International Physics Olympiad 2026

About International Physics Olympiad 2026

• It is an annual competition that brings together some of the brightest high school students from around the world.
• Selection process: Participants are tested through theoretical and experimental examinations that assess their understanding of physics, analytical thinking, and problem-solving skills.
• About the International Physics Olympiad 2026:
  • This is the 56th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) 2026.
  • Held at: It was held in Bucaramanga, Colombia.
  • Participants: It saw participation from 381 students representing 87 countries.
• India’s participation and winners:
  • This was India’s 27th participation in the International Physics Olympiad.
  • Coordinating agency from India: The Indian team was selected and trained under the National Olympiad Programme conducted by Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE),  a National Centre of the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) under the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).
    • The centre selects talented pre-university students through several stages and provides them with intensive training before international competitions.
  • Nodal Department from India: The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is the nodal department.
  • Winners: 5 Indian students have won gold medals at the International Physics Olympiad 2026. The Indian gold medal winners are:
    • Kansisk Jain from Pune,
    • Riddhesh Anant Bendale from Indore,
    • Rishit Garg from Delhi,
    • Shresth Suraiya from Mumbai, and
    • Svait Joshi from Ahmedabad.
  • With this, India secured first place, jointly with Russia, China, Kazakhstan, South Korea, and Taiwan, in one of the world’s leading competitions for school students.

About National Olympiad programme National Olympiad programme identifies, trains and prepares some of India’s brightest young minds to compete at international science Olympiads. Nodal centre: The Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education is the nodal centre of the country for this programme. Nodal Department: The Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) is the nodal department. The National Olympiad in basic sciences and mathematics aims at promoting excellence in science and mathematics among pre-university students.