IAO Exam Date

The International Astronomy Olympiad is an annual examination for high school astronomy and science students. It includes intellectual rivalry among the students who participate. The IAO was founded in 1996 by the Eurasian Astronomical Society. It’s part of the International Science Olympiad series. In the absence of a state’s national team, the state’s regions, cities, and towns are responsible (with permission from the Coordinating Council) for participating in the IAO.

Please Note: This page will be updated soon

The IAO’s main purpose is to promote astronomy and associated sciences in schools, especially through general education, and develop worldwide astronomy promotion partnerships. More talented high school students are likely to be interested in studying astronomy at the university level due to events like IAO, paving the way for the next generation of astronomers. In this article, we’ll go through IAO dates 2021-2022 in detail.

Important dates

Due to the obvious recurrence of COVID, the NSEA (IOQA) has been postponed indefinitely. The IOAA and IAO have been postponed indefinitely due to the recurrence of COVID.

Every year, there are five steps to the selection process.

Stage 1

The National Standard Examination (NSE) is administered by the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT). The National Standard Examination (NSE) in Junior Science, conducted by IAPT, is the first step toward junior category qualification for the International Astronomy Olympiad.

Stage 2

In the second stage, the top NSE performers (about 300 in each field) advance to the Indian National Olympiad (INO) – Junior Science. NCSM will manage the programme from now on. HBCSE, Mumbai aids NCSM in choosing applicants for the OCSC in the second stage.

Stage 3

Students will be given instructions on how to prepare for Olympiad-level theoretical and observational events. Students will learn the fundamentals of astrophysics, astronomical data processing, and night sky watching, with a focus on developing intellectual foundations and problem-solving skills. Several theoretical and observational tests will be conducted during the camp. Based on their success in these exams, they select a few students (top 3) who would represent India in the International Astronomy Olympiad.

Stage 4

The selected Indian teams go through a rigorous observational astronomy training programme at one of NCSM’s scientific centres before travelling for the International Astronomy Olympiad.

Stage 5

Three students compete in the International Astronomy Olympiad as part of the Olympiad programme.

Frequently Asked Questions on IAO Exam Date

Which countries are eligible to take part in the IAO?

Any country that has hosted an ANRAO (Authorized National Representative (Astronomical) Organization) in the last ten years or sent a group to the IAO in the preceding five years can compete in the IAO (International Astronomical Olympiad). The Olympiad Coordinating Council decides whether to accept an offer to join IAO from a new country. The new countries must follow a set of rules. The IAO’s host organisation distributes essential information to former participants’ National Representative Persons every year. The countries will then request an invitation to participate from the host organisation. After gaining approval, they will compete in the Olympiad.

Who funds the IAO?

The International Astronomy Olympiad is sponsored and hosted by the Euro-Asian Astronomical Society, the Euro-Asian Association of Astronomy Teachers, astronomical organisations from participating nations, and other organisations.

How often does the IAO exam happen?

The International Astronomy Olympiad is held every year from September to December in one of the Olympiad member states’ astronomy centres. Schoolchildren of various ages participate in the Olympiad.