Dashboard · Exams · NSEA
National Standard Examination in Astronomy
HBCSE/IAPT Stage-1 astronomy olympiad. 80 MCQs in 3 hours combining Class 11+12 physics & math with celestial mechanics, spherical trigonometry, and observational astronomy.
Sourced
Source: official exam authority notification · refreshed weekly. How this works →
Free NSEA preparation on Shishya
Take expert-curated mocks, practise previous year papers, and Ask Shishya when you're stuck — verified by students who cleared the same path. All free, no credit card. Sign in with Google to begin.
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10 questions across the syllabus to see where you stand.
Verified against the official notification. Source ↗ · last reconciled 2026-05.
Topic-by-topic weightage averaged across 2022-2024 papers. Use this to decide where to invest study hours, not where to skim. Source ↗ · verified 2026-05.
50/216 marks avg
Kinematics + dynamics + rotation + gravitation
60/216 marks avg
Celestial coordinate systems + Kepler's laws + astrometry
We are sourcing PYQs from the official notification PDFs. Coming soon.
Take any mock in your preferred language — use the language picker inside the mock to switch (Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, Bengali, and 15 more).
NSEA — Quick Practice
FULL20 questions · 180 min
Start mock →Take a mock to see where you stand on the leaderboard.
What can I get from NSEA?
Mock-score → expected rank → likely outcome. Use the mocks below to find your current band, then plan how many marks you need to climb.
Elite performers — top 20 nationally
95–100% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
50/216 marks avg
Stellar physics + spectra + cosmology basics
30/216 marks avg
Trigonometry + vectors + calculus applications
26/216 marks avg
Observational astronomy + spherical trigonometry
National top 50 — IOAA pathway
90–95% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
Top 100 nationally — OCSC contenders
82–90% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
INO qualification likely
70–82% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
INO borderline — top 1%
55–70% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
Merit certificate range
35–55% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
Below qualifying threshold
0–35% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
AI-curated from historic cut-off patterns. Always verify with the latest official notification before making decisions.
IAPT has uploaded sample problems and reference materials for NSEA aspirants. The resources include past examination papers and topic-wise practice modules covering stellar physics, cosmology, and astronomical calculations.
Source →IAPT has announced the registration window for schools to enroll students for the National Standard Examination in Astronomy. Eligible students in classes XI and XII can participate through their registered institutions during the enrollment period.
Source →Analysis of the 2025-26 cycle shows that students who scored above the NSEA qualifier threshold showed significantly better performance in the Indian National Physics Olympiad. This underscores the importance of thorough preparation for the astronomy examination.
Source →The Indian Association of Physics Teachers has confirmed that NSEA 2026-27 will continue to test conceptual understanding in astronomy, astrophysics, and celestial mechanics. Students are advised to focus on problem-solving skills and observational astronomy fundamentals.
Source →School registration deadline
29 days awayThu, 25 Jun, 2026
Last date for schools to register students for NSEA
Student enrollment closure
59 days awaySat, 25 Jul, 2026
Final deadline for individual student enrollments through registered schools
Admit card availability
149 days awayFri, 23 Oct, 2026
NSEA admit cards accessible via school coordinators
📌NSEA examination date
164 days awaySat, 7 Nov, 2026
National Standard Examination in Astronomy conducted across India
Preliminary answer key release
179 days awaySun, 22 Nov, 2026
Provisional answers published for candidate review
NSEA result declaration
214 days awaySun, 27 Dec, 2026
Qualified students announced for Indian National Astronomy Olympiad (INAO)
Click any topic to read study notes
Units and Measurements
SI units, dimensional analysis, error analysis used heavily in astronomy estimation problems.
Kinematics
Motion in 1D and 2D, projectile motion and relative motion.
Laws of Motion
Newton's laws, friction and circular dynamics.
Work, Energy and Power
Work-energy theorem, conservation laws and elastic/inelastic collisions.
Rotational Motion
Centre of mass, torque, angular momentum and moment of inertia.
Gravitation
Newton's law of gravitation, gravitational potential, Kepler's laws and orbital mechanics — central to NSEA.
Mechanical Properties of Solids and Fluids
Elasticity, pressure, buoyancy, viscosity and Bernoulli's principle.
Thermal Physics and Thermodynamics
Heat transfer (conduction, convection, radiation), blackbody radiation and laws of thermodynamics.
Kinetic Theory of Gases
Ideal gas law, equipartition and mean free path — used in stellar atmosphere problems.
Oscillations and Waves
SHM, sound, superposition, beats and Doppler effect (used for radial-velocity problems).
Electrostatics
Coulomb's law, electric field/potential, Gauss's law and capacitance.
Current Electricity
Ohm's law, Kirchhoff's laws, Wheatstone bridge and circuits.
Magnetism and Electromagnetic Induction
Magnetic effects of current, Faraday's law, AC circuits and electromagnetic waves.
Optics
Reflection, refraction, lenses, telescopes, interference, diffraction and polarisation.
Modern Physics
Photoelectric effect, atoms, nuclei, radioactivity and elementary particle ideas.
Sets, Relations and Functions
Sets, relations, types of functions and inverse trigonometric functions.
Algebra
Mathematical induction, complex numbers, quadratic equations, sequences and series.
Permutations and Combinations
Counting principles, nPr/nCr and elementary combinatorial reasoning.
Binomial Theorem
Binomial expansion, general term and applications.
Matrices and Determinants
Matrix operations, determinants and solution of linear systems.
Celestial Sphere and Coordinate Systems
Celestial sphere, horizon, equatorial and ecliptic coordinate systems and conversions.
Spherical Trigonometry
Sine and cosine rules on a sphere — used for converting between coordinate systems.
Time and Calendars
Solar and sidereal time, time zones, equation of time, Julian date and calendar systems.
Diurnal and Annual Motion
Daily rising/setting of stars, seasons, solstices, equinoxes and circumpolar stars.
Solar System
Sun, planets, moons, asteroids, comets, meteors and dwarf planets — basic structure and properties.
INAO orientation camp notification
Sat, 16 Jan, 2027
Details for next-stage preparation camp communicated to qualifiers
Coordinate Geometry
Straight lines, circles and conic sections.