India has been hosting the National Standard Examination in Physics (NSEP) since 1987. The Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT) offers an optional exam to help choose participants for the International Olympiad of Science. The UTs and every state that has taken part in NSEP run it at the regional level. After the exam, students are allowed to take the question paper home, and they will receive the whole exam solution one week later.
Everything you require to know about the National Standard Examination for Physics (NSEP) has been covered, including exam dates, syllabus, eligibility requirements, cutoff, format, and registration and result checking procedures.

Key Features of NSEP
The National Standard Examination in Physics (NSEP) is seen by many talented and ambitious students in the Physics Olympiad Program as a stepping stone. With the assistance of numerous centers around the nation, the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT) conducts the NSEP on a nationwide scale. This exam’s main objective is to choose students for the International Science Olympiad, which in turn identifies students who want to work in physics. This test, which can be taken offline or on paper, is open to students in classes lower than Class 12. The pupils can only move on to the next level if they have completed this one.
Important Dates for NSEP
| Events | Dates(Tentative) |
| Centre Registration | August |
| Student Enrolment | August to September |
| Date for NSEP Exam | November |
| Expected date of results | December |
NSEP Eligibility Criteria
Check the details of NSEP Eligibility criteria below.
- The learner must first and foremost be an Indian citizen.
- 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
How to Take the NSEP
- Students who want to take the National Standard Examination in Physics must register through their schools and only at IAPT-registered regional centres in their state.
- For registration at the regional centres, students must pay a Rs. 200 application fee (in cash).
NSEP Exam Pattern
Check the details of the NSEP Exam pattern below with complete data.
| Exam Timings | 8:30 am to 10:30 am (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 |
First Stage
The NSEP examination paper is divided into two sections for the First Stage:
- Part A is worth 144 points and consists of 48 multiple-choice questions, each question has four alternatives, out of which only one is correct. +3 marks credit for correct choice. -1 mark penalty for incorrect choice.
- Part B is worth 70 points and has 12 questions with one or more than one correct alternatives. To get credit, all the correct options and no incorrect options should be marked.
Second Stage
The major goal of the first stage of the NSEP test was to offer a wide variety of options that would aid in gradually expanding the reach and achieving countrywide representation for stage two, without sacrificing quality or merit.
NSEP Syllabus
Listed below is the NSEP Syllabus and important topics for reference.
| Chapters | Important Topics | Total Marks as per last year’s analysis by Resonance |
| Geometrical Optics | Lens, Refraction by spherical surface, Refraction by Prism, Spherical mirror, Refraction in general, Refraction at the plane surface and TIR | 39 |
| Alternating Current | Power consumed in an AC circuit, Resonance | 12 |
| Capacitor | A capacitor with a dielectric, Combination of Capacitors | 6 |
| Centre of mass, momentum & collision | Head-on collision, Motion of com | 12 |
| Circular Motion | Kinematics of circular motion, Circular motion in a vertical plane | 9 |
| Current Electricity | Instruments, Power, energy, battery, EMF, terminal voltage & Kirchhoff’s law | 21 |
| Electro Magnetic Field | Magnetic field due to a magnet and earth, magnetic field due to a straight wire, Magnetic field due to ring, Magnetic Force and torque on a current-carrying loop, dipole moment, Magnetic force on a charge | 21 |
| Electro-Magnetic Induction | Self-inductance EMF & magnetic energy density | 3 |
| Electrostatics | Coulomb’s law, Electric potential and potential difference, Flux calculation and gauss’s law, Conductor and it’s properties, Electric pressure | 12 |
| Semi-Conductor | Diode, Logic Gates, Transistors | 12 |
| Work, power, Energy | Work done by a variable force, work-energy theorem | 12 |
| Simple Harmonic Motion | Equation of SHM, Spring mass system | 9 |
| Thermodynamics | First law of thermodynamics, Root mean square velocity, kinetic energy | 9 |
| Heat Transfer | Thermal conduction in linear conductors | 9 |
| Modern Physics-1 | Electronic transition in the h/h-like atom/species, Photoelectric effect, X-ray | 9 |
| Miscellaneous | Miscellaneous | 9 |
| Newton’s Law of Motion | Calculation of force and acceleration | 6 |
| Fluid | Archimedes principle and force of buoyancy | 6 |
| Rectilinear Motion | Equation of motion and motion under gravity | 6 |
| Sound Wave | Doppler effect, Organ pipes and resonance | 6 |
| Gravitation | Universal law of gravitation | 3 |
| Rotation | Moment of inertia | 3 |
| Surface Tension | Excess pressure in drops and bubble | 3 |
| Wave Optics | YDSE with monochromatic light | 3 |
NSEP Registration
Applicants from all around the nation can take the National Standard Examination in Physics (NSEP) thanks to an easy registration procedure. Candidates have two options for registering: through education centers or independently. Here are all the pertinent registration and NSEP application form details in full.
| Events | Dates |
| Online Centre registration | August |
| Enrolment start date | August |
| Last date of Enrolment | September |
Fees for NSEP Registration
- The student must pay the registration fee in order to finish the NSEP examination registration process after enrolling for the NSEP 2023 exam.
- In order to complete their NSEP registration for 2023, students must submit the registration fee to the school administration.
- Schools may reimburse IAPT for the application fee once they have received payment from each candidate.
- Students who apply and move on to the International Physics Olympiad will not be charged again; this is a one-time fee.
- Until the charge is fully paid, there will be no reimbursement.
- The NSEP registration fee is 200 rupees per student, per subject (per examination), and must be paid in cash to the designated center. There is no refund for this exam price. When enrolling online, students must use a bank transfer to pay the examination fee.
NSEP Result
Check out the complete details of the NSEP result here.
| Events Related to NSEP | Start Date (Tentative) | End Date (Tentative) |
| Registration for the centres | August | August |
| Enrollment of the candidates | August | September |
Other Exams
| NSEB -National Standard Examination in Biology |
| NSEC – National Standard Examination in Chemistry |
Frequently Asked Questions on NSEP
Q1 Is NCERT sufficient for NSEP?
Students in the CBSE 12th grade take the NSEP exam. Applicants can use the NCERT books for grades 11 and 12 to prepare for this test. In conclusion, it is acceptable to begin your NSEP test preparation with the NCERT books.
Q2 What is the NSEP Level?
A first stage in choosing motivated and gifted students for the Physics Olympiad program is the National Standard Examination in Physics (NSEP). Since the NSEP exam is a national level examination meant to identify individuals with a keen interest in physics, it is quite demanding. Students can advance to the next stages of the physics Olympiad program after clearing the NSEP level. You can take the NSEP test if you have been enrolled in an Indian educational system since November 30, 2021, or earlier.
Q3 How to pass the NSEP Exam?
Even the hardest exam in the nation might be easily passed or scored. NSEP is in a similar situation. The first phase of the Physics Olympiad curriculum is the National Science Education curriculum (NSEP). To pass any exam, having the right study resources is essential. The first textbooks that every student should read carefully through are the NCERT books for classes 11 and 12. With enough planning and time management, NSEP might be solved with ease.
Q4 Which is more difficult, NSEP or KVPY?
NSEP is tougher than KVPY.Q5
How to prepare for the NSEP?
Having a well-thought-out study plan is essential while getting ready for any exam. One of the most important factors in passing any exam is how a candidate controls his time throughout the day and covers the material that is relevant to the test.
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