India Wins Big At International Physics, Chemistry Olympiads
Indian students have secured two gold and three silver medals at the 54th International Physics Olympiad (IPhO) 2024 held between July 21 and July 29 in Isfahan, Iran. In the 56th International Chemistry Olympiad (IChO2024), held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia from July 21 to 30, the Indian team bagged one gold and bronze each and two silver medals.
In the Physics Olympiad, overall, India was placed in the fourth position, jointly with Vietnam. China bagged the top spot, followed by Russia and Romania in second and third positions, respectively. This time, a total of 193 students from 43 countries participated in the International Physics Olympiad. In all, 18 gold, 35 silver and 53 bronze medals were awarded.
The 5-hour theoretical competition had three problems based on a simple model of global warming due to the greenhouse effect, trapping of ions using the “Paul trap” and Doppler cooling techniques, and the dynamics and stability of an accreting binary star system. In the experimental component of 5 hours contestants performed two tasks – one on heat conduction through a copper rod, and the other on diffraction from phase steps.
India’s consistent performance at IPhO, marked by 41% gold, 42% silver, 11% bronze, and 6% honourable mentions over 25 years, highlights the country’s dedication to excellence in science education. In the last decade, Indian students have achieved 46% gold and 52% silver medals.
In the International Chemistry Olympiad 2024, all members of the team of four has managed to secure one medal each.
The theoretical examination consisted of nine problems from diverse chemical fields such as semiconducting metal oxides used as gas sensing resistors in devices, production of neurotransmitter dopamine, a synthetic route to antibiotic penicillin, and formation mechanisms of ethene-base polymers and of self-healing polymers.
The team was accompanied by Prof. Gulshanara Shaikh (Head Mentor)-Formerly, St. Xavier’s College, Mumbai; Dr Shraeddha Tiwari (Mentor)Assistant Professor, ICT, Mumbai; Prof. Seema Gupta (Scientific Observer) Acharya Narendra Dev College, Delhi; and Dr. Amrit Mitra (Scientific Observer) Govt. General Degree College, Singur (WB).
This was the 25th appearance of India at the IChO. In all these years, 29 per cent of our students have got gold medals, 53 per cent silver, and 18 per cent bronze. In the last ten appearances, the percentages of gold and silver medals have been 33 per cent and 57 per cent respectively.
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