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.
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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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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.
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
2025
21 questions
Take paper →2024
21 questions
Take paper →2023
20 questions
Take paper →2022
20 questions
Take paper →2021
19 questions
Take paper →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 →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
NSEA — 2022 (Previous Year)
FULL20 questions · 180 min
Start mock →Take a mock to see where you stand on the leaderboard.
| # | Student | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Arthur M. | 70.0% |
| 2 | Arthur M. | 66.7% |
| 3 | Arthur M. | 53.3% |
| 4 | Arthur M. | 43.3% |
| 5 | Arthur M. | 41.7% |
| 6 | Arthur M. | 26.7% |
| 7 | Krupa S. | 20.0% |
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 elite — Top 15
95–100% · Rank 1 – 15
Top 50 — IOAA team zone
90–95% · Rank 15 – 50
OCSC probable — Top 200
82–90% · Rank 50 – 200
INAO strong contender
70–82% · Rank 200 – 800
NSEA qualified — INO prospect
55–70% · Rank 800 – 2,000
Near qualification zone
35–55% · Post-based exam (no numeric rank)
Below qualification 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.
As per the expected schedule, NSEA 2026 is likely to be conducted on November 22, 2026 (Sunday) from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM at designated centres across India. Official dates to be confirmed by IAPT.
IAPT is expected to initiate the NSEA 2026-27 registration process from August 21, 2026 on the official IAPT portal. Candidates should complete registration before the expected deadline of September 14, 2026.
The 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics will be hosted in Vietnam from September 25 to October 5, 2026. Medal results will be announced at the closing ceremony on October 4.
HBCSE has announced the Indian team for the 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) 2026. Five students were selected from 51 participants at the Orientation cum Selection Camp.
NSEA 2026-27 centre registration opens
22 days awaySat, 1 Aug, 2026
Schools can register as NSE centres on IAPT portal
NSEA 2026-27 student registration opens
42 days awayFri, 21 Aug, 2026
Registration via IAPT portal at iapt.org.in; fee Rs. 300
NSEA 2026-27 registration deadline
66 days awayMon, 14 Sept, 2026
Last date to complete online registration and fee payment
🏅IOAA 2026 international competition
77 days awayFri, 25 Sept, 2026
19th IOAA held in Vietnam; Sep 25 - Oct 5, 2026
NSEA 2026-27 admit card release
120 days awaySat, 7 Nov, 2026
Hall tickets available on IAPT portal before exam
🏅NSEA 2026-27 examination day
135 days awaySun, 22 Nov, 2026
Expected: November 22, 2026; 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM; MCQ format
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.
NSEA 2026-27 results announcement
180 days awayWed, 6 Jan, 2027
Results typically released in early January on IAPT website
🏅INAO 2027 examination (Stage II)
205 days awaySun, 31 Jan, 2027
Indian National Astronomy Olympiad; typically late January/early February; 3-hour subjective exam
Coordinate Geometry
Straight lines, circles and conic sections.