The National Science Education Center promotes chemistry as a subject and aims to generate interest in the candidates. The National Standard Examination in Chemistry, commonly known as NSEC, is the first stage of the International Chemistry Olympiad.
No, a student who has not completed the several phases of testing that lead to ICO selection would not be permitted to represent India abroad. If a student wishes to participate in ICO, he or she must first pass the NSEC exam. Students who pass the tests will be allowed to join the training camp.
The NSEC 2025-26 Exam is scheduled in November 2025 and the exact date will be on the official portal of Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT) iapt.org.en.
The NSEC 2025-26 Syllabus and Exam Pattern follows the NCERT curriculum for Classes 11 and 12, but it also includes higher-level questions and detailed overview is provided in the blog.
NSEC registration has been start from 1st August 2025 and will continue till 20th August 2025
Students to be eligible for NSEC 2025-26 must be born between 1st July 2006 and 30th June 2011, all dates inclusive and the detailed overview is provided above.
NSEC 2025-26: The National Standard Examination in Chemistry (NSEC) is the first stage of the Chemistry Olympiad in India, conducted for higher secondary students. It is organized annually by the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT), typically in the month of November, to foster interest in Chemistry and identify talented students for further stages of the Olympiad.
Top 1% of candidates qualify for the Indian National Chemistry Olympiad (INChO).
NSEC registration has been start from 1st August 2025 and will continue till 20th August 2025. Once that’s done, student enrollment will begin on 21st August and stay open until 14th September 2025. The exam is scheduled to be held on 23rd November 2025.
The National Science Education Center promotes chemistry as a subject and aims to generate interest in the candidates. The National Standard Examination in Chemistry, commonly known as NSEC, is the first stage of the International Chemistry Olympiad.
Around 30,000 students of class 11 and 12 appear for the NSEC examination every year. Candidates who secure higher marks are shortlisted for the further stage of the Indian National Chemistry Olympiad.Here is a detailed overview to help you understand everything about the NSEC 2025-26 including the registration process, eligibility criteria, syllabus, exam pattern, application fee, etc.
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NSEC 2025-26 Overview | |
Organization | IAPT (Indian Association of Physics Teachers) in collaboration with HBCSE (Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education), |
Exam Name | National Standard Examination in Chemistry (NSEC) 2025 |
Registration Dates | 1 August 2025 to 21 August 2025 |
NSEC 2025-26 Exam Date | 23 November 2025 |
Application Mode | Online |
Types of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) - 60 Questions |
Total Marks | 216 |
Negative Marking | there is a negative marking. For each wrong response, one mark will be deducted. |
Official Website | https://www.iapt.org.in/ |
IAPT will release the circular along with the complete schedule for NSEC Registration process for National Standard Examination in Chemistry. The registration process has been initiated on 1 August 2025 and NSEC 2025 Online Registration Window will remain open till the deadline. Go through the below table for the NSEC 2025-26 Important Dates.
NSEC 2025-26 Important Dates |
|
Centre registration start date |
1st August 2025 |
Last date for NSEC 2025 Center registration date |
20th August 2025 |
NSEC 2025 Student enrolment start date |
21st August 2025 |
NSEC 2025 Student enrolment end date |
14th September 2025 |
NSEC Exam Date 2025 |
23 November 2025 |
NSEC Olympiad exam is for Indian students who have a keen interest in chemistry and have excelled in chemistry. Around 850 centres are allocated by the organizing committee in various cities and towns officials facilitate the NSEC examination. Students must satisfy the NSEC 2025-26 eligibility criteria mentioned below:
Also Check: International Chemistry Olympiad
Following are the stages of the Chemistry Olympiad:
Pre-departure Training camp for INChO (PDT).
Participation in the International Chemistry Olympiad.
Chapter-wise Daily Practice Problem Sets (DPPS), test assignments with solutions, will be provided to enhance understanding. We employ a range of interactive resources and methods to successfully mentor young pupils throughout the country.
The fundamental objective of this batch, which has been carefully designed to accommodate students for Class 11 and 12, is to enable them to achieve exceptional results on the NSEC Olympiad Test. 24/7 access to lecture recordings will be possible, enabling students to review and revisit the material at their convenience.
Set A |
Set B |
|
Type of Questions |
Multiple Choice Questions |
Multiple Choice Questions |
No of Questions |
48 |
12 |
Marks for Correct Answer |
+3 |
+6 |
Marks for Incorrect Answer |
-1 |
0 |
NSEC Syllabus 2025-26 | |
Class | Chapters |
Class 11 |
|
Class 12 |
|