National Science Talent Contest or NSTC is an extension of the National Physics Talent Contest launched by PIEAS in 1995 on the directive of the then President of Pakistan. The program aims to encourage students to pursue careers in science and to prepare them for participation in International Science Olympiads in Physics, Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics.
Contests
National Physics Talent Contest (NPTC) National Physics Talent Contest (NPTC) is one of the contests of National Science Talent Contest (NSTC). The top five winners of NPTC represent Pakistan in the International Physics Olympiad.
National Biology Talent Contest (NBTC) National Biology Talent Contest (NBTC) is one of the contests of National Science Talent Contest (NSTC). The top four winners of NBTC represent Pakistan in the International Biology Olympiad.
National Chemistry Talent Contest (NCTC) National Chemistry Talent Contest (NCTC) is one of the contests of National Science Talent Contest (NSTC). The top five winners of NCTC represent Pakistan in the International Chemistry Olympiad.
National Mathematics Talent Contest (NMTC) National Mathematics Talent Contest (NMTC) is one of the contests of National Science Talent Contest (NSTC). The top six winners of NMTC represent Pakistan in International Mathematical Olympiad.
Eligibility and Participation
Eligibility
Students of 9th, 10th, & 11th (Matric/O-Levels & Intermediate-I/A-Level-I) Aggregate marks of 60% or more core subjects i.e. Physics, Chemistry, Biology, and Mathematics in the last exam Age less than 20 years on 30 June of Olympiad year Students who are currently studying in Intermediate (Part-II)/ A Levels (Part-II) & university students are NOT eligible to apply.
Selection process Candidates must pass a national screening test, typically conducted annually, after which selected students are invited to training camps. Approximately 50 students per subject are shortlisted for these camps (training camp list is arranged by rank), from which a final team of 4–6 students is selected to represent Pakistan at international science olympiads.
Registration for the screening test is conducted through the STEM Careers Programme website.
Awards and incentives Participants representing Pakistan in international science olympiads receive monetary awards and additional benefits.
Gold medal: 500,000 PKR Silver medal: 250,000 PKR Bronze medal: 100,000 PKR Honorable mention: 50,000 PKR International participation: 25,000 PKR
In addition to cash prizes, selected participants may receive academic benefits, including admission opportunities at the Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) without an entrance examination.
Home Institutions There are different educational institutions allotted for each subcategory of the NSTC, where students are trained and tested and further screened for the subsequent phases of the contest:
NPTC: Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS), Islamabad NBTC: National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad NCTC: H.E.J Research Institute of Chemistry, University of Karachi, Karachi NMTC: COMSATS University Islamabad (CUI), Lahore
Achievements International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) Pakistani students have participated in the International Mathematical Olympiad since 2005. Participants are selected through the National Mathematics Talent Contest (NMTC).
Pakistani teams have won multiple bronze medals, 2 silver medals, and several honorable mentions at the IMO.
+Achievements in International Mathematical OlympiadNoNMTCIMOHostResult1NMTC-0146th IMO (2005)Mexico -2NMTC-0247th IMO (2006)Slovenia1 honorable mention3NMTC-0348th IMO (2007)Vietnam1 bronze medal, 1 honorable mention4NMTC-0449th IMO (2008)Spain -5NMTC-0550th IMO (2009)Germany1 bronze medal6NMTC-0651st IMO (2010)Kazakhstan1 honorable mention7NMTC-0752nd IMO (2011)Netherlands1 bronze medal, 1 honorable mention8NMTC-0853rd IMO (2012)Argentina1 silver medal, 1 honorable mention9NMTC-0954th IMO (2013)Colombia3 honorable mentions10NMTC-1055th IMO (2014)South Africa1 bronze medal, 1 honorable mention11NMTC-1156th IMO (2015)Thailand1 bronze medal12NMTC-1257th IMO (2016)Hong Kong -13NMTC-1358th IMO (2017)Brazil1 bronze medal, 3 honorable mentions14NMTC-1459th IMO (2018)Romania3 honorable mentions15NMTC-1560th IMO (2019)United Kingdom1 bronze medal, 1 honorable mention16NMTC-1661st IMO (2020)Russia (remote)3 honorable mentions17NMTC-1762nd IMO (2021)Russia (remote) -18NMTC-1863rd IMO (2022)Norway3 honorable mentions19NMTC-1964th IMO (2023)Japan1 bronze medal, 1 honorable mention20NMTC-2065th IMO (2024)United Kingdom1 silver medal, 1 bronze medal, 1 honorable mention21NMTC-2166th IMO (2025)Australia3 honorable mentions
International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) Pakistani students have been participating regularly in International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) since 2001 with earlier participation as observers. These students are selected through National Physics Talent Contest (NPTC). +Achievements in International Physics OlympiadNoNPTCIPhOHostResult1NPTC-0532nd IPhO (2001)Turkey1 honorable mention2NPTC-0633rd IPhO (2002)Indonesia2 bronze medals, 2 honorable mentions3NPTC-0734th IPhO (2003)Taiwan2 bronze medals, 3 honorable mentions4NPTC-0835th IPhO (2004)South Korea3 honorable mentions5NPTC-0936th IPhO (2005)Spain2 honorable mentions6NPTC-1037th IPhO (2006)Singapore1 bronze medal, 1 honorable mention7NPTC-1138th IPhO (2007)Iran2 honorable mentions8NPTC-1239th IPhO (2008)Vietnam1 silver medal, 1 bronze medal, 2 honorable mentions9NPTC-1340th IPhO (2009)Mexico2 bronze medals, 2 honorable mentions10NPTC-1441st IPhO (2010)Croatia3 honorable mentions11NPTC-1542nd IPhO (2011)Thailand2 bronze medals, 2 honorable mentions12NPTC-1643rd IPhO (2012)Estonia1 bronze medal13NPTC-1744th IPhO (2013)Denmark -14NPTC-1845th IPhO (2014)Kazakhstan -15NPTC-1946th IPhO (2015)India1 bronze medal, 1 honorable mention16NPTC-2047th IPhO (2016)Switzerland1 honorable mention17NPTC-2148th IPhO (2017)Indonesia2 honorable mentions18NPTC-2249th IPhO (2018)Portugal -19NPTC-2350th IPhO (2019)Israel -20NPTC-2451st IPhO (2020)International Distributed Physics Olympiad -21NPTC-2552nd IPhO (2021)Lithuania1 honorable mention22NPTC-2653rd IPhO (2022)Switzerland2 bronze medals, 1 honorable mention23NPTC-2754th IPhO (2023)Japan2 honorable mentions24NPTC-2855th IPhO (2024)Iran3 bronze medals, 1 honorable mention25NPTC-2956th IPhO (2025)France1 bronze medal, 1 honorable mention
International Biology Olympiad (IBO) Pakistani students have been participating regularly in International Biology Olympiad (IBO) since 2006 while earlier participation was as observer. These students are selected through National Biology Talent Contest (NBTC). +Achievements in International Biology OlympiadNoNBTCIBOHostResult1NBTC-0217th IBO (2006)Argentina1 bronze medal2NBTC-0318th IBO (2007)Canada1 bronze medal3NBTC-0419th IBO (2008)India1 silver medal4NBTC-0520th IBO (2009)Japan2 bronze medals5NBTC-0621st IBO (2010)South Korea2 bronze medals6NBTC-0722nd IBO (2011)Taiwan4 bronze medals7NBTC-0823rd IBO (2012)Singapore2 bronze medals, 1 honorable mention8NBTC-0924th IBO (2013)Switzerland -9NBTC-1025th IBO (2014)Indonesia2 bronze medals, 2 honorable mentions10NBTC-1126th IBO (2015)Denmark1 silver medal, 1 bronze medal, 2 honorable mentions11NBTC-1227th IBO (2016)Vietnam2 bronze medals, 1 honorable mention12NBTC-1328th IBO (2017)United Kingdom2 bronze medals13NBTC-1429th IBO (2018)Iran1 honorable mention14NBTC-1530th IBO (2019)Hungary1 bronze medal, 1 honorable mention15NBTC-1631st IBO (2020) Replaced by IBO ChallengeJapan -16NBTC-1732nd IBO (2021) Replaced by IBO Challenge IIPortugal -17NBTC-1833rd IBO (2022)Armenia1 honorable mention18NBTC-1934th IBO (2023)UAE1 bronze medal19NBTC-2035th IBO (2024)Kazakhstan2 bronze medals20NBTC-2136th IBO (2025)Philippines1 gold medal, 1 honorable mention
International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO) Pakistani students have been participating regularly in International Chemistry Olympiads (IChO) since 2006. These students are selected through National Chemistry Talent Contest (NCTC). +Achievements in International Chemistry OlympiadNoNCTCIChOHostResult1NCTC-0238th IChO (2006)Republic of Korea -2NCTC-0339th IChO (2007)Russian Federation2 bronze medals3NCTC-0440th IChO (2008)Hungary3 bronze medals4NCTC-0541st IChO (2009)United Kingdom2 bronze medals5NCTC-0642nd IChO (2010)Japan -6NCTC-0743rd IChO (2011)Turkey2 bronze medals7NCTC-0844th IChO (2012)USA1 bronze medal8NCTC-0945th IChO (2013)Russian Federation3 bronze medals9NCTC-1046th IChO (2014)Vietnam4 bronze medals10NCTC-1147th IChO (2015)Azerbaijan2 bronze medals11NCTC-1248th IChO (2016)Georgia1 bronze medal12NCTC-1349th IChO (2017)Thailand1 bronze medal13NCTC-1450th IChO (2018)Czech Republic & Slovakia1 bronze medal14NCTC-1551st IChO (2019)France1 bronze medal15NCTC-1652nd IChO (2020)Turkey -16NCTC-1753rd IChO (2021)Japan -17NCTC-1854th IChO (2022)China1 honorable mention18NCTC-1955th IChO (2023)Switzerland1 honorable mention19NCTC-2056th IChO (2024)Saudi Arabia1 bronze medal20NCTC-2157th IChO (2025)UAE -
References
External links Official Website PIEAS Website Facebook Page Higher Education Commission (HEC) News article