National-level microbiology contest · since 2001
A Life Science Fiesta!
MicrobiOlympiad brings together undergraduate & postgraduate life-science students from across India for a flagship microbiology quiz and a constellation of creative contests — essays, art, presentations, street plays, and more.
- Edition
- 23rd (2024–25)
- Screening
- January
- Grand finale
- February
About the contest
A national platform for budding microbiologists
MicrobiOlympiad is an innovative series of competitions for UG and PG life-science students — built to spark a competitive scientific temperament and a deeper love for the world of microbes.
The MicrobioLogical Contest
The online preliminary round — a screening test taken at each college.
The MicrobiOlympiad
The face-to-face inter-collegiate final held live at the host institute.
Our objectives
- Provide a scientific platform for a national-level competition, fostering a scientific and competitive temperament.
- Assess the logical reasoning and analytical skills of life-science students.
- Enhance reading skills and comprehension through innovative activities.
- Acquaint students with R programming for data analysis and computational tasks.
- Promote social responsibility and health & hygiene awareness through street plays.
- Expose students to novel scientific avenues via eminent national and international scientists.
- Inspire students through the research and career journeys of successful life-science personalities.
History & origin
Conducted every year since 2001
In remembrance of two giants of microbiology — Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch — and founded by Prof. Ulhas Patil.
French microbiologist and chemist — pioneer of pasteurization, vaccination and the germ theory of disease; often called the founder of modern microbiology.
German physician and a founder of medical microbiology — known for Koch's postulates and his work on tuberculosis, cholera and anthrax.
- 2001The contest begins
Founded by Prof. Ulhas Patil and dedicated to Louis Pasteur & Robert Koch, the MicrobioLogical Contest and MicrobiOlympiad are held for the first time.
- 202019th edition
The contest reaches its 19th edition, held in January 2020.
- 202422nd edition
3,719 participants compete across all competitions; the grand finale is held on 10 February 2024.
- 2024–2523rd edition
The national network grows beyond 100 colleges across India.
The events
One umbrella, eight ways to compete
The flagship quiz is the highlight — surrounded by creative contests that turn the event into a multi-day life-science fiesta.
MicrobiOlympiad
The flagship inter-collegiate microbiology quiz
A two-stage quiz — an online MicrobioLogical Contest (screening) followed by a fast-paced, face-to-face final — run separately for FY, SY and TY undergraduates, plus a dedicated PG track.
- Online prelims + offline finals
- Year-wise UG tracks + PG
- Four live rounds
MicrobioSlate
Theme-based scientific essay writing
A scientific essay-writing contest on a microbiology theme, judged by a panel; top performers earn medals and certificates.
MicrobioCanvas
Scientific painting & drawing
A theme-based painting and drawing competition that turns microbial science into art.
MicrobioPodium
Scientific presentations
Theme-based scientific presentations where students communicate research and ideas to a panel of judges.
MicrobioRead
Reading & comprehension
Activities designed to enhance reading skills and scientific comprehension; every participant receives a certificate.
MicrobioSoft
R programming for data analysis
Hands-on sessions introducing students to the R programming language for data analysis and computational tasks.
MicrobioTalk
Lectures by leading microbiologists
An online lecture series featuring successful microbiologists sharing their research and career journeys — from NASA space biology to microbiome research.
MicrobioStreetPlay
Health & hygiene street plays
Street-play performances that raise public awareness about health and hygiene; participation certificates for all.
Competition format
Two levels, four fast-paced rounds
The contest screens online, then crowns its champions live at the finals.
MicrobioLogical Contest
- Conducted online and supervised by coordinators at each participating college.
- Held separately for First Year (FY), Second Year (SY) and Third Year (TY) UG classes.
- Typically 50 MCQs with no negative marking, and a separate syllabus per year.
- Top 10 college teams per class advance to the finals; others are waitlisted.
MicrobiOlympiad Finals
- Held live at the Government Institute of Science, Chh. Sambhajinagar.
- Top finalists from each UG class compete face-to-face.
- Four fast-paced rounds (detailed alongside).
- A single participant cannot form a team and is not eligible for the final round.
The four live rounds
Objective Round
Three multiple-choice questions, four options each.
Challenge Round
Two questions — one based on an image, one on a video clip.
Reasoning Round
One higher-order, critical-thinking question to discuss and explain.
Rapid Round
Five rapid questions — vocabulary, true/false, long-form and spelling. Negative marking; teams may pass.
Prizes & awards
Cash prizes, trophies, medals & certificates
Awarded per UG class (FY / SY / TY), with medals and certificates across the allied competitions.
- Winning teams in each UG class (FY / SY / TY) receive a Certificate of Excellence, a Medal of Honor, a Trophy and a cash prize.
- Top performers in MicrobioCanvas, MicrobioPodium, MicrobioSlate, MicrobioTalk and MicrobioStreetPlay receive medals and certificates — typically the top 10 per event.
- Every participating student receives a Certificate of Participation.
Sample schedule
A day at the grand finale
From the 22nd edition finals — 10 February 2024.
| Time | Programme |
|---|---|
| 8:30 – 9:25 | Registration & Breakfast |
| 9:30 – 11:30 | FY BSc Session |
| 11:30 – 1:30 | SY BSc Session |
| 1:30 – 3:30 | TY BSc Session |
| 3:30 – 3:45 | Tea Break |
| 3:45 onwards | Valedictory Function & Prize Distribution |
Auditorium, Government Institute of Science, Chh. Sambhajinagar · Entry on production of I-card; lunch on production of lunch coupon.
Registration
How to take part
Registration is handled by each college's faculty coordinator through the MicrobiOlympiad portal.
- 1College coordinator signs in
A faculty coordinator receives portal credentials and a college code from the organizers.
- 2Verify participant payment
Students pay the nominal fee via the announced channel; the coordinator records the reference and marks it verified.
- 3Enter or import students
The coordinator adds participants individually or uploads a CSV roster for the current edition.
- 4Sit the screening test
Registered students take the online MicrobioLogical Contest at their college on the scheduled date.
Who can participate
- Open to regular FY, SY and TY undergraduates and postgraduate life-science students.
- Subjects: Microbiology, Biotechnology, Biochemistry, Zoology, Botany and allied Life Sciences (principal or subsidiary).
- UG quiz tracks are organised year-wise (FY / SY / TY); PG students compete in the PG-MBQ track.
- Allied competitions are open to participating life-science students per each event’s rules.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Everything students and coordinators usually ask.
How is the MicrobioLogical Contest (screening) conducted?
When is the competition held?
How is the final MicrobiOlympiad conducted?
Who can participate?
What if a college has only one participant?
Are fees refundable?
What do winners get?
Organizers
The people behind the contest
Hosted by the Department of Microbiology, Government Institute of Science, Chh. Sambhajinagar, in collaboration with the Institute of Science, Mumbai (HBSU) and the Microbiologists Society, India.
Contact
Get in touch
Reach the host institute or the Microbiologists Society for any query.
Host institute
Dr. Rajendra A. Satpute
- Nipat Niranjan Nagar, Caves Road, Aurangabad, Maharashtra – 431004
- +91-9404012456
- [email protected]
- inosca.org