IOAA Exam Result

The IOAA or the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics is an international competition for high school students below the age of 20 years. Its primary aim is to encourage and inspire more young minds to pursue Astronomy and Astrophysics. The participants must pass 4 stages before being selected for the 5th and final stage i.e. IOAA. The IOAA 2020 Results have not been declared due to the exam being cancelled this year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. However, this same competition will be held next year in 2021, which will be hosted by Columbia.

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In case you were wondering about how to apply next year, keep reading.

How To Register for the IOAA

The IOAA has 5 stages in total

1. Stage 1: The National Standard Examination in Astronomy (NSEA)

2. Stage 2: Indian National Astronomy Olympiad (INAO)

3. Stage 3: Orientation Cum Selection Camp (OCSC)

4. Stage 4: Pre-Departure Training Camp (PDT)

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

The NSEA, or the National Standard Examination in Astronomy, is the entryway to the IOAA. To register for the NSEA you need to: 

Step 1: Find a Registered centre near you (the IAPT puts up a list of registered centres on their website’s home page), which generally consists of either schools, colleges or coaching institutes. 

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Step 2: Contact the Head of the Institution (the Principal or the Head of Department of the particular exam subject) for the Registration slip, where you will fill in your registration details and submit it to them.

Step 3: Keep an eye on the official websites to know when the admit cards have been released. It is best recommended to ask the respective Head of Institution to notify you when the admit cards have been sent to that centre.

Students who have qualified in each stage are selected for the next stage of examinations.

Question Paper Layout For NSEA

Marks Division for NSEA

In the NSEA exam, candidates will have to face a total of 80 questions carrying 3 marks each. 1 mark will be deducted for each wrong answer, and for every unanswered question, there will be no change in the total obtained marks. However, the main eligibility criterion is that the student must be under 20 years of age.

Syllabus for INAO

Selected students from the NSEA exam will be invited to the next stage organized by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, where they will give exams at 18 centres spread throughout the country. The questions will be based on Theoretical knowledge of Astronomy, Physics and Mathematics, containing both objective and long questions. 300-500 students are selected for this stage.

Syllabus for OCSC

The students that manage to qualify in the INAO stage proceed to the Orientation Cum Selection Camp, which takes place in the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE). There they undergo Theoretical and Experimental sessions in the field of Astronomy. 35-50 students are selected in this stage, out of which only 4-6 students are chosen for the Pre-Departure Camp and the final round.

Syllabus for IOAA 

A team of the final 4-6 students in addition to 2 adult guides is sent to represent the country in the final stage- IOAA. They travel to the host country with all expenses paid for by the host country. The syllabus for IOAA for selected candidates consists of the following:

1. Extensive knowledge of basic Astronomical concepts.

2. Standard concepts in High School level Physics and Mathematics, excluding calculus, complex numbers and differential equations.

3. Knowledge of certain Astronomical Software Packages of which the participants will be informed beforehand.

A more detailed Syllabus which lists out all the topics required can be found on the IOAA website.

Where to Get the Results

The IOAA results of the different exam stages can be found on the following sites

However, as you progress through the stages, you will be notified if you are selected by the exam organizers, so you don’t have to worry about not being told!