NSMC 2026 marks fourth edition, expands across South India
XandY Learning has announced the fourth edition of the Science and Maths Championship (NSMC) 2026, marking a significant milestone in the competition’s journey. Scheduled to
XandY Learning has announced the fourth edition of the Science and Maths Championship (NSMC) 2026, marking a significant milestone in the competition’s journey. Scheduled to be held on 1 November 2026, the championship will be conducted across Kerala, Bengaluru, Chennai, and Hyderabad, extending its reach beyond Kerala and bringing together school students from across South India. The expansion reflects the growing demand for early exposure to competitive examinations and aims to provide students with a common platform to assess their scientific aptitude, mathematical reasoning, and analytical skills. By bringing participants from multiple regions onto a single assessment platform, NSMC seeks to encourage healthy academic competition while helping students benchmark their performance at a broader level. Building competitive confidence Designed by a team of IITians, NITians, and doctors, NSMC is open to students from Classes 5 to 10.
The championship is conducted as a Computer-Based Test (CBT), providing students with early exposure to the format and discipline of national-level competitive examinations. According to the organisers, the initiative aims to familiarise students with digital examinations while strengthening conceptual understanding, logical reasoning, analytical thinking, and effective time management. Rather than focussing on rote memorisation, the competition is designed to evaluate a student’s ability to apply concepts and solve problems, skills that are increasingly important in modern competitive examinations. Examination pattern The examination will consist of a 60-minute computer-based test featuring 50 multiple-choice questions. The paper follows a +4 for every correct answer and −1 for every incorrect answer marking scheme, encouraging both accuracy and strategic decision-making. (Science – 20 questions; Mathematics – 20 questions; and Mental Ability Test – 10 questions) For classes 8–10: Physics – 10 questions; Chemistry – 10 questions; Biology – 10 questions; Mathematics – 10 questions; and Mental Ability Test – 10 questions.
Prizes and scholarships NSMC 2026 offers a cash prize pool of ₹2.5 lakh, along with scholarships worth more than ₹10 lakh, recognising outstanding student performance and encouraging academic excellence. The top performers in each class will receive prizes as follows: first prize: ₹15,000; second prize: ₹12,000; third prize: ₹8,000; fourth prize: ₹4,000, and fifth prize: ₹2,500. Every participant will receive an official Certificate of Participation. Registered students will also gain access to career awareness sessions conducted by academicians and industry experts, providing guidance on emerging career opportunities, higher education pathways, and future competitive examinations. Registration Online registrations are now open for students from classes 5 to 10 across South India. The registration fee is ₹200, and the last date for registration is October 10, 2026. The NSMC examination will be held on November 1, 2026, and the results will be announced on November 15, 2026.
The BriefWire