Benefits of Participating in Olympiads

Olympiads: A Gateway to Global Recognition

Participating in Olympiads is not only a matter of great pride but also an opportunity to identify your capability and real potential. But have you ever wondered “How do Olympiads actually benefit?” As it turns out, this is one of the most frequently asked questions. The answer lies in the very aim of the International Olympiad Movement founded by Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE).

• The International Olympiad movement is aimed at bringing the most talented secondary and higher secondary students of the world together in a friendly competition of the highest level.
• The Olympiads do not lead directly to any career benefits; rather, they provide a stimulus to begin a career in science or mathematics, to undertake a lifelong journey into the realms of exciting intellectual challenges.
• The Olympiads are not merely competitions, they are the meeting places of the brightest young minds of the world, and many friendships forged at the Olympiads form the seeds of scientific collaboration later in life.
• Much like the Olympics in sports, the Olympiads are a celebration of the very best in school level science and mathematics. Even beyond the scope of the examinations, Olympiad problems provide intellectual stimulus and uncommon opportunities for teaching and learning of Mathematics and Science.

Once a student is in sync with the very aim of Olympiads, he/she can take a step ahead in pursuit of his/her dreams to further enrich his/her academic experience beyond his school curriculum.

Benefits of Participating in Olympiads

• Early Exposure to Learning and Competition

Students not only gain additional knowledge but also learn different ways to attempt various kinds of papers. The competitive nature of these exams tends to mould participants into very sharp-minded and ‘clever’ problem solvers. It gives students a chance to sharpen their skills by tackling a number of problems at a difficulty level that they are not likely to encounter in their school classrooms.

• Understanding Concepts and their Applications

The Olympiads do not just test the student’s concepts but the application of those concepts in a time-bound environment. For example, every child learns about factorization as a concept in Mathematics but the questions a student faces in Olympiads will be based on “Selective applications of factorization”. These applications only become clear with a good visualizing ability and a broader scope of comprehension. And Olympiads provide the right platform to develop these skills.

• Competitive Analysis

Through Olympiads, students can analyze their performance at school, city, state, national and international level and gauge their merit on a wider scale.

• Awards and Recognitions

Awards play a great role in boosting students’ morale after they achieve something. Prizes for Olympiad winners include medals, cash rewards, certificates of merit, etc. Above all, the proud feeling of representing the state/country at national or international level is the best reward for every student as it pushes him/her to scale to greater heights.

• Solid Foundation for IIT JEE/NEET

Preparing for NTSE (https://blog.aakash.ac.in/national-talent-search-examination-ntse-2019-everything-you-need-to-know-2/), PRMO & RMO (https://blog.aakash.ac.in/all-you-need-to-know-about-regional-mathematical-olympiad-rmo/), NSO, IMO, etc. and participating in them helps in the development of student’s IQ, Logical and Analytical thinking from a very young age and lays the much-needed foundation that is required for later stages in life. This, in turn, helps them when they prepare for JEE, NEET and other competitive exams.

• Open Doors to Deemed Universities

The exposure students get after participating in Olympiads boosts their learning and confidence to such an extent that they become capable enough to make their way to the topmost colleges. Most reputed universities give preference to students who have qualified National/International stages of different Olympiads.

“Olympiads offered a great learning platform and an international exposure which boosted my confidence. This achievement will go a long way in motivating and supporting me further to become a scientist and researcher and do something useful for the country.” – Chirag Falor (Gold Medalist at International Astronomy Olympiad)

• The Ultimate Advantage

The advantage of participating in any Olympiad or competitive exam is that it teaches students how to lose and win. They will probably fail a fair amount of times before they get their first award but they will, in turn, learn an important lesson, “It takes a ton of effort before one takes the winner’s chair. There are no secrets to success. It is a result of preparation, hard work and dedication towards your dream.”