INAO Syllabus

The Indian National Astronomy Olympiad (INAO) is a national Olympiad examination organised by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education in collaboration with the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT). INAO exam is usually held around the end of November. It is the second stage, and only applicants who passed the first stage, the NSEA, are eligible to take it.

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Syllabus for INAO Exam 2022

The Indian National Astronomy Olympiad aims to increase and boost candidates’ interest in astronomy and astrophysics. It is a competition at the national level that prepares candidates for the International Olympiad in Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA). Candidates must have a thorough understanding of the INAO exam syllabus in order to qualify for the exam and move to the next level. However, the conducting body has not provided a detailed INAO syllabus. The topics primarily cover physics, mathematics, and elementary astronomy up to CBSE Class 12 level.

Subjects for Exam

The subjects covered in the syllabus are physics, mathematics and astronomy. Listed below are the subject-wise vital concepts that are covered in the syllabus for the INAO exam.

Syllabus for Physics

The syllabus for INAO physics is extensive and covers a wide range of complex topics ranging from electromagnetics to thermodynamics, so a thorough study plan is required to prepare for the exam.

Topics covered in physics are:

• Capacitance, energy stored in a capacitor, parallel plate capacitors
• Circular motion and kinematics of circular motion
• Current electricity and its temperature dependence
• Kirchoff’s current law and voltage law
• Electromagnetic waves, electrostatic field, electric field and electric potential
• Measurement errors and maximum permissible error
• Geometrical optics, Plane and Spherical Mirrors, Optical Instruments and Eye defects
• Kinematics, Thermodynamics and Kinetic Theory of Gasses
• Fluid Mechanics and Archimedes Principle
• Heat Transfer, Steffen’s and Wien’s Law
• Force and Newton’s laws of motion
• Heating, magnetic and chemical effects of electric current
• Projectile Motion, relative motion in one and two dimension
• Surface Energy and surface tension
• Units and dimensions of physical quantities

Syllabus for Maths

The mathematics syllabus for INAO is diverse, ranging from basic to advanced topics from 5th to 12th grade. The INAO exam contains various questions from the mathematics section that can consume the majority of your exam time.

Topics covered in mathematics are:

• Number Theory and Complex Numbers
• Lines, Triangles, Solid shapes and Conic Sections
• Circles, Ellipse, Parabola and Hyperbola
• Orthogonality, Parametric equations, Quadratic Equations
• Integration and Differentiation
• Permutations and Combinations
• Straight Lines, Equation of Lines, Trigonometric Identities, Sine and Cosine Values
• Nature of Roots, Sequences and Series
• Statistics and Probability

Syllabus for Astronomy

The questions are almost general in nature, requiring only a basic understanding of astronomical phenomena and constellations. We recommend learning to identify constellations and stars by studying star charts. Make certain that candidates are familiar with latitudes, longitudes, and the positions of the planets in space.

Topics covered in astronomy are:

• Astronomy
• Gravitation
• Escape velocity
• Kepler’s law
• Miscellaneous

Five Stages of Exam

The Astronomy Olympiad Programme is divided into five parts.

Stage 1: National Standard Examination in Astronomy (NSEA)

Stage 2: Indian National Astronomy Olympiad (INAO)

Stage 3: Orientation cum Selection Camp in Astronomy (OCSC)

Stage 4: Pre-departure Training Camp (PDT) for IOAA

Stage 5: International Olympiad in Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA)