher-order thinking. Therefore, going through the latest National Science Olympiad Syllabus becomes the first and most important step. In the sections below, you will find the detailed class-wise syllabus, section-wise topics, highlights, and the official exam pattern.
NSO Syllabus 2025 Overview
The National Science Olympiad Syllabus is completely based on the academic curriculum of CBSE, ICSE, and other major state boards. Moreover, the syllabus is divided into three main sections:
- First, the Logical Reasoning – Which is the verbal and non-verbal reasoning
- Second, Science – Which will include the current and previous class syllabus
- Lastly, the Achievers Section – which comes as the higher-order thinking questions
Since the National Science Olympiad Syllabus changes class-wise from Class 1 to Class 12, students must check the topics carefully before they start preparing.
NSO Syllabus 2025 Highlights
Here are the key highlights for the exam :
| Particulars | Details |
| Conducting Authority | Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) |
| Subjects For NSO Olympiad | For Classes 1 to 10 – Logical Reasoning, Science, and Achievers SectionFor Classes 11 to 12 – Physics/Chemistry, Achievers Sections, and Mathematics/Biology |
| Questions Pattern | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
| Eligible Students | Class 1 to Class 12 |
| SOF NSO Exam Pattern | Class 1st to Class 4th: 35 questions for 40 marksClass 5th to Class 12th: 50 questions for 60 marks |
| Duration of Exam | 1 Hour (60 Minutes) |
| Official Website Link | https://sofworld.org/ |
National Science Olympiad Syllabus 2025 — Class-Wise Breakdown
As per the National Science Olympiad Syllabus, Level-1 questions follow the pattern of 60% from the current class + 40% from the previous class. Meanwhile, Level-2 questions come entirely from the current class syllabus. Hence, due to this structure, students must revise both current topics and previous-year concepts.
Below is the complete class-wise National Science Olympiad Syllabus.
NSO Syllabus 2025 For Class 1
A detailed overview is provided for the NSO Syllabus for Class 1 in the table below.
| Sections | Topics | ||
| Section 1: Logical Reasoning | Patterns, Odd One Out, Measuring Units, Geometrical Shapes, Spatial Understanding, Grouping, Analogy, Ranking Test, and Problems based on Figures. | ||
| Section 2: Science | Living and Non-living Things, Plants, Animals, Human Beings and Their Needs, Good Habits and Safety Rules, Air and Water, Weather, and The Sky. | ||
| Section 3: Achievers Section | Higher Order Thinking Questions – Syllabus as per Section 2. |
NSO Syllabus 2025 For Class 2
The National Science Olympiad Syllabus for Class 2 is given below. The topics covered in the Olympiad objective-based questions are given in this data :
| Sections | Topics |
| Section 1: Logical Reasoning | Patterns, Odd One Out, Measuring Units, Geometrical Shapes, Analogy, Ranking Test, Grouping of Figures, Embedded Figures, and Coding-Decoding. |
| Section 2: Science | Plants, Animals, Human Body, Food, Housing and Clothing, Family and Festivals, Good Habits and Safety Rules, Transport and Communication, Air, Water and Rocks, Earth and the Universe. |
| Section 3:Achievers Section | Higher Order Thinking Questions – Syllabus as per Section 2. |
National Science Olympiad Syllabus 2025 For Class 3
The NSO Syllabus for Class 3 for Logical Reasoning, Science, and Achievers Sections is provided here.
| Sections | Topics |
| Section 1: Logical Reasoning | Patterns, Analogy and Classification, Alphabet Test, Coding-Decoding, Ranking Test, Grouping of Figures and Figure Matrix, Mirror Images, Geometrical Shapes, Embedded Figures, Possible Combinations, Clock, and Calendar. |
| Section 2: Science | Plants and Animals, Birds, Food, Housing, Clothing and Occupation, Transport, Communication and Safety Rules, Human Body, Earth and Universe, Matter and Materials, Light, Sound and Force, Our Environment. |
| Section 3:Achievers Section | Higher Order Thinking Questions – Syllabus as per Section 2. |
NSO Syllabus 2025 For Class 4
Before starting the preparation, the students must go through the NSO Syllabus for Class 4. This will give a boost to the candidates to prepare accordingly.
| Sections | Topics |
| Section 1: Logical Reasoning | Patterns, Alphabet Test, Coding-Decoding, Ranking Test, Mirror Images, Geometrical Shapes and Solids, Embedded Figures, Direction Sense Test, Possible Combinations, Analogy and Classification, Clock and Calendar. |
| Section 2: Science | Plants, Animals, Food and Digestion, Human Needs, Matter and Materials, Force, Work and Energy, Our Environment, Earth and Universe. |
| Section 3:Achievers Section | Higher Order Thinking Questions – Syllabus as per Section 2. |
NSO Syllabus 2025 For Class 5
The Comprehensive details of the NSO Syllabus for Class 5 are provided here.
| Sections | Topics |
| Section 1: Logical Reasoning | Patterns, Analogy and Classification, Geometrical Shapes, Mirror and Water Images, Direction Sense Test, Ranking Test, Alphabet Test, Logical Sequence of Words, Puzzle Test, Coding-Decoding, Clock and Calendar. |
| Section 2: Science | Animals, Human Body and Health, Plants, Natural Resources and Indian Heritage, Pollution and Calamities, Earth and Universe, Matter and Materials, Force and Energy. |
| Section 3:Achievers Section | Higher Order Thinking Questions – Syllabus as per Section 2. |
NSO Syllabus 2025 For Class 6
The Comprehensive details of the NSO Syllabus for Class 6 are provided here.
| Sections | Topics |
| Section 1: Logical Reasoning | Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. |
| Section 2: Science | Motion and Measurement of Distances, Light, Shadows and Reflections, Electricity and Circuits, Fun with Magnets, Air Around Us, Sorting Materials into Groups, Separation of Substances, The World of Living (Characteristics of Living Beings, Parts of Plants, Body Movements in Animals, and Adaptation), Components of Food. |
| Section 3: Achievers Section | Higher Order Thinking Questions – Syllabus as per Section 2. |
NSO Syllabus 2025 For Class 7
The topics to be covered as per the NSO Syllabus for Class 7 are provided here.
| Sections | Topics |
| Section 1: Logical Reasoning | Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning |
| Section 2: Science | Heat, Motion, and Time; Electric Current and Its Effects; Light, Acids, Bases, and Salts; Physical and Chemical Changes; Nutrition in Plants and Animals, Respiration in Organisms, Transportation in Plants and Animals, Reproduction in Plants, Natural Resources and Their Conservation (Forests: Our Lifeline, Wastewater Story). |
| Section 3: Achievers Section | Higher Order Thinking Questions – Syllabus as per Section 2. |
NSO Syllabus 2025 For Class 8
Here is the section-wise National Science Olympiad Syllabus 2025 for Class 8.
| Sections | Topics |
| Section 1: Logical Reasoning | Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. |
| Section 2: Science | Crop Production and Management, Microorganisms, Coal and Petroleum, Combustion and Flame, Conservation of Plants and Animals, Reproduction and Endocrine System, Force and Pressure, Friction, Sound, Chemical Effects of Electric Current, Some Natural Phenomena, and Light. |
| Section 3: Achievers Section | Higher Order Thinking Questions – Syllabus as per Section 2. |
NSO Syllabus 2025 For Class 9
Go through the details of the NSO Syllabus for Class 9 for the section-wise details in the data below.
| Sections | Topics |
| Section 1: Logical Reasoning | Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. |
| Section 2: Science | Motion, Force and Laws of Motion, Gravitation, Work and Energy, Sound, Matter in Our Surroundings, Is Matter Around Us Pure, Atoms and Molecules, Structure of Atom, Cell—The Fundamental Unit of Life, Tissues, Natural Resources, and Improvement in Food Resources. |
| Section 3: Achievers Section | Higher Order Thinking Questions – Syllabus as per Section 2 |
NSO Syllabus 2025 For Class 10
Go through the details of the NSO Syllabus for Class 10 for the section-wise details in the data below.
| Sections | Topics |
| Section 1: Logical Reasoning | Verbal and Non-Verbal Reasoning. |
| Section 2: Science | Chemical Reactions and Equations, Acids, Bases, and Salts, Metals and Non-metals, Carbon and Its Compounds, Life Processes, Control and Coordination, Reproduction in Organisms, Heredity, Light-Reflection and Refraction, the Human Eye and Colourful World, Electricity, Magnetic Effects of Electric Current, and Our Environment and Its Management. |
| Section 3: Achievers Section | Higher Order Thinking Questions – Syllabus as per Section 2. |
NSO Syllabus 2025 For Class 11
Here is the section-wise National Science Olympiad Syllabus 2025 for Class 11.
| Sections | Topics |
| Section 1: Logical Reasoning | Physics: Units and Measurements, Mechanics, Properties of Matter, Heat and Thermodynamics, Oscillations, Waves.Chemistry: Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry, Structure of Atom, Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties, Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure, Thermodynamics, Equilibrium, Redox Reactions, Organic Chemistry—Some Basic Principles and Techniques, Hydrocarbons. |
| Section 2: Science | Higher Order Thinking Questions – Syllabus as per Section 1. |
| Section 3: Achievers Section | Sets, Relations, and Functions; Logarithms; Complex Numbers & Quadratic Equations; Linear Inequalities; Sequences and Series; Trigonometry; Straight Lines; Conic Sections; Permutations and Combinations; Binomial Theorem; Statistics; Limits and Derivatives; Probability; and Introduction to 3-D Geometry.ORDiversity in the Living World, Structural Organization in Plants and Animals, Cell: Structure and Functions, Plant Physiology, Human Physiology. |
Since many Class 11 students manage school, Olympiads, and competitive exams together, learning about balancing board exams and JEE preparation in Class 11 can help them plan better.
NSO Syllabus 2025 For Class 12
Here is the section-wise National Science Olympiad Syllabus 2025 for Class 12.
| Sections | Topics |
| Section 1: Logical Reasoning | Physics: Electricity and Magnetism, Electromagnetic Induction, Alternating current, Electromagnetic waves, Optics, Modern Physics, Semiconductor Electronics.Chemistry: Solutions, Electrochemistry, Chemical Kinetics, The d- and f-Block Elements, Coordination Compounds, Haloalkanes and Haloarenes, Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers, Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids, Amines, and Biomolecules. |
| Section 2: Science | Higher Order Thinking Questions – Syllabus as per Section 1. |
| Section 3: Achievers Section | Relations and Functions, Inverse Trigonometric Functions, Matrices and Determinants, Continuity and Differentiability, Application of Derivatives, Integrals, Application of Integrals, Differential Equations, Vector Algebra, Three-Dimensional Geometry, Probability, Linear Programming.ORReproduction, Genetics and Evolution, Biology in Human Welfare, Biotechnology, and Ecology. |
Students preparing for higher competitive exams can also refer to this guide on how to start JEE preparation in Class 12 to build strong fundamentals alongside Olympiad practice.
NSO Exam Pattern 2025
Here is the exam pattern NSO exam pattern :
| Class | Section | No. of Questions | Total Marks |
| 1st to 4th | Section – 1: Logical Reasoning | 5 | 5 |
| Section – 2: Science | 25 | 25 | |
| Section – 3: Achievers Section | 5 | 10 | |
| Grand Total | 35 | 40 | |
| 5th to 10th | Section – 1: Logical Reasoning | 10 | 10 |
| Section – 2: Science | 35 | 35 | |
| Section – 3: Achievers Section | 5 | 15 | |
| Grand Total | 50 | 60 | |
| 11th & 12th | Section – 1: Physics & Chemistry | 25 | 25 |
| Section – 2: Achievers Section | 5 | 15 | |
| Section – 3: Mathematics/Biology | 20 | 20 | |
| Grand Total | 50 | 60 |
Conclusion
The National Science Olympiad Syllabus provides a clear roadmap for every student aiming to perform well in the NSO 2025 exam. Since the syllabus follows the school curriculum and includes both reasoning and science topics, students can easily prepare with a structured plan. Moreover, the class-wise breakdown helps students understand exactly what to study at each level. Therefore, by staying consistent, practicing MCQs, and revising the National Science Olympiad Syllabus regularly, students can confidently aim for top performance in the upcoming examination.
For structured guidance, practice material, and exam-focused preparation support, students can explore resources available at SPM & Lalan’s.
NSO Syllabus 2025 FAQs
Q1: Where can I get the detailed NSO Syllabus 2025?
You can download the detailed NSO Syllabus 2025 from the official website of the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF). Additionally, many schools provide the syllabus to students during registration, so you can also ask for it from your school. Be sure to get the correct version for your class since the syllabus varies across grades.
Q2: Is the SOF NSO Syllabus 2025 the same for classes 1 to 12?
No, the SOF NSO Syllabus 2025 differs for each class. The difficulty level and topic distribution vary from one class to another. However, the basic structure remains consistent, with each class following three main sections: Logical Reasoning, Science, and the Achievers Section.
Q3: What sections are there in the National Science Olympiad Syllabus 2025?
The NSO Syllabus 2025 consists of three sections:
- Logical Reasoning: Tests your ability to analyze and think critically.
- Science: Based on the school curriculum (class-specific).
- Achievers Section: Assesses higher-order thinking skills, requiring application and deeper understanding of concepts.
Q4: What is the duration for the SOF National Science Olympiad?
The duration for the SOF National Science Olympiad is 60 minutes. The exam consists of multiple-choice questions, so you need to manage your time carefully to complete all sections.
Q5: What is the SOF NSO Exam Pattern 2025?
The exam pattern for the NSO 2025 consists of multiple-choice questions across three sections:
Classes 11-12: 50 questions (60 marks)..
Classes 1-4: 35 questions (40 marks).
Classes 5-10: 50 questions (60 marks).
