STEM Careers Programme
A joint venture of Higher Education Commission and Pakistan
Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences, for grooming in
Fields of Science, Technology, Engineering an Mathematics
(STEM)
National Science Talent Contest (NSTC)
STEM Careers Programme
STEM Careers Programme has two fold mission:
Inspiring the youth of the nation to opt for careers in Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics and preparing them for
participation in the annual International Science Olympiads in Physics,
Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics.
Encouraging engineering students to come up with innovative solutions to
problems of national interest.
National Science Talent Contest, or NSTC is meant to address the first of
these objectives, and National Engineering Competition, or NEC strive to
address the second of these objectives
From NPTC to NSTC
NSTC is an extension of the National Physics Talent Contest
(NPTC) which was launched by PAEC in 1995 on the directives
of the then President, Islamic Republic of Pakistan.
To realize the above mentioned extended mission, the Higher
Education Commission (HEC) approved a proposal of Pakistan
Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences (PIEAS) to
initiate National Science Talent Contest (NSTC) in 2003 under
the umbrella of Science, Technology Engineering and
Mathematics (STEM) Careers Project.
Eligibility Criteria
A School or College may nominate;
a)
Students, who scored an aggregate of 70% or more marks in
Matriculation and currently studying in F.Sc (Part-I)
b)
Students, who scored an aggregate of 70% or more marks in
O Levels and currently studying in A-Level (Part-I)
c)
Exceptionally talented younger students of O Levels or
Matriculation.
Registration Procedure
 Nomination form duly attested by the college with complete information
 Application Processing Fee (Non-refundable)
– Rs. 500/- for students falling in category (a)
– Rs. 1000/- for students in category (b)
– For Matriculation students in category (c) is Rs.500/- while for O Level students is
Rs.1000/– Please deposit the application processing fee through online bank Account #
0010002084620041 of Allied Bank Limited, Cabinet Division Branch, Islamabad (Branch
Code: 0793). This fee can be deposited in this online account through any online Allied
bank branch anywhere in Pakistan.
 The fee can also be submitted in the form of postal orders. However, the postal order amount
should not be less then Rs. 50 i.e. to deposit Rs. 100 two postal orders of Rs. 50 or one postal
order of Rs. 100 may be attached. Postal order of fewer amounts are not acceptable.
Important Note: No other mode of payment like bank drafts, money order, cheques and cash
etc is acceptable.
 Documents Required
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
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

Original Receipt of Application processing fee
3 passport size Photographs should be attached.
Proof of Age i.e. Matric / O level mark sheet / Birth certificate (Attested copy).
Photocopy of NIC of father /Guardian
Nomination for category (c) students
Fill clearly the complete postal address, phone numbers of your home and college for timely
correspondence
Selection Procedure
 Screening Test will be held on 12th of January, 2014.
 Training/Selection Camps during summer in each respective
home institute
 Olympiad teams of 4-6 students are selected through a series of
subsequent training camps during a year.
Home Institutions of NSTC
 National Institute for Biotechnology and Genetic
Engineering (NIBGE), Faisalabad for Biology
 H.E.J Institute of Chemistry, Karachi University for
Chemistry
 Abdus Salam School of Mathematical Sciences
(ASSMS), G.C.U. Lahore for Mathematics
 Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied
Sciences (PIEAS), Islamabad for Physics
National Biology Talent Contest
(NBTC)
Home Institute: NIBGE, Faisalabad.
Pakistan participated in IBO for the first time that was hosted by
Argentina during 2006. Muhammad Affawn of Bahria College
won a silver Medal in IBO-2008 in Mumbai India.
Venue of 25th IBO 2014 is Indonesia.
Achievements:17th IBO, Argentina, 2006
Dr. Sarwar Khan (Coordinator NBTC) with
Chairman IBO Jury and Pakistani Team
Achievements:18th IBO, Saskatoon, Canada, 2007
(Lest to right) Dr. Sarwar Khan (Coordinator
NBTC), Ms Abeera Ali (Bronze Medalist), Mr.
Shoaib, Ms fatima Khurram, July, 2007
Achievements: 19th IBO, Mumbai, India, 2008
Muhammad Affawn Ashraf, first silver medalist of Pakistan in International
Biology Olympiad. He was born in Sialkot and is Hafiz-e-Quran as well. He also
wants to pursue his career in Fundamental research in Genetics, Immunology and
Hematology and to bring a Nobel Prize for the country. He got admission in SSE
LUMS.
Achievements: 20th IBO, Tsukuba, Japan, 2009
Pakistani IBO-2009
Team: From Left
Standing: Dr
Muhammad Saeed,
PS NIBGE, Mr. Al
Hasanat Rasul, PD
SCP, Ms Mahym
Mansoor, Bronze
Medalist, Ms Tayyaba
Maqbool Malik,
Bronze Medalist, Dr
Zafar M Khalid,
Director NIBGE.
Sitting,from left, Ms
Saima Hanif and Mr
Raheel Sufian
Siddiqui, 18th July,
Tsukuba, Japan
Achievements: 21st IBO, Changwon, Korea, 2010
Pakistani IBO-2010 Team: From Left Standing: Ms Warda Faridi (Bronze Medalist), Ms
Fatima Tun Nissa, Ms Ama Tus Salam Naila (Bronze Medalist), Mr Abdul Moiz, Dr
Muhammad Saeed (Deputy Team Leader), Dr Zafar M Khalid (Team Leader), and the
Pakistani Team Guide July, Changwon, Korea.
Achievements: 22nd IBO, Taipei, Taiwan 2011
IBO-2011 Team: From Left: Mr. Armaghan-E-Rehman Mansoor (Bronze Medalist),
Dr. Zafar M. Khalid (Team Leader), Dr. Zahid Mukhtar (Deputy Team Leader),
Ms. Urooj Imdad Ali (Bronze Medalist), Ms. Saneeha Shahid (Bronze Medalist) &
Ms. Numra Abdul Aleem (Bronze Medalist), Taipei Taiwan
Achievements: 23rd IBO, Singapore 2012
Pakistani IBO-2012 Team: From Left: Mr. Hassan Mirza (Honorable Mention), Ms.
Hafsa Shahab (Bronze Medalist), Mr. Usama Tahir (Bronze Medalist) and Dr.
Zahid Mukhtar (Team Leader), SINGAPORE
National Chemistry Talent Contest
(NCTC)
Home Institute: HEJ Research Institute of
Chemistry, Karachi.
Coordinator: Dr. Khalid M Khan
Pakistan participated in IChO for the first time that was
hosted by South Korea during 2006.
Venue of 46th IChO 2014 is Vietnam.
Achievements: 38th IChO, South Korea, 2006
Participants of First Pakistani IChO Team in South Korea with Dr. Khalid M.
Khan, Coordinator- NCTC and Dr Shaiq Ali, July, 2006.
Achievements: 39th IChO, Russia, 2007
Participants of Pakistani IChO Team in Moscow, Russia , In the front, Mr. Shehzad
Iqbal, Second row from right, Ms Shaina Khan (Bronze Medalist), Mr. Hamza
Khan, Ms Anita Pabani (Bronze Medalist). July 2007
Achievements: 40th IChO, Hungary, 2008
Members of Pakistani IChO (from Left-front row) Ayesha Ahmed (admitted in AKU,
Karachi), Ali Kamran Ahmed (Admitted at AKU, Karachi), Dr M Shaiq Ali, Deputy
Team Leader, Peter Szollosi (Pakistani Guide), Dr Khalid M Khan, Coordinator
NCTC, Leader Pakistani Team, Gibran Mushtaq Hashmi (university of Minnesota),
Maha Malik (Studying at IBA, Karachi) at Budapest, Hungary, July, 2008.
Achievements: 41st IChO, Cambridge,UK, 2009
Pakistani ICO-2009 Team: From Left Standing: Mr. Bilal Shahid, Ms
Nayha Enver (Bronze Medalist) Dr Khalid M Khan, Coordinator NCTC,
HEJ, Dr M Raza Shah, Asstt. Prof. HEJ, Ms. Saman Zia (Bronze
Medalist) and Mr. Asad Ur Rehman, 26th July, Cambridge, UK
Achievements: 42nd IChO, Tokyo, Japan, 2010
Pakistani IChO-2011 Team: From Left: Mr. Izhar Ali, Mr. Hafiz
Hassan Ali , Mr Muhammad Anus , Ms. Minahil Sana Qasim
Khan, with Pakistani Guide 19-28 July, 2010 , Tokyo, Japan
Achievements: 43rd IChO, Ankara, Turkey, 2011
Pakistani IChO-2011 Team: From Left: Prof. Dr. Khalid M Khan (Team
Leader), Mr. Syed Muhammad Saad Imran (Bronze Medalist), Mr. Uzair
Ijaz Khan, Ms. Marium Ahmed Uqaili (Bronze Medalist), Ms. Amna
Rashid and Dr. Raza Shah (Deputy Team Leader) Ankara, Turkey
Achievements: 44th IChO, United States, 2012
Mr. Armughan Ahmad (Bronze Medalist), IChO-2012, UNITED STATES
Achievements: 45th IChO, Moscow, Russia, 2013
Pakistani IChO-2013 Team: From Left:, Dr. Muhammad Raza Shah
(Deputy Team Leader), Ms. Syeda Ayesha Siddiqua, Ms. Huda Zahid
(Bronze Medalist), Mr. Muhammad Zain Raza (Bronze Medalist), Mr.
Muhammad Ahmad Khan (Bronze Medalist), Prof. Dr. Khalid M. Khan
(Team Leader), Moscow, RUSSIA
National Mathematics Talent Contest
(NMTC)
Home Institute: SMS, GCU, Lahore.
Chief Coordinator: Dr. A. D. Raza
Choudary Pakistan participated for the
first time in 46th IMO in Mexico in 2005.
IMO 47 was hosted by Slovenia during summer
2006 in which Pakistani Team member Mr. Zaeem
Hussain won an Honorable Mention.
Venue of 55th IMO 2014 is South Africa.
Achievements: 46th IMO, Mexico, 2005
Mr. Ahmed Mahmood Qureshi (middle second row), Coordinator, NMTC-1 with
Students at Pakistani Team and their Mexican guide , who is holding the banner,
at the 46th International Mathematics Olympiad, Mexico, 8-19 July, 2005
Achievements: 47th IMO, Slovenia, 2006
Pakistani Team of 47th International Mathematics Olympiad (From left) Syed Sarim
Ali, Barbu Berceanu (Coach of Pakistani Team), Prof. Dr. A. D. Raza Choudary(D.G.
SMS & Team Leader), József Pelikán (Chairman, IMO Advisory Board), John Webb
(Secretary, IMO Advisory Board), Syed Hasan Riaz, Saad Anjum, Zaeem Hussain
(HM), Afsah Shafquat in Ljubljana, Slovenia.
Achievements: 48th IMO,Hanoi Vietnam, 2007
Pakistani Team of 48th International Mathematics Olympiad (From left) Mr. Zaeem
Hussain (Bronze Medalist), Muhammad Fahad Waseem, Sohaib Afzal (Honorable
Mention), Team guide of Pakistani Team, Mr. Awais Tariq, Mr. Mustaffa Abbas and
Mr. Saif Sultan in Hanoi, Vietnam, July, 2007
Achievements: 50th IMO,Breman Germany, 2009
Pakistani IMO-2009 Team: From Left Standing: Mr. Absar-ul-Hassan,
Mr. Isfar Tariq, Mr. Ahmad Bilal Aslam, Dr. Ahmad Mahmood Qureshi
(Deputy Leader), Mr. Waqar Ali Syed (Bronze Medallist) and Mr. Qasim
Mahmood., July-2009, Bremen, Germany
Achievements:51st IMO, Astana, Kazakhstan, 2010
Pakistani IMO-2010 Team: From Left: Mr. Abdusami Bin Khurram, Mr. Zaid Saeed
Khan, Mr Barbu Berceanu Mr. Waqas Ahmed, Dr A D Raza Ch. (Team Leader),
Dr. Ahmad Mahmood Qureshi (Deputy Team Leader), and Mr. Waqar Ali Syed
(Honorable Mention), july-2010, Astana, Kazakhstan.
Achievements: 52nd IMO, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 2011
Pakistani IMO-2011 Team: From Left: Mr.Syed Muhammad Ahmed
Ghufran, Mr. Hammad Ali Khan Seyal (Honorable Mention), Prof. Dr.
Ahmad Mahmood Qureshi (Deputy Team Leader), Ms. Misha Nasir Jamy,
Mr. Waqar Ali Syed (Bronze Medalist), Amsterdam, Netherlands .
Achievements: 53rd IMO, Argentina, 2012
Pakistani IMO-2012 Team: From Left: Dr. Barbu Rudolf Berceanu (Team
Leader), Ms. Huma Sibghat (Honorable Mention), Mr. Waqar Ali Syed
(Silver Medalist), Mr. Usama Zahid Malik, Mr.Azlan Shaukat, Mr. Dilsher
Ahmed, and Dr Ahmed Mahmood Qureshi (Deputy Team Leader),
ARGENTINA
Achievements: 54th IMO, Colombia, 2013
Pakistani IMO-2013 Team: From Left: Mr. Awais Muhammad Chishti,
Mr. Muhammad Adnan (Honorable Mention), Mr. Shahzaib Ali (Honorable
Mention), Mr. Muhammad Faaiz Taufiq (Honorable Mention),
Mr. Usama Zaid Malik and Mr. Ejaz Hussain Malik (Deputy Team Leader),
COLOMBIA
National Physics Talent Contest
(NPTC)
Home Institute: PIEAS, Islamabad
Chief Coordinator Dr. Abdullah Sadiq
Coordinator: Dr Shahid Qamar, PS, PIEAS
Resource Persons: Professor Pervez Hoodbhoy and Dr. Kashif Sabih of
Quaid-e-Azam University and Drs. Naseem Irfan, Masroor Ikram,
Masood-ul-Hassan, Anila Usman, Mansoor Hameed Inayat, Imran
Chughtai.
Pakistan has been regularly participating in IPhO since 2001
and won one Silver Medal in IPhO-2008 and Bronze Medals
and Honorable Mentions several times.
Venue of 45th IPhO 2014 is Kazakhstan.
Achievements: IPhO-32, Turkey , 2001
Yaser Raza Khan
(HM*) of Beacon
House
Margalla
Campus, Islamabad,
now at the University
of Toronto, Canada,
receiving
his
Honorable Mention.
He was also awarded
the
Best
Performance Prize
for the countries
participating for the
first time.
*Honorable Mention
Achievements: IPhO-33, Bali, Indonesia , 2002
From Left; Umair Safwan
Malik (HM*) of Aitcheson
College and now in MIT ,
Murad Tariq (HM*) of
City School, Islamabad
and now in FAST Lahore,
Osama Ahmed (HM*) of
Burhan
College,
Dr.
Abdullah
Sadiq,
Dr.
Masood-ul-Hasan,
Wasil
Intisar
Mohar
Bronze Medalist (BM^) of
Atchison and now in
Middlebury
College,
Indonesian Guide Tessy
Tri Kurniati and Abid
Hasan Naqvi Bronze
Medalist
(BM^)
of
Beachonhouse,
Islamabad, and now in
NUST
^Bronze Medal
*Honorable Mention
Achievements: IPhO-34, Taipei, Taiwan , 2003
From Left: Umair Sadiq,
Bronze Medalist, (BM^) of
Cadet
College
Hasan
Abdal and now in GIK-I,
Dr. Masroor Ikram, Dr.
Abdullah Sadiq, Ahmed
Qureshi, Taiwanese Guide
Stella Yu Wen Wang,
Hamood Zafir Arham of
Beachonhouse, Islamabad,
now in Michigan State
University,
Talal
Bin
Akram of Cadet College
Hasan Abdal and now in
UET Lahore. Wajahat
Faheem Khan (HM*) (not
shown in the picture) of
Edwards
College
Peshawar and now in MIT
 Special Prize for Umair
Sadiq
for
Best
Participation among the
countries participating for
the last 3 years.
^Bronze Medal
*Honorable Mention
Achievements: IPhO-35, Pohang, South Korea , 2004
From Left (standing) : Foaad
Tahir (HM) of Adamjee
Government
Science
College, Karachi, now in
GIK-I, Dr. Masroor Ikram,
Amir Ali (HM) of Agha
Khan Higher Secondary
School, Karachi, now in
LUMS, Dr. Abdullah Sadiq,
Sabeen Faridi (HM) of
Karachi Grammar School,
Karachi and now in Caltech
from left (Sitting ): Saad Islam
of Military College, Jhelum,
now in NUST and Saad
Zaheer of F.G. Sir Syed
College, Rawalpindi and
now in MIT.
*Honorable Mention
Achievements: 36th IPhO, Salamanca, Spain , 2005
From left, Standing, Syed Ali
Abbas of Sadiq Public
School, Bahawalpur, Asim
Naz of St. Michael’s
Convent School, Clifton,
Karachi , GIK-I, Dr. Kashif
Sabeeh, QAU, Dr. Abdullah
Sadiq,
Chair
STEM
Careers Project, Nabeel
Rehman Shami (HM*) of
St.
Michael’s
Convent
School, Clifton, Karachi.
Sitting, from left, Sheraz
Qayyum
of
Aitchison
College, The Mall, Lahore,
Guide from Spain, Dawood
Tariq (HM*) of Bahria
College , Islamabad, Talal
Bin Akram, Observer, UET
Lahore
^Bronze Medal
*Honorable Mention
Achievements: 37th IPhO, Singapore , 2006
From left, Awais Sher
Bajwa of Resource
Acedimia,
Fahad
Mahmood (HM*) of
City
School,
Saba
Zehra Zaidi of Roots
Montessori,
Dr.
Abdullah Sadiq, Chair
STEM Careers Project,
Dr. Ibrahim Qazi,
Coordinator
NPTC,
Omer Aftab of Lahore
Grammer
School,
Nusrah Hussain of
Bahria College with
their Guides
*Honorable Mention
Achievements: 38th IPhO, Isfahan, Iran , 2007
From left front row, Awais
Ms Palwisha Khan
(observer), Ms Maham
Siddiqui, Dr Ibrahim
Qazi (Team leader), Al
Hasanat Rasul (Deputy
Team
leader),
Ms
Maedeh
Khademi
(Pakistani
Guide),
from left second row,
Mr. Zeeshan Javed
(*HM),
Mr.
Sami
Tahir, Mr. Suleman
Mahmood (*HM), Mr.
Haroon Masood, Mr.
Amin (Pakistani guide),
Mr. Shehryar Khan
(observer)
*Honorable Mention
Achievements: IPhO-39, Hanoi, Vietnam, 2008
Mr. Hamza Aftab, first
silver medalist of
Pakistan
in
International Physics
Olympiad. He was
born in Multan and
proved his excellence
during the O levels
exam
when
he
secured 11 A’s with
world distinction in
Chemistry.
He
desires to pursue his
career in engineering
and integrating it
with basic sciences.
He has secured fully
funded scholarship
admission in the
Princeton University,
USA.
Achievements: 39th IPhO, Hanoi, Vietnam , 2008
From left, Mr. Ahmed
Bilal Asghar, *HM,
Mr. Hamza Aftab of
Aitcheson College,
Silver Medalist,, Dr
Shahid Qamar,
Coordinator NPTC,
Dr Masroor Ikram,
DCS, PIEAS, Ms
Madiha Hussain of
LGS, Bronze
Medalist who also
secured fully funded
scholarship
admission in Caltech
, Mr. Anneq Zia, and
Mr. Waqas Raza
Jafri, *HM of LGS,
who secured fully
funded admission in
Princeton
University.
*Honorable Mention
Achievements: 40th IPhO, Merida, Mexico, 2009
Pakistani IPhO-2009 Team: From Left Standing: Mr. M Zain Ul Abideen Ali
Khas (Bronze Medalist), Mr. Musab Jilani (Honorable Mention), Dr Masroor
Ikram, DCS, PIEAS, the Pakistani Team Guide, Mr. Aamir Ayub (Honorable
Mention), Dr. Shahid Qamar (Team Leader), Sitting from Left: Mr. Harres Bin
Tariq (Bronze Medalist) and Ms Anum Jang Sher., 19 July-2009, Merida, Mexico
Achievements:41st IPhO, Zagreb, Croatia, 2010
Pakistani IPhO-2010 Team: From Left Standing: Dr. Shahid Qamar (Team Leader), Mr.
Mufaddal Abid Marvi (Honorable Mention), Ms. Amna Shahab (Honorable Mention), the
Pakistani Team Guide, Dr Masroor Ikram (Deputy Team Leader),
Sitting from Left: Mr. Suleman Belal Kazi and Mr Abdur Rafae (Honorable Mention), Zagreb,
Croatia
Achievements: 42nd IPhO, Bangkok, Thailand, 2011
Pakistani IPhO-2011 Team: From Left: Dr. Shahid Qamar (Team Leader), Mr.
Ibrahim Ahmed (Honorable Mention), Mr. Urwa Muaz (Bronze Medalist), Mr.
Salman Azmat (Honorable Mention), Mr. Mohammad Umer (Bronze Medalist),
and Dr Aftab Rafiq (Deputy Team Leader), Bangkok, Thailand.
Achievements: 43rd IPhO, Estonia, 2012
Pakistani IPhO-2012 Team: From Left: Mr. Usman Ali Javid, Dr Aftab Rafiq
(Deputy Team Leader), Mr. Muhammad Taimoor Iftikhar (Bronze Medalist),
Dr. Shahid Qamar (Team Leader), Mr. Muhammd Suhaib Qasim and Mr.
Usman Ayaz, ESTONIA
Benefits OF NSTC:





Screening test:
 Experience of sitting in a top level test
Training Camps
 If you get selected, you will be invited in any of the four HI’s in a
series of a week long camp
 Training/ Teaching in these institutions by world class teachers
 Educational visits
 Rigorous testing
 Groomed in such a way that they are able to get admission in good
foreign and local universities/ colleges
International Science Olympiad
 4-6 students participate in International Science Olympiad in each
subject
NSTC Alumni Body
 Once they leave the camps they will be the part of the part of an
Alumni body which is comprised of most talented students
PAEC Fellowships

As mentioned above
How to prepare
 By encouraging the students to use reference
material
 Solving/ Interesting assignments
 Studying/ participating in science project
competitions
 Teaching
 Syllabus




Matirc
O Level
F. Sc. Part I
A level Part I (A’s level)
Summary of Achievements
NPTC since
1995
NMTC since
2004
NCTC since
2004
NBTC since
2004
GOLD
No
No
No
No
SILVER
1
1
No
1
BRONZE
9
3
10
11
Honorable
Mention
22
8
1
2
Medals/Honors
For more information
 Website http://www.nstc.edu.pk
Or
STEM Careers Programme
Higher Education Commission, Campus,H-8/1, Islamabad
Phone 92-51-90402615
Email mjamil@hec.gov.pk , sjamshed@hec.gov.pk