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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.
Updated 3 Sept 2026 ·Vacancy counts change every cycle — always confirm the exact number in the latest official notification before applying.
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.
✦ Try a NSEA question — free, no signup
Work, Energy and PowerA comet of mass m approaches the Sun from infinity with speed v. At its closest approach, its speed is 3v. The distance of closest approach in terms of G, M (Sun's mass), and v is:
Tap an option to check your answer.
Start with a diagnostic
10 questions across the syllabus to see where you stand.
One email when the official result is out, nothing else.
🧩 Build your own mock — pick exact topics → · every mock readable in हिंदी + 12 languages inside the test
NSEA eligibility
Verified against the official notification. Source ↗ · last reconciled 2026-05.
- Education
- Currently studying in Class 8-12 in a recognised Indian school.
- Attempts
- One attempt per cycle.
- Nationality
- Indian citizen, OCI, or studying in Indian schools.
NSEA paper analysis — what actually got asked
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.
Mechanics
50/216 marks avg
Kinematics + dynamics + rotation + gravitation
~50 marks(23%)
Astronomy basics
60/216 marks avg
Celestial coordinate systems + Kepler's laws + astrometry
~60 marks(28%)
Electromagnetism + Modern Physics
50/216 marks avg
Stellar physics + spectra + cosmology basics
~50 marks(23%)
Mathematical Methods
30/216 marks avg
Trigonometry + vectors + calculus applications
~30 marks(14%)
Other
26/216 marks avg
Observational astronomy + spherical trigonometry
~26 marks(12%)
Takeaways for prep planning
- NSEA is uniquely Indian — most candidates have never studied astronomy formally. Self-study via 'Astronomy: Principles and Practice' is the standard route.
- Physics olympiad-level skills carry over; astronomy-specific knowledge (coordinate systems, ephemerides) needs separate prep.
- HBCSE astronomy camp graduates often go on to ISRO / TIFR research careers.
NSEA — Frequently asked questions
Is Shishya free for NSEA preparation?
How many NSEA practice questions does Shishya have?
Are NSEA previous year question papers available?
How long is the NSEA exam?
Previous year papers
101 questions across all yearsSome years hold a set of questions from that paper, not the full paper — each card shows how many.
2025
21 of 80 questions
Practise these →2024
21 of 80 questions
Practise these →2023
20 of 80 questions
Practise these →2022
20 of 80 questions
Practise these →2021
19 of 80 questions
Practise these →
Mock tests
All my attempts →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 →NSEA — 2022 (Previous Year)
FULL20 questions · 180 min
Start mock →NSEA — 2025 (Previous Year)
FULL21 questions · 180 min
Start mock →NSEA — Full-Length Mock (Real Pattern: 80Q · 180 min)
FULL80 questions · 180 min
Start mock →
Practice by subject & topic
Full-length subject tests below — 25 questions each, real exam format, instant scoring. Want to drill a single topic? Every topic has its own 10-question test in the syllabus.
Physics
55 QsMathematics
27 QsElementary Astronomy
38 Qs
🎯 Build my own mock
Tell Shishya exactly what to test you on — topics, size, difficulty — and get a fresh mock in seconds. Leave the box blank and we'll target your weakest topics.
Your rank
vs everyone who has taken this examTake a mock to see where you stand on the leaderboard.
Students
7
Mocks taken
19
Average score
37%
Top score
70%
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.
National topper / IOAA team range
90–100% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
- •Expected to be among national top 20-30 students
- •Strong contender for Indian team to International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA)
- •Invitation to pre-departure training camp at HBCSE — typically 15-20 students selected
- •Final IOAA team of 5 students chosen after camp performance
- •Previous IOAA team members have won gold, silver, bronze medals internationally
- •Recognition from HBCSE, IAPT, and potential research internship opportunities
National camp probable
80–90% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
- •Excellent chance for INAO top ranks (typically top 50-100)
- •High probability of Orientation-cum-Selection Camp (OCSC) at HBCSE Mumbai
- •Competitive for International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) team selection
- •May receive merit scholarships and recognition from IAPT/HBCSE
- •Focus on advanced astrophysics and observational astronomy for OCSC
INAO strong contender
70–80% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
INAO qualification likely
55–70% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
State-level qualification 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.
News & timeline
See older updates →Latest news
The Indian National Astronomy Olympiad (INAO), Stage-II of the Astronomy Olympiad programme, is scheduled for January 30, 2027, from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Top NSEA scorers will qualify for INAO.
IAPT has started centre registration for NSEA 2026-27 from August 1, 2026. Schools, junior colleges and approved examination centres can register until August 20, 2026. Student enrolment begins August 21.
The National Standard Examination in Astronomy will be conducted on Saturday, November 21, 2026, from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM. Enrolment fee is ₹300 per subject.
Important dates
Centre registration opens
passedSat, 1 Aug, 2026
Schools, junior colleges and approved centres register via iapt.org.in
Centre registration closes
passedThu, 20 Aug, 2026
Student enrolment opens
passedFri, 21 Aug, 2026
Students can enrol via school or directly through IAPT portal; fee ₹300
Student enrolment closes
3 days awayMon, 14 Sept, 2026
Admit card release (expected)
50 days awaySat, 31 Oct, 2026
Based on 2025-26 cycle when admit cards were released on October 31, 2025
🏅NSEA 2026 exam
71 days awaySat, 21 Nov, 2026
Saturday, 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM (2 hours)
NSEA result (expected)
103 days awayWed, 23 Dec, 2026
Based on 2025-26 cycle; result typically in late December
🏅INAO (Stage-II) exam
141 days awaySat, 30 Jan, 2027
Indian National Astronomy Olympiad; 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM; only for NSEA qualifiers
Syllabus
Tap any topic for its study notes + a 10-question topic test
Physics
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.
Mathematics
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.
Coordinate Geometry
Straight lines, circles and conic sections.
Trigonometry
Trigonometric ratios, identities, equations and inverse trig — heavily used in astronomy.
Three Dimensional Geometry
Direction cosines, lines and planes in 3D.
Vectors
Vector algebra, dot and cross products and applications.
Probability and Statistics
Probability rules, conditional probability, mean, variance and standard deviation.
Mathematical Reasoning
Logical statements, validity of arguments and elementary proof techniques.
Elementary Astronomy
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.
Celestial Mechanics
Kepler's laws, orbital elements, two-body problem and basic perturbations.
Lunar Phases, Eclipses and Tides
Phases of the Moon, solar/lunar eclipses, occultations, transits and ocean tides.
Stellar Astronomy Basics
Stellar magnitudes, spectral classification, HR diagram and stellar evolution overview.
Photometry and Spectroscopy
Flux, luminosity, inverse-square law, photometric systems and spectral lines.
Galaxies and Cosmology
Milky Way structure, galaxy types, redshift, Hubble's law and basic cosmological ideas.
Night Sky and Constellations
Familiar constellations, bright stars, asterisms and naked-eye object identification.
Telescopes and Instruments
Refracting/reflecting telescopes, magnification, resolving power and modern observatories.
History of Astronomy
Major astronomers and milestones from ancient observations to modern astrophysics.