Olympiad: The ultimate tool to catch up with the school syllabus in a fun way
It is normal for all students, especially the ones studying in school to get anxious ahead of their exams. The very thought of coming face to face with out-of-syllabus questions terrifies most students and rightfully so. Now imagine, what if there are no marks attached to each question or the anticipation of report cards at the end of the exams? Instead, a series of coveted prizes waits for whoever does well. In fact, the whole process would be less of an exam and more of a competitive game. Sounds exciting, isn’t it? Well, Olympiads are exactly that!
Take the Hindustan Olympiad for instance which is going to be back with its 8th edition in March this year. One of India’s largest Olympiads, it is an ideal game-based national level contest wherein students compete on familiar topics based on their school syllabus and at the end they receive attractive prizes. In fact, over the years, the Olympiad has empowered over 11 lakh students spread across more than 20,000 schools. Among them, over 11,000 students have been felicitated till date with scholarships worth INR 2.5 crores.
Hindustan Olympiad 2023 is open to students of grades I to XII and will enable them to put their academic, cognitive and competitive skills to test. The focus will remain on all subjects taught in classrooms. However, unlike report cards, participants will earn cash rewards alongside participation certificates and performance assessment reports.
For Hindustan Olympiad 2023, Hindustan Times has partnered with Amrita University (presenting partner), SpeEdLabs (knowledge partner) and Oswaal Books (book partner). Sharing his insight about the upcoming Hindustan Olympiad, Vivek Varshney, CEO and Co-founder of SpeEdLabs said, “We believe strongly that hybrid education is the future, and SpeEdLabs propagates the hybrid approach to learning & teaching. The ‘old-fashioned’ pencil-and-paper methods of learning are still needed in the classroom. But technology introduces lots of great tools to help students learn more efficiently. It will play a vital role in filling up the learning gaps for every student, teacher, and institution, which were never possible before.”
This year, Hindustan Olympiad will be held in both online and offline modes. For the online mode, the Level 1 will take place from 1st to 3rd March 2023, while Level 2 will be conducted on 12th March 2023. The offline exams will take place from 1st to 3rd March 2023. Candidates can register for INR 200 here.
By taking part in the Hindustan Olympiad 2023, students can rediscover their school syllabus in a more engaging and effective way. Here is how.
Olympiad: Redefining the scope of school syllabus
A school syllabus is more often than not closely linked with exams. So, it ends up becoming a performance tool rather than a learning resource. While an Olympiad too has its own prescribed syllabus that students need to adhere to, it offers them the chance to approach the same topics with an open mind and brand-new perspective. In fact, Olympiad operates in such a way that students know that their ultimate goal is to soak in as much knowledge and information as possible without the pressure of becoming a topper. Hence, they are motivated to learn for the sake of learning that automatically helps them to score better in the competition. Not only that, a platform like Hindustan Olympiad also ushers in never-seen-before vigour and confidence to study without worrying for marks. Besides, students also get to nurture their syllabus and revise them through hands-on experiences and reference reading. In short, an Olympiad is like a much-needed break from the routine of attending classes and sitting for exams and is a transition into a wider domain of knowledge and skill-based competition.
Benefits of syllabus-bound learning
Unlike popular belief, a syllabus is not meant to be something overwhelming that forces students to study and perform to the best of their abilities, in order to further their careers. Rather, it’s meant to be a rulebook that will help in the due process of learning with heightened emphasis on specific topics and concepts. Here are some of the benefits of having a syllabus to refer to:
- A specified syllabus sets the tone for the entire course before it begins, by laying down precise expectations around the outcome.
- It includes knowledge and information that will facilitate effective learning.
- It lets students know about the topics in advance, giving them enough time to prepare.
- It offers the basis of continued learning outside the classroom, and plants the seeds of applied learning.
- It assesses the overall academic development of students, alongside improving their memory and structural thinking.