Pre-selection

What it is

A screening test that decides who advances to the next round. It usually draws directly from the school physics syllabus but rewards deeper problem solving than a board exam. [TO VERIFY — exact name and structure of Nepal's first-stage test]

Eligibility

• Open to school students; grade range [TO VERIFY — which grades can sit the pre-selection?]
• Usually entered through your school — ask your physics teacher to register you. [TO VERIFY]

Format & timeline

• Written paper, roughly [TO VERIFY — duration and mark distribution]
• Multiple-choice and/or short-answer questions. [TO VERIFY]

When: Typically held around [TO VERIFY — month/season]. Registration through schools closes [TO VERIFY].

Syllabus & topics

Closely follows the national physics syllabus for grades [TO VERIFY], with an emphasis on mechanics, electricity and simple waves. Expect fewer numerical values and more 'explain why' questions than in board exams.

Mechanics

Kinematics, Newton's laws, energy and momentum, circular motion.

Electromagnetism

DC circuits, electrostatics basics, magnetism basics.

Optics

Reflection, refraction, lenses and mirrors.

Thermodynamics

Kinetic theory, first law, heat engines (qualitative).

Modern physics

Photoelectric effect, Bohr model, radioactivity — mostly descriptive.

Graphing and linearization

Experimental questions often ask you to turn a curved relationship into a straight-line graph. The guide covers scale choice, best-fit lines and a worked NePhO example.

Past papers

Official NePhO pre-selection papers from the Nepal Physical Society, newest first.

Preparation strategy

1. 8–12 weeks before

   4–6 h/week
   • Work through one complete school-level textbook (HC Verma Part 1 or equivalent).
   • Fix maths gaps: algebra, basic trig, simple calculus (Khan Academy).

2. 4 weeks before

   6–8 h/week
   • Solve one timed past-paper-style set per week.
   • Keep an error notebook: every mistake gets a one-line cause.

3. Final week

   3–4 h/week
   • Light revision only — formulas, error notebook, sleep.
   • Do one mock at the same time of day as the real test. [TO VERIFY test time]

Resources for this stage

• Concepts of Physics — H. C. Verma (Parts 1 & 2)

  The most popular bridge between school physics and olympiad-level problem solving. Strong mechanics and modern physics sections.

  BookBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsElectromagnetismModern physics

  H. C. VermaBook: borrow from a library or buy from a bookstore

• Fundamentals of Physics — Halliday, Resnick, Walker

  A complete calculus-based physics course in one book. Use it as your main textbook if school classes feel too slow.

  BookBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamics

  Halliday, Resnick, WalkerBook: borrow from a library or buy from a bookstore

• Yale PHYS 200/201/202 — introductory physics lectures

  Gentle, well-paced university lectures that assume very little background. A good first step if school physics feels overwhelming.

  VideoBeginnerPre-selectionMechanicsElectromagnetismOptics

  Open Yale Coursesoyc.yale.edu ↗

• Khan Academy — Calculus and Linear Algebra

  If maths is your bottleneck, fix it here first: derivatives, integrals, vectors and simple linear algebra cover most olympiad needs.

  VideoBeginnerPre-selectionSelection roundsMath methods

  Khan Academywww.khanacademy.org ↗

• Measurement tools simulation — PhET Interactive Simulations

  Free simulations for circuits, waves, forces and more. Useful to build intuition when you have no lab equipment at home.

  ToolBeginnerPre-selectionMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamics

  University of Colorado Boulderphet.colorado.edu ↗

• Cambridge International A-Level Physics past papers

  Clean, well-structured papers with published mark schemes. A realistic first timed-test experience before attempting olympiad papers.

  Past paperBeginnerPre-selectionMechanicsElectromagnetismOpticsThermodynamicsModern physics

  Cambridge International