Since 1987, the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT) has been conducting the NSEP Exam. If you’re preparing for it or planning to do so, thoroughly understanding the exam syllabus should be your first logical step. The NSEP syllabus is broadly aligned with the CBSE Class 11 & Class 12 Physics syllabus. Even though the Physics Olympiad syllabus covers Class 11 and 12 topics like Current Electricity, Electro-Magnetic Field, Geometrical Optics, & more, the exam tests much deeper, unfamiliar & challenging situations rather than rote memorisation of formulas.
If you’re looking for an NSEP syllabus PDF or a chapter-wise breakdown of topics, this article covers everything for you, from direct PDF links to important Physics topics for NSEP.
Without wasting any time, you can download the NSEP Syllabus PDF directly by clicking on the “Download Now” button below, which contains the complete coverage of the syllabus along with a chapter-wise breakdown of important topics.
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The NSEP 2026 syllabus closely resembles the CBSE curriculum syllabus for Classes 11 & 12. Here are the detailed breakdown tables of the syllabus for both classes:
| Chapters | Important Topics |
| Units and Measurements | SI units; Fundamental and derived units; Measurement; Accuracy and precision; Errors; Significant figures; Dimensions; Dimensional analysis |
| Motion in a Straight Line | Position and displacement; Speed and velocity; Position-time graphs; Velocity-time graphs; Acceleration; Uniform and non-uniform motion; Average and instantaneous velocity; Equations of uniformly accelerated motion |
| Motion in a Plane | Scalars and vectors; Vector addition and subtraction; Components; Unit vectors; Relative velocity; Projectile motion; Uniform circular motion; Scalar product; Vector product |
| Laws of Motion | Newton's laws; Momentum; Impulse; Conservation of linear momentum; Friction; Equilibrium; Circular motion; Centripetal force; Banked roads |
| Work, Energy, & Power | Work by constant and variable forces; Kinetic energy; Work-energy theorem; Power; Potential energy; Conservative forces; Conservation of mechanical energy; Collisions |
| System of Particles and Rotational Motion | Centre of mass; Momentum conservation; Torque; Angular momentum; Conservation of angular momentum; Rotational equilibrium; Rotational motion; Moment of inertia; Radius of gyration; Parallel and perpendicular axis theorems |
| Gravitation | Universal law of gravitation; Kepler's laws; Gravitational field; Gravitational potential; Gravitational potential energy; Escape velocity; Orbital velocity; Satellites; Geostationary satellites |
| Properties of Bulk Matter | Elasticity; Stress and strain; Young's modulus; Fluid pressure; Viscosity; Surface tension; Bernoulli's principle; Fluid flow |
| Thermal Properties of Matter | Temperature and heat; Measurement of temperature; Ideal-gas equation and absolute temperature; Thermal expansion of expansion for solids/liquids/gases; Specific heat capacity; Calorimetry; Change of state; Latent heat; Triple point; Heat transfer; Newton's law of cooling |
| Thermodynamics | Heat; Temperature; Internal energy; First law of thermodynamics; Thermodynamic processes; Heat engines; Efficiency |
| Kinetic Theory | Molecular interpretation of gases; Pressure; Temperature; Kinetic energy; Degrees of freedom; Ideal gases |
| Oscillations & Waves | Simple harmonic motion; Time period; Energy in SHM; Springs; Pendulums; Phase; Wave motion; Superposition; Progressive waves; Standing waves; Sound; Resonance |
| Chapters | Important Topics |
| Electrostatics | Electric charge; Coulomb's law; Electric field; Electric flux; Gauss's law; Electric potential; Potential energy; Capacitors; Dielectrics |
| Magnetism & Matter | Bar magnet; Magnetic field lines; Magnetic dipole moment and torque on a dipole; Dipole in a uniform magnetic field; Potential energy of a dipole; Earth's magnetism; Magnetisation and magnetic intensity; Magnetic materials; Curie's law; Magnetic moment of a current loop/solenoid |
| Current Electricity | Electric current; Resistance; Resistivity; Kirchhoff's laws; Electrical circuits; Cells; Electrical power |
| Moving Charges and Magnetism | Magnetic fields; Lorentz force; Motion of charged particles; Biot-Savart law; Ampere's law; Force on current-carrying conductors |
| Electromagnetic Induction and AC | Faraday's law; Lenz's law; Motional emf; Inductance; Alternating current; Reactance; Impedance; Resonance; Transformers |
| Optics & Ray Optics | Reflection; Refraction; Mirrors; Lenses; Optical instruments |
| Wave Optics | Interference; Diffraction; Polarisation; Young's double-slit experiment |
| Modern Physics | Photoelectric effect; Dual nature of matter and radiation; Broglie wavelength; Atomic models; Bohr model; Nuclear Physics; Radioactivity; Nuclear energy; Fission and fusion |
| Electronic Devices | Semiconductors; Energy bands; Semiconductor diodes; Rectifiers; LED; Photodiode; Solar cell; Zener diode; Voltage regulation |
After downloading the Physics Olympiad syllabus, plan your strategy to master it in three stages.
Study every topic; focus on conceptual understanding from Class 11 & 12 Physics NCERT. Prioritise these concepts first:
Once you master the concepts, start solving complex problems that require multiple steps. Initially, focus on understanding, finding multiple different approaches & why a particular approach works.
Once you get habituated to solving NSEP-level problems, move on to solving Previous Year’s Papers & Mock Tests as they are extremely useful for understanding question style and difficulty. After solving a paper or taking a mock test, analyse it and maintain a record of:
In this way, you can master the NSEP syllabus strategically in no time.
You can download the complete & accurate NSEP Syllabus PDF directly from our N Smart page.
Yes, the NSEP Olympiad syllabus is broadly aligned with Class 11 & Class 12 Physics NCERT. However, the exam difficulty, concept understanding, problem solving skills are much harder than any standard school exams.
According to HBCSE guidelines, the NSEP syllabus contains all the Physics topics up to the higher secondary level in the CBSE board.
No, Class 10 students who are eligible for NSEP need to prepare for the broader senior-secondary Physics syllabus.
Yes. The NSEP syllabus includes the CBSE higher-secondary level, including the major Class 11 Physics topics.
Yes. The official syllabus extends through Class 12-level Physics.
Even though the subject of Mathematics is not directly required in the NSEP exam, knowledge of Mathematics up to higher secondary is expected to even participate in the examination.