What is KVPY?

The Indian Institute of Science administers KVPY to offer scholarship and contingency grants up to Pre Ph.D. for select students.

This programme aims to achieve the following:

• Discover students with flair and propensity for research
• Help students comprehend their perspective in their studies
• Support their research endeavours in basic sciences
• Guarantee augmentation of the best scientific minds for research and progress in the country

KVPY has the following streams:

• SA: Students in Class 11 can appear in this stream
• SX: Students in Class 12 can appear in this stream
• SB: Students studying Science in the first year of graduation can appear for this stream

If students clear the written exam and interview, they are then eligible for admissions to institutes like IISc or IISER.

Syllabus for KVPY

For the SA stream

Physics

1. Applications in Daily Life
2. Kinematics
3. Laws of Motion
4. Work, Energy and Power
5. Physical World and Measurement
6. Gravitation
7. Thermodynamics

1. Magnetic Effects of Current
2. Sources of Energy
3. Reflection
4. Refraction
5. Electromagnetic Induction

Chemistry

1. Thermodynamics
2. States of Matter: Gases and Liquids
3. Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties
4. Environmental Chemistry
5. Chemical Reactions
6. Metals and Nonmetals

1. Periodic Classification of Elements
2. Carbon Compounds
3. Acids
4. Bases and Salts
5. Basic Concepts of Chemistry

Maths

1. Coordinate Geometry
2. Mathematical Reasoning
3. Statistics and Probability
4. Trigonometric Functions
5. Real Numbers
6. Polynomials
7. Geometry

1. Introduction to Trigonometry
2. Statistics
3. Quadratic Equations
4. Probability
5. Surface Areas and Volumes

Biology

1. Plant Physiology
2. Diversity of Living Organisms
3. Cell: Structure and Function
4. Human Physiology
5. Control and Coordination in Animals and Plants

1. Heredity and Evolution
2. Reproduction
3. Life Processes
4. Our Environment

For the SX stream

Physics

1. Thermodynamics
2. Electrostatics
3. Refraction
4. Current Electricity
5. Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Current
6. Magnetic Effects of Current
7. Reflection of Light
8. Electromagnetic Induction

1. Kinematics
2. Work, Energy and Power
3. Sources of Energy
4. Physical World and Measurement
5. Gravitation
6. Laws of Motion

Chemistry

1. Chemical Reactions
2. Environmental Chemistry
3. Solid State
4. Electrochemistry
5. Chemical Kinetics
6. Isolation of Elements
7. Periodic Classification of Elements
8. Surface Chemistry
9. States of Matter: Gases and Liquids

1. Metals and Nonmetals
2. Carbon Compounds
3. Basic Concepts of Chemistry
4. Thermodynamics
5. Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties

Maths

1. Trigonometric Functions
2. Geometry
3. Linear Programming
4. Vectors and 3D Geometry
5. Calculus
6. Relations and Functions
7. Coordinate Geometry
8. Mathematical Reasoning
9. Real Number

1. Polynomials
2. Introduction to Trigonometry
3. Surface Areas and Volumes
4. Statistics and Quadratic Equations
5. Probability
6. Statistics and Probability

Biology

1. Human Physiology
2. Biology and Human Welfare
3. Control and Coordination in Animals and Plants
4. Ecology and Environment
5. Cell: Structure and Function
6. Genetics and Evolution

1. Life Processes
2. Plant Physiology
3. Diversity of Living Organisms
4. Reproduction

For the SB stream

Physics

1. Thermodynamics
2. Reflection
3. Electrostatics
4. Current Electricity
5. Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Current
6. Waves and Optics
7. Electricity and Magnetism
8. Electrostatics and Thermal Physics
9. Electromagnetic Induction
10. Physical World and Measurement

1. Sources of Energy
2. Refraction and its Applications in Daily Life
3. Kinematics
4. Laws of Motion
5. Magnetic Effects of Current
6. Work, Energy and Power
7. Gravitation

Chemistry

1. Metals and Nonmetals
2. Environmental Chemistry
3. Solid State
4. Electrochemistry
5. Chemical Kinetics
6. Isolation of Elements
7. Surface Chemistry
8. Chemical Bonding
9. Chemistry of Noble Gases
10. Structure and Bonding
11. Alkenes

1. Cycloalkenes, Dienes and Alkynes
2. Thermodynamics
3. Chemical Reactions
4. Basic Concepts of Chemistry
5. Periodic Classification of Elements
6. Carbon Compounds
7. Acids, Bases and Salts
8. States of Matter: Gases and Liquids
9. Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties

Maths

1. Coordinate Geometry
2. Mathematical Reasoning
3. Statistics and Probability
4. Trigonometric Functions
5. Linear Programming
6. Relations and Functions
7. Analytical Geometry in Two Dimensions
8. Vector Algebra
9. Evaluation of Integrals
10. Statistics

1. Surface Areas and Volumes
2. Vectors and 3D Geometry
3. Calculus
4. Real Number
5. Polynomials
6. Geometry
7. Introduction to Trigonometry
8. Quadratic Equations
9. Probability

Biology

1. Plant Physiology
2. Reproduction
3. Diversity of Living Organisms
4. Cell: Structure and Function
5. Biology and Human Welfare
6. Biotechnology
7. Genetics

1. Life Processes
2. Human Physiology
3. Control and Coordination in Animals and Plants
4. Genetics and Evolution
5. Our Environment
6. Ecology and Environment

Exam Pattern for KVPY

Here is the distribution of marks for the exam:

For Stream SA

For Stream SB and SX

How to apply

Eligibility Criteria for KVPY

• Class:

You must be a student in classes 11 to the first year of any undergraduate programme in Basic Sciences.

• Boards:

You must be a student of SSC, ICSE or CBSE boards.

• Nationality:

You must be an Indian national to give this exam.

• Subjects:

Physics, Chemistry, Maths and Biology (for all streams).

• Scores in Class 10:

As a general category student, you need a minimum aggregate of 75% in your Class 10 exam.

As an SC, ST or PwD category student, you need a minimum aggregate of 65%

• Scores in Class 12:

As a general category student, you need a minimum aggregate of 60% in your Class 12 exam.

As an SC, ST or PwD category student, you need a minimum aggregate of 50%

• Scores in 1st year of an undergraduate course:

As a general category student, you need a minimum aggregate of 60% in your Class 12 exam.

As an SC, ST or PwD category student, you need a minimum aggregate of 50%.

• Number of attempts:

Since KVPY has different exams for different streams, you can only give the exam once for each stream.

Registration for KVPY

To register for KVPY, you need to:

1. Register a new account at the official website.
2. Fill in your details and choose your examination centre.
3. Upload your photo, signature and other documents.
4. Pay the application fees through either Credit or Debit Card, Netbanking or E-Challan.
5. Download the admit card from the website.

Application Fees for KVPY

Here are the application fees for the KVPY exam:

Selection Procedure for KVPY

To get shortlisted for the KVPY scholarship, you need to clear the aptitude test and the interview.

Aptitude Test

• The application forms are first scrutinized to make sure you meet the eligibility criteria
• Once you’re eligible, you are called for the aptitude test
• This test is conducted in English and Hindi at different centres across the country
• The details of the venue and seat number will be published on the official website in the second week of October 2018

Personal Interview

• Based on your performance in the aptitude test, you are then called for an interview
• This interview tests your knowledge in science and research
• After the interview, the final list of qualifying candidates is released
• The scholarship is awarded on your performance in both stages of the exam

Admit Card for KVPY

The KVPY Admit Card contains your name, roll number, exam centre, date, timing and other exam-related information.

To download your admit card:

1. Visit the official website.
2. Go through the ‘Useful Links’ section.
3. Click the ‘KVPY 2018 Admit Card Download’ tab.
4. Enter your ‘Application Number’, ‘Date of Birth’ and ‘Submit’.
5. Click the ‘Generate Admit Card’ tab.
6. Download your admit card and take printouts for future purposes.

Do note that you won’t be allowed to give the exam without your admit card.

Important dates

Exam Dates for KVPY

* Dates are tentative and subject to change.

Results and cut-off

Exam Centres for KVPY

You need to check the exam centre mentioned on your admit card. Requests to change the exam centre will not be entertained in any case.

Below are some of the exam centres for KVPY:

Results for KVPY

• The KVPY results will be declared online in the third week of December, 2018
• The aptitude test results will be released individually for all three streams
• Qualifying candidates will then move on the interview round
• For the merit list calculation, 75% weightage will be given to the aptitude test and 25% to the interview

As an applicant, you can check the final results in the month of April. To do this:

1. Visit the official website
2. Log in with your ‘Application Number’ and ‘Date of Birth’
3. Take printouts for future reference purposes

If you’re dissatisfied with your result, you can request a re-evaluation of your OMR sheet. Here’s how you can do this.

Cut-off for KVPY

The KVPY cut-offs are determined on the basis of the minimum qualifying marks and scores obtained in the aptitude test and interview

Here are the cut-offs for KVPY 2017:

Here are the cut-offs percentage for KVPY 2017 :

Interviews for KVPY

Here are the documents you need to carry at the time of the interview:

• Application form
• Interview call letter
• Admit card for the aptitude test
• Original mark sheets
• Caste certificate (for SC and ST candidates)
• Medical certificate (for physically and visually impaired candidates)
• Self-appraisal form
• Study certificate form (to be obtained from the Principal or head of your current academic institution)
• Teacher’s recommendation form

Check out our KVPY interview tips.

Scholarships and Awards through KVPY

KVPY offers two fellowship grants in basic sciences for students enrolled in different courses (and years).

Renewal or continuation of the fellowship:

• The annual renewal of the fellowship depends on your overall performance
• This consists of first class marks (60%) or an equivalent grade point average (50% for SC, ST and PwD candidates)
• If you fail to secure the stipulated marks, you will forfeit the fellowship
• In the subsequent year, you can renew the subscription by securing the minimum marks – which are an aggregate calculated over all the previous years
• If you opt out of your basic science stream at any point, you will forfeit the scholarship and contingency grant

How to prepare

Preparation Tips for KVPY

• Strengthen Your Fundamentals: Focus on the core concepts of subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Biology) rather than mugging them up. Once your basic concepts are strong, any problem can be solved by applying the principles.
• Solve Previous Year’s Papers: Try to attempt as many previous years’ papers for KVPY as you can. Solving them in an exam-like environment will make you evaluate your level of preparedness and also help you discover your strengths and weaknesses.
• Practice Diligently: Apart from the syllabus, go through numerical and multiple choice questions given at the back of almost all reference books for Classes 11 and 12.
• Study from the Right Books: Only study from books and study material of repute. Don’t waste your time and energy in going through irrelevant study material, as this will leave you confused, and might also deplete your confidence.
• For instant resolution to all your doubts, refer to Toppr Doubts!

Here are some KVPY preparation tips.

Study Material for KVPY

Physics

• Concepts of Physics, by H.C. Verma
• NCERT Books
• D.C. Pandey Book Series

Chemistry

• NCERT Textbooks for Inorganic Chemistry
• R.C. Mukherjee for Physical Chemistry
• R.K. Gupta or O.P. Tandon for Organic Chemistry

Maths

• NCERT Books
• R.D. Sharma

Biology

• NCERT Books
• The Complete AIPMT Guide, by M.T.G.
• Trueman Biology, by K.N. Bhatia and M.P. Tyagi

Previous Years’ Papers for KVPY

Previous year papers will help you get acquainted with the type of questions. Try solving as many papers as possible.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. Are KVPY SX and SB question papers the same?

Ans: Yes, they are same.

Q2. Will there be more than one correct type of question in KVPY?

Ans: No, there are no such types of questions in KVPY SA, SX or SB.

Q3. Can I use a calculator in KVPY online examination?

Ans: You don’t need to bring a physical calculator, there will be a calculator option on your screen which you can use when needed. It will be a non-programmable one (can calculate square roots, cube roots, logarithms, trigonometric functions, etc).

Q4. Will the rough sheets be provided in the KVPY 2018 online test?

Ans: Yes, you will be provided rough sheets and in case you need extra, you can ask the invigilator for more.

Q5. Can I take a computer-based test in Hindi?

Ans: Yes.

Q6. What colleges can I get into through KVPY?

Ans: Colleges like IISC and IISER consider your KVPY scores during their individual admission processes.