The National Standard Examination in Chemistry is administered by Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education and the Indian Association of Physics Teachers. The examination is conducted annually in November, and it is conducted at different locations across the country. The National Science Education Centre focuses on promoting interest in chemistry. The NSEC recognises students’ accomplishments based on their exam results. This exam is for students who desire to explore chemistry and want to obtain knowledge of the topic while studying for the exam by completing a self-assessment. Students who pass this exam will be eligible to compete in the INCO (Indian National Chemistry Olympiad).
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Key Points of the Exam
The National Standard Examination in Chemistry (NSEC) is an examination for students in India’s higher secondary institutions. The test is usually conducted in late November. This test is overseen by the Indian Association of Physics Teachers. Around 30,000 pupils, the majority of whom are in Class 12, take this exam.
Eligibility Criteria
Each olympiad exam has specific qualifying requirements for students to take the test. To take the exam, candidates must meet the NSEC eligibility criteria 2022. The following are the eligibility requirements for NSEC 2022.
- Students must have an Indian passport.
- The candidate’s date of birth must be between the 1st of July 2002 and the 30th of June 2007, both days inclusive.
- Students must be residents in India from November 30, 2019, or earlier OR must have been studying in an Indian educational system since November 30, 2019, or earlier.
- Class XII board test or equivalent must not have been passed (or expected to be completed) before November 30, 2021.
- There must not be any NSEJS 2021 exams scheduled in that academic year.
- By June 1, 2023, the candidate must not have started (or plan to start) studies at a university or equivalent institution.
Next Levels after NSEC
There are different stages after the NSEC exam are mentioned below.
- National Standard Examination in Chemistry (NSEC)
- Indian National Chemistry Olympiad (INChO)
- Orientation cum Selection Camp of Chemistry (OSC)
- Pre-departure Training camp for INChO (PDT)
- Participation in the International Chemistry Olympiad
Achievers of NSEC
The top 1% of students who pass this exam are invited to compete in the Indian National Chemistry Olympiad. The top 30 students are chosen for the Orientation cum Selection Camp (OSC), Chemistry. The National Standard Examination in Chemistry’s major goal is to include as many students as possible from around the country and to promote their brilliance around the world. INOC will be available to the top 300 students in NSEC.
Frequently Asked Questions on NSEC Eligibility Criteria
What is the mark distribution of the NSEC examination?
The NSEC examination consists of 80 multiple-choice questions, each with four options and only one correct answer. The distribution of marks is listed below
Class |
Number of Questions |
Marks Per Question |
Total Marks |
11 |
36 |
3 |
108 |
12 |
44 |
3 |
132 |
Total |
80 |
240 |