National Science Olympiad (NSO) will be conducted this year on 17th October 2023, 21st November 2023, and 5th December 2023. This exam is conducted to tests the skills, understanding of concepts and scientific skills of a student outside of their regular school education. We have suggested how one should prepare for it and other Olympiads with step-by-step guide for Olympiad Exams Preparation. Following it, you must have come to buy workbooks and level 1 previous year papers of NSO. These resources are fully solved with an elaborate explanation of each question. It gets easier to prepare with well-explained exercises. Now read on to know how to solve NSO Question Paper.
While going through the Workbooks and Papers, many of you have come to notice that there are variety of objective questions like, figure-based, statement-based, tabular, data-based, etc. ranging from easy-to-difficult levels. You also need to notice that some questions test deep understanding of concepts while others are basic in concept but are framed in a complex structure which raises their difficulty level. We are here discussing how one should prepare for such questions and leave no room for mistakes.
Check out the complete NSO syllabus here – NSO Syllabus 2023-24 (Class 1-12)
How to solve NSO Question Paper in 5 Steps
5 Methods when applied while solving NSO Question Paper will make a great difference in your preparation, and thereby give you a great result eventually. Hence focus carefully on these points and know how to solve NSO Question Paper.
1. It’s Not As Difficult As It Seems
Don’t get afraid of long questions, remember one thing, not all long questions are difficult. The difficult ones are in Achievers Section and few will be in General Section. Questions will be framed complicated and time-taking, such questions though will test only simple and basic concept but skills like observing, analyzing, comparing, etc. will be required to solve them.
Students who can easily analyse and observe the key components of the questions will be able to speedily solve the questions and so will succeed in NSO. A beautiful approach to preparing such kinds of questions and strengthening the reasoning, analytical and problem-solving skills is to get MTG’s NSO Olympiad Prep Guide and NSO Olympiad Workbooks. It helps you in taking the challenge of NSO Level 1 and level 2 in an easy way with much elaborative theory and so many practice questions that by the end of it you will have gained a much clearer picture on this matter.
This question is based on food chain and food web. A thorough observation will show that P and U are the only animals which are both plant and animal-eaters. So, a simple concept is being asked in a difficult structure.
Similarly, this question is based on states of matter. An understanding of the property of the three states of matter and their examples suffices to solve this question.
So, while preparing, practice on such questions where question is just knowledge-based but the components of questions add to its difficulty. Read on to know how to prepare for NSO and learn time management during Olympiad exams.
2. Read Questions Carefully
Needless to say, but why we find it worth mentioning here is because questions in NSO usually have variables like, X, Y and Z or P, Q, R, S. It gets confusing while solving such questions that which variable stands for which thing. It is common issue with many students. So, it is advised that students should use ROUGH SPACE to write the identified variables there. Questions are usually made difficult by first asking the variable to be identified then framing question on one or more variable, for example:
In this question, the variables are the different parts in human digestive system. First identify what are D, E, F, G, and H. Then the next level in the question is to know which part does the given function. So, in such questions, first know the variables and based on your finding, solve the second associated question. Hence, you need to read questions very carefully.
In this question, multiple variables are given. The question is based on relation between them. You are advised to practice with Reasoning Workbooks for class 1 to 10. You will get benefitted immensely with this book by attempting questions of each type with detailed explanation for each answer. Additionally, it is known to provide mastery over reasoning abilities and increase problem-solving skills. Another amazing resource to use would be Olympiad Previous Years Papers NSO. Think how smartly you will solve the NSO Question paper, if you have already solved the NSO question papers from the previous 5 years? MTG provides 10 solved previous years papers of NSO in a book to provide you all the greatest insights. Use them and get success galore.
Recommended Read: 7 Mistakes Students Should Avoid During Olympiad Exams
3. Use Elimination Method To Come To The Correct Answer
It is the same method used in many game shows like `Kaun Banega Krorepati’. Yes that 50:50 lifeline. The alternatives (A, B, C, and D) of MCQs in NSO Question Paper are closely framed, again to make questions challenging and to test knowledge. In case of confusion, you can first rule out options which you are sure are not the correct answer. As a result, you will get the correct answer or may be left with two options and from those two you can easily get the correct answer.
In this question, the options B, C and D are not the correct options and can be eliminated on the basis of conceptual background. Option A is thus the correct answer of the question.
Related Article: 9 Hacks to Make Smart Guess in Multiple Choice Questions
4. If You Are Confident With Your Answer, You Can Be Quicker Too
You are supposed to solve 35-50 questions (35 Qs for class 1 to 4 and 50 Qs for class 5 to 12) in an hour duration. Though there is no alternative of hard work but if acted smartly, you can save a lot of your time. In the question paper, there will be some questions where two columns are asked to be matched and then to select the correct option having correct matching codes. In such questions if you are sure that the variable of column I, let us say P matches with (iii) of column II and such match is provided in just one alternative, then that one is the correct option. In this way, you save time in matching all the other variables.
Again, NSO Olympiad Prep- Guides will help you here. It will enhance your understanding of scientific facts and strengthen your reasoning, analytical and problem-solving skills.
In this question, the correct match of (a) of column I is (iii) which is only given in option (A), so the smart move will be to mark (A) the correct answer immediately without wasting time.
Similarly, here the correct match of (a) is (ii), so the two shortlisted options left are options B and C (50:50). Now selecting correct option from these two options will be quicker.
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5. Sharpen Your Analytical Skills
NSO questions are not straight conceptual questions, they are tricky ones and test your ability in applying concepts for solving the question. There are questions in the NSO Question Paper that need thorough analysis, even if you know the concept but are not able to decode the question, the question appears difficult.
This question is based on camouflaging and the students are here needed to analyse the pattern on the body of fish to understand the application of camouflage and its benefits to animals.
To get acquainted, practice as many times as possible from the NSO Workbook, Level 1 Paper. To practice online and to learn efficient time management, students must avail OSDS (Olympiad Skill Development System), it helps in improving test-taking skills in exam-like environment. The most resourceful material available for NSO preparation is the Olympiad POWER PACK Combo, it gives you complete pack of all the Olympiad essential resources in a single pack at a nominal price. In the Olympiad Power-Pack Combo, you will get –
- A Workbook,
- A Reasoning Workbook,
- An Olympiad Previous Years Paper Book,
- An Olympiad Prep-Guide, and
- An Olympiad Skill Development System.
Olympiads are coming nearer, learn how to solve NSO Question Paper. Children are already anxious about their performance. As parents and family, you need to help your child overcome this by giving her/him right resources and strategies as mentioned above. This will not only boost their confidence but also unlock their true potential.
Parents’ Guide for Olympiad Preparation
- How My Child Can Get Merit Position?
- 10 Best Tips for Parents: Olympiad exam for class 1
- 10 Best Tips for Parents: Olympiad exam for class 2
- 10 Best Tips for Parents: Olympiad Exam for Class 3
- Top 9 questions Olympiad aspirants and their parents often ask
For Olympiad preparation, make the right decision at the right time. Success is neither magical or mysterious. Success is the natural consequence of right efforts in the right direction. Thus, use these tips and resources we mentioned and watch yourself succeed in your pursuit. All the best.
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National Mathematics Olympiad question papers