School/college students enrolled in classes 8 to 12 or private candidates of equivalent levels are eligible to participate in NEO. If anyone appears on the HSC exam but is not admitted into University, he/she can participate in NEO. However, in case of the International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO), their rules and regulations state that previous medal winners at the IESO cannot participate again and to compete for medals at IESO, you must be under the age of 19 by 01 July of the year of the IESO.

Yes, they can participate. During registration, SSC/HSC candidates who haven’t enrolled in their subsequent institute (college/university) can use the name of the institute (school/college) where they graduated from most recently. For O/A Level Private Candidates, you have to use the name of your examination body or curriculum in the place of institute name (such as: British Council, Edexcel Private Candidate, etc)

The questions for the 1st round are mostly based on the basic earth science knowledge and natural phenomena that we encounter in Bangladesh, and some critical thinking questions relating to the theme of NEO from the respective year; while the national round dives deep into the fundamental understanding of Earth Science. For beginners, the book “High School Earth Science”, or class 9-10 level geography textbook by NCTB could be a handy resource for primary review, but there are other books too that we recommend. Please follow the Syllabus and Preparation Guideline sections thoroughly to understand how to prepare accordingly.

The question will be in English as well as Bengali.

After making through the divisional round, toppers from each division participate in the Green Day Training (GDT). GDT is a specially designed workshop to impart understanding of interconnected environmental issues through interactive games, puzzles, simulations, etc. It also helps young citizens develop their leadership skills and instill motivation to act on tackling the local and global environmental issues. It’s a day-long training which will be held in person, in all 8 divisions of Bangladesh. The overarching goal of the GDT is to create a nationwide network of empowered young citizens who will act as a catalyst to bring about positive socio-economic and environmental change.

IESO is the International Earth Science Olympiad, an annual competition for secondary school students (not older than 19 years during the contest). The students have to test their skills in all major areas of Earth sciences, including geology, meteorology, hydrology, planetary science and environmental sciences. The official language of IESO is English; however, supervisors may translate the written examinations and related materials into the participants’ native language. Selected national winners from NEO get a chance to train for and after a further selection, the top 4 to 8 students get to participate in the IESO.

25-30 toppers of each division will get the opportunity to participate in GDT. Those who successfully complete the GDT, are recognised as a NEO Alumni and receive a certificate of completion. Top 30 winners in the national round also get another certificate.

There is an IESO team selection process right after the national round, which includes a series of theoretical tests, and a few group assessment activities (online or offline). Prior to the assessments, students go through a few discussion/study sessions, mostly online.