Young Physicist Championship 2026

IMPORTANT NOTICE — REGISTRATION OPENING

Registration for The Physics Times Young Physicist Championship (YPC 2026) will commence from 11 September 2026.

Until the commencement of registration, The Physics Times is actively considering suggestions, requests, and feedback received from schools and other stakeholders through ongoing discussions and meetings. Accordingly, certain provisions, dates, rules, procedures, prize structures, or other details of YPC 2026 may be revised before 11 September 2026.

The Physics Times reserves the right to make such changes in the interest of the smooth, fair, and effective conduct of the Championship. The final provisions applicable to registration shall be those published on the official YPC 2026 website at the commencement of the registration cycle.

Schools and participants are therefore advised to refer to the official website for the latest and final information before completing registration.

About YPC 2026

The The Physics Times Young Physicist Championship (YPC 2026) is a national-level physics competition designed to encourage students to observe, understand, explain, and apply physics beyond rote learning.
The championship focuses primarily on physics phenomena around us, while maintaining questions and challenges appropriate to the student's academic level.
The competition consists of three progressive rounds, taking students from conceptual problem-solving to independent physics explanation and finally to a National Level Physics Quiz.

Round 1 Screening Round 

Date: 12 October 2026 (Monday)
Duration: 30 minutes
Questions: 20
Maximum Marks: 40

Question Format

The Screening Round will consist of a mixed format of MCQs and numerical/input-based questions.

Marking Scheme

Correct Answer: +2

Incorrect Answer: −0.5

Unattempted: 0

Question Level

Questions will primarily be based on physics phenomena encountered in everyday life, with no strict syllabus restriction. However, the level and conceptual requirements will remain appropriate to the student's respective category.

Qualification

The top 40% of students in each category will qualify for Round 2.

In case of a tie at the qualification cutoff, the student with the higher number of correct answers will be ranked higher.

Round 3 National Level Physics Quiz

The final stage of YPC 2026 will be a National Level Physics Quiz.

Number of Questions: 40

The quiz is planned as an online competition. However, the final mode of Round 3 will be determined after obtaining feedback from participating schools.

If 10% or more of participating schools report difficulty with conducting the round offline, Round 3 will be conducted online.

Round 3 Details

Marking scheme, difficulty level, tie-breaker rules, and other Round 3 regulations will be announced separately.

School Participation

There is no fixed minimum number of students required for registration.

The school may register students from both eligible categories.

However, because Round 1 will be conducted using the school's computers, the school's practical registration capacity will depend upon the computer facilities available for conducting the Screening Round.

Since the Secondary and Senior Secondary categories will have different examination timings, the same computers may be used by different groups at their respective scheduled times.

Certificates

Every student will receive a certificate for each round in which they participate, irrespective of whether they qualify for the subsequent round.

Certificate Format

All participants: Digital Certificate

Winners: Digital Certificate + Physical Hardcopy Certificate

Results

Round 1 and Round 2 results will be:

• Published on The Physics Times website

• Officially communicated to participating schools

• Published/covered through newspaper media

Why Participate?

Think Beyond the Textbook

Explore physics through real-world phenomena rather than relying solely on memorisation.

Demonstrate Understanding

Solve conceptual problems that test how well you understand physics.

Explain Physics

Round 2 gives students the opportunity to communicate physics in their own way.

Compete Nationally

Progress through multiple stages and compete with talented students from schools across India.

Earn Recognition

Participants receive certificates at every stage, with national recognition for the top three winners.