7 Most Popular Competitions for School Students

National level competitions that you can participate as a school student

As your brain continue to evolve, it is essential to provide it with opportunities that challenge intellect, creativity, and skills.

National level competitions for school students have emerged as platforms that not only encourage healthy competition but also foster holistic development. These competitions enable you to showcase your talent, interact with peers from across the nation, and learn invaluable life skills. They also give you exposure to career avenues and allow you to discover career interests.

In this article, we will explore 7 of the best national level competitions for school students and how you can actively participate and benefit from these opportunities.

1. The Olympiads

The Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) is a non-profit organization putting efforts to spread awareness of science and education. The SOF has been running various initiatives for over two decades through the use of information technology in the learning process that engages students from all across the country.

At present. every year, it conducts seven Olympiads. Most of these competitions are open to students in grades 1 to 12. While some are restricted till grade 10.

Exams Conducted by SOF Every Year

• National Cyber Olympiad (NCO)
• National Science Olympiad (NSO)
• International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO)
• International English Olympiad (IEO)
• International Commerce Olympiad (ICO)
• International General Knowledge Olympiad (IGKO)
• International Social Studies Olympiad (ICO)

These Olympiad assesses the natural aptitudes and abilities of students ranging from the 1^st to the 12^th grade.

2. Camel Art Contest

The Camel Art Foundation is a non-profit organization that promotes art education and appreciation in India. Every year, the foundation organizes an annual art competition for school students across the country. The competition is open to students in grades 1 to 12. The theme for the competition changes every year, but it always focuses on a social issue or cause. The Camel Art Foundation annual art competition is a great opportunity for students to showcase their artistic talents and to learn new skills. It is also a chance for students to raise awareness about social issues and to make a difference in the world. The competition is judged by a panel of art experts, and the winners are awarded prizes. The top prize is a scholarship to study art at a prestigious institution.

Eligibility:

The competition is open to all school students in India who are in grades 1 to 12.

Students must submit their artwork online.

The artwork must be original and must not have been entered in any other competition.

The artwork must be created using any medium, such as painting, drawing, or sculpture.

The artwork must be submitted in a digital format, such as a JPEG or PNG file

Categories:

Portraits / Full Figure: This category is for drawings of people

Landscape / Cityscape: This category is for drawings of natural or man-made environments

Still Life: This category is for drawings of inanimate objects.

Creative Painting / Composition: This category is for drawings that are not specifically in any of the other categories.

3. International Mathematical & Science Olympiad

International Maths Olympiad

The IMO is an international competition for high school students which has been running annually since 1959 and now has over 100 countries competing, including all members of the G20.

In India, of the National Board for Higher Mathematics (NBHM) has taken on the responsibility for selecting and training the Indian team for participation in the International Mathematical Olympiad every year and is currently run in collaboration with the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Mumbai.

The Mathematical Olympiad Programme in India is a five-stage process.

The first stage IOQM is conducted by the Mathematics Teachers’ Association (India). The website for IOQM is http://www.mtai.org.in/prmo.

The remaining four stages are organized by Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE-TIFR). For details visit the website at https://olympiads.hbcse.tifr.res.in/

International Science Oympiad

The International Science Olympiads are a group of worldwide annual competitions in various areas of sciences. The competitions are designed for the 4-6 best high school students from each participating country selected through internal National Science Olympiads, with the exception of the IOL(International Linguistic Olympiad), which allows two teams per country, the IOI(International Olympiad in Informatics), which allows two teams from the hosting country, and the IJSO(International Junior Science Olympiad), which is designed for junior secondary students.

Each of the Olympiads are separate competitions each with its own organizing body. The aims of each ISO are to promote a career in science, to challenge the brightest students from around the world, and to compare the various teaching systems of each country. Although the competitions are aimed for secondary school students, the standards of the exams are high as the syllabus spans till 12^th grade science.

To participate in any of the Olympiad, a candidate has to qualify for respective Indian National Olympiad.

The national Olympiads are designed to assess conceptual understanding, logical reasoning, laboratory skills, and the ability to apply problem-solving skills to novel situations, both theoretical and experimental.

The ISO have five variants which includes – Biology(INBO), Physics(INPhO), Chemistry(INChO), Astronomy(INAO), Junior Science(INJSO)

In each of these Olympiads, A student goes through total five stages. The first two stages do not necessarily require any specialized coaching outside the regular school system. Training is included from the third stage of the program. Get complete details here & here

Here is the official website to access details of both the olympiads

In short, there are twelve International Olympiads including the above the five Science Olympiads and the Maths Olympiad.

5. Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) InQuizitive

TCS InQuizitive is a national-level quiz competition for school students in India. It is organized by Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) every year for school students from classes 8 to 12. The quiz is conducted in three stages:

Online Quiz: The online quiz is the first stage of the competition. It is open to all school students from classes 8 to 12. The top 1000 students from the online quiz get shortlisted for the next round.

Quarterfinals: The quarterfinals are the second stage of the competition. The shortlisted students will be divided into 25 groups of 40 students each. The top 2 students from each group qualifies for the next round.

National Finals: The top 100 students from the quarterfinals will compete in the national finals. The winner of the national finals is awarded a scholarship from TCS.

6. National Robotics Challenge

World Robot Olympiad India (WRO India) is one of the largest STEM and robotics competitions for school students aged 8 to 19 in India. It is organized by the World Robot Olympiad (WRO) Association, an international non-profit organization that aims to promote robotics education and innovation among youth.

National Robotics Challenge is an enlightened STEM based robotics competition that engages team of up to 3 students in scientific challenges to develop their creativity, design and problem-solving skills.

Age: Students must be between the ages of 8 and 19

Grade: Students must be enrolled in grades 2 to 12 in a recognized school in India.

Team size: Teams must consist of 2 to 3 students.

Technology: Teams are allowed to use any technology to build their robots, including LEGO Robotics kits and other open-source platforms.

Language: The National Entrance Test (NET) is conducted in English. However, the National Championship can be conducted in English, Hindi, or any other Indian language.

7. First Lego League

 FIRST LEGO League introduces science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) to children ages 4-16 through fun, exciting hands-on learning.

Participants gain real-world problem-solving experience through a guided, global robotics program, helping today’s students and teachers build a better future together. The league inspire youth to experiment and grow their critical thinking, coding, and design skills through hands-on STEM learning and robotics.

That’s it. Here is the list of few other National and International Level Competition for School Students happening in 2023.

Conclusion

National level competitions for offer a plethora of opportunities to explore and excel in various domains. These competitions not only ignite passions and interests but also shape you into well-rounded individual equipped with essential life skills.

Active participation in these competitions can pave the way for future success in academia, professional, or personal growth.

Apart from these exams, to keep your scientific and technological curiosity alive, keep reading. You can also check 10xTechClub’s Premier Accelerator Program, where you get to learn 10+ technologies and skills equipping you with 21st century STEM skills.