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INPhO Syllabus 2026 Detailed Topic-Wise Physics Guide

INPhO Syllabus 2026 Detailed Topic-Wise Physics Guide

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INPhO Physics Syllabus 2026 Important Chapters and Focus Areas

The INPhO 2026 syllabus is designed for students with a strong interest in Physics who want to advance in the Indian National Physics Olympiad selection process. The syllabus mainly covers advanced Physics concepts from senior secondary level, including mechanics, thermodynamics, waves, electromagnetism, optics, quantum physics, relativity, and nuclear physics.

Although the INPhO exam syllabus is based on Class 11 and Class 12 Physics concepts, its difficulty level is much higher than that of regular school exams. Students must focus on conceptual clarity, numerical problem-solving, derivations, applications, and the ability to connect different Physics topics within a single problem.

This page provides students with a clear, detailed overview of the INPhO physics syllabus so that they can plan their preparation chapter by chapter.

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2	Full Physics Mastery – 2 Year

INPhO Syllabus 2026 Overview

Particulars	Details
Exam Name	Indian National Physics Olympiad
Short Name	INPhO
Syllabus Level	Senior secondary Physics level up to Class 12
Subject	Physics
Question Focus	Conceptual, theoretical, and numerical problem-solving
Difficulty Level	Advanced Olympiad level
Main Areas Covered	Mechanics, thermodynamics, waves, electricity, magnetism, optics, quantum physics, relativity, and nuclear physics
Best For	Students preparing for INPhO, OCSC, and the International Physics Olympiad pathway

INPhO Olympiad Syllabus 2026 Topic-Wise Details

The INPhO Olympiad syllabus is broad and concept-heavy. Students should not prepare only through formula memorisation. Each topic requires deep understanding, regular practice, and the ability to solve multi-step problems.

INPhO Syllabus 2027

The INPhO syllabus covers advanced Physics topics up to the senior secondary level. Students should focus on strong conceptual understanding, numerical problem-solving, and application-based learning across mechanics, thermodynamics, waves, electricity, magnetism, optics, quantum physics, and relativity.

S. No	Topic	Subtopics
1	Mechanics	• Kinematics of a point mass • Newton’s laws and inertial systems • Closed and open systems • Momentum and energy • Work and power • Conservation of energy • Impulse • Conservation of linear momentum • Elastic force • Law of gravitation • Friction • Potential energy • Work done in a gravitational field • Centripetal acceleration • Kepler’s laws
2	Mechanics of Rigid Bodies	• Statics • Torque • Centre of mass • Translation of rigid bodies • Angular velocity and rotation • Angular acceleration • Conservation of angular momentum • Motion of a rigid body about a fixed axis • Kinetic energy of a rotating body • Moment of inertia • External and internal forces • Accelerated reference systems • Inertial forces
3	Hydromechanics	• Elementary concepts of pressure • Continuity law • Buoyancy
4	Thermodynamics and Molecular Physics	• Internal energy • First law of thermodynamics • Second law of thermodynamics • Work and heat • Model of a perfect gas • Pressure and molecular kinetic energy • Equation of state of a perfect gas • Avogadro’s number • Absolute temperature • Work done by an expanding gas • Isothermal expansion • Adiabatic expansion • Carnot cycle • Reversible and irreversible processes • Thermodynamic efficiency • Entropy with statistical approach • Boltzmann factor
5	Oscillations and Waves	• Harmonic oscillations • Equation of harmonic oscillation • Harmonic waves • Transverse and longitudinal waves • Propagation of waves • Linear polarisation • Sound waves • Classical Doppler effect • Superposition of harmonic waves • Interference • Coherent waves • Standing waves • Beats
6	Electric Charge and Electric Field	• Conservation of charge • Coulomb’s law • Electric field • Gauss’s law • Electric potential • Dielectric constant • Energy density of the electric field • Capacitors • Capacitance
7	Current and Magnetic Field	• Ohm’s law • Internal resistance of a source • Kirchhoff’s laws • Joule’s law • Direct current and alternating current concepts • Magnetic field due to current • Lorentz force • Current in a magnetic field • Ampere’s law • Electromagnetic induction • Lenz’s law • Magnetic flux • Self-induction • Energy density of magnetic field • Inductance • Permeability • Voltage and current in AC circuits • Series and parallel resonance • Resistors, inductors, and capacitors in AC circuits
8	Electromagnetic Waves	• Generation of electromagnetic waves by feedback and resonance • Frequency of oscillation • Oscillatory circuits • Wave optics • Diffraction grating • Diffraction by a single slit and a double slit • Bragg reflection • Resolving power of a grating • Line spectra of gases • Dispersion spectra • Diffraction spectra • Electromagnetic waves as transverse waves • Polarisers • Polarisation by reflection • Resolving power of imaging systems • Black body radiation • Stefan-Boltzmann law
9	Quantum Physics	• Momentum of a photon • Photoelectric effect • Energy of a photon • de Broglie wavelength • Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle
10	Relativity and Nuclear Physics	• Principle of relativity • Doppler shift in special relativity • Composition of velocities • Energy and momentum • Relation between energy and mass • Conservation of energy and momentum • Relativistic motion • Simple applications of the Bragg equation • Energy levels of atoms and molecules • Absorption and emission spectra of hydrogen-like atoms • Alpha, beta, and gamma decay • Half-life • Exponential decay • Absorption of radiation • Components of nuclei • Nuclear reactions • Mass defect • Energy levels of nuclei

INPhO Physics Syllabus 2026 Key Areas to Focus On

The INPhO physics syllabus emphasises both theory and application. Students should focus more on understanding how concepts work rather than just learning formulas.

Important focus areas include:

Mechanics and rotational motion for a strong foundation in problem-solving.
Thermodynamics and molecular physics for concept-based numerical questions.
Oscillations and waves for graph-based and application-based problems.
Electricity and magnetism for multi-step calculations.
Electromagnetic waves and optics for theory and diagram-based questions.
Quantum physics for modern Physics concepts.
Relativity and nuclear physics for advanced conceptual understanding.

INPhO Exam Syllabus 2026 Preparation Strategy

Students preparing for the INPhO exam should follow a structured plan aligned with the syllabus. Since the syllabus is detailed and concept-heavy, random preparation may not be enough.

Start with mechanics because it builds the foundation for many advanced Physics topics.
Revise Class 11 and Class 12 Physics concepts together.
Prepare formula sheets for each topic, but do not depend only on memorisation.
Solve conceptual and numerical problems regularly.
Practise derivations and multi-step solutions.
Focus on the previous year's INPhO papers to understand the question's depth.
Analyse mistakes after every mock test.
Give extra time to weak areas such as rotational motion, electromagnetism, optics, and modern Physics.
Practise writing full solutions clearly because INPhO is not just about getting the final answer.

How to Study the INPhO Latest Syllabus Effectively?

To study the latest INPhO syllabus effectively, students should divide it into smaller topic groups. This makes revision easier and helps track progress.

Suggested study flow:

First complete mechanics, rigid body motion, and gravitation.
Then move to thermodynamics, molecular physics, oscillations, and waves.
After that, study electricity, magnetism, and electromagnetic induction.
Next, focus on optics and electromagnetic waves.
Finally, revise quantum physics, relativity, and nuclear physics.

Students should also connect related topics. For example, energy conservation is useful in mechanics, thermodynamics, and electricity. Similarly, wave concepts are useful in sound, optics, and quantum Physics.

Why Vedantu for INPhO Syllabus 2026 Preparation?

Vedantu helps students understand the INPhO syllabus 2026 in a structured, student-friendly way. Since Olympiad preparation needs more than regular school learning, students require clear concepts, guided practice, and advanced problem-solving support.

Vedantu’s approach helps students:

Understand the syllabus topic by topic.
Build strong Physics fundamentals.
Practise Olympiad-level problems.
Improve numerical accuracy.
Prepare for advanced theoretical questions.
Strengthen Class 11 and Class 12 Physics concepts.
Plan revision according to the exam level.

FAQs on INPhO Syllabus 2026 Detailed Topic-Wise Physics Guide

1. What is the INPhO syllabus 2026?

The INPhO syllabus 2026 includes advanced Physics topics from senior secondary level. It covers mechanics, thermodynamics, waves, electricity, magnetism, optics, quantum physics, relativity, and nuclear physics.

2. Is the INPhO Olympiad syllabus based on Class 11 and Class 12?

Yes, the INPhO Olympiad syllabus is mainly based on Class 11 and Class 12 Physics concepts. However, the questions are more advanced and require deeper problem-solving ability.

3. What are the main topics in the INPhO physics syllabus?

The main topics in the INPhO physics syllabus include mechanics, mechanics of rigid bodies, hydromechanics, thermodynamics, oscillations, waves, electric charge, magnetic field, optics, quantum physics, relativity, and nuclear physics.

4. Is the INPhO exam syllabus difficult?

Yes, the INPhO exam syllabus is considered difficult because it tests advanced conceptual understanding and application-based problem-solving. Students should prepare beyond regular textbook-level questions.

5. Where can I check the Indian National Physics Olympiad syllabus?

Students can check the Indian National Physics Olympiad syllabus on Vedantu to understand the latest topic-wise coverage, important chapters, and preparation strategy in a simple format.

6. What is included in the INPhO detailed syllabus?

The INPhO detailed syllabus includes core areas of Physics, such as mechanics, thermodynamics, waves, electromagnetism, electromagnetic waves, optics, quantum physics, relativity, and nuclear physics, as well as advanced subtopics.

7. Has the INPhO latest syllabus changed for 2026?

Students should always refer to the latest INPhO syllabus before preparing. The broad syllabus usually follows senior secondary Physics concepts, but official updates should be checked regularly.

8. How should I prepare for the INPhO syllabus?

To prepare for the INPhO syllabus, students should build strong concepts, solve Olympiad-level numerical problems, practise previous year papers, revise formulas, and write step-by-step solutions.

9. Is NCERT enough for INPhO syllabus preparation?

NCERT can help with basic concepts, but it is not enough for complete INPhO preparation. Students should also solve advanced Physics problems and previous year Olympiad papers.

10. Which topic is most important in the INPhO syllabus 2026?

Mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, optics, waves, and quantum physics are very important. However, students should cover the complete syllabus because INPhO questions can combine multiple topics.