The Astronomy Olympiad Orientation Cum Selection Camp (OCSC) 2025 was held at IISER Mohali with the aim of training and evaluating bright students selected through national-level examinations. These students, chosen through the Indian National Astronomy Olympiad, represented the top performers from nearly 500 participants across two groups: Group A (Class 12) and Group B (Classes 10 or 11), with selection based on rank and subject preferences.
Out of 54 students selected for the camp, 37 from various parts of India participated in the OCSC. Following an intensive training and evaluation process, a final team of five students was selected to represent India at the International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) 2025, scheduled to be held in Mumbai in August.
The OCSC comprised lectures, tutorials, telescope handling sessions, and sky observation activities. While the camp is usually conducted by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE-TIFR), this year the responsibility was entrusted to IISER Mohali as HBCSE is hosting the IOAA. The camp was conducted by a team of astronomers from institutions including Central University of Haryana, Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology Patiala, IIT Kanpur, Ashoka University Sonepat, Central University of Himachal Pradesh Shahpur, and IISER Mohali. Resource persons also included scientists from the Raman Research Institute, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, National Institute for Science Education and Research, and Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics.
The final team was announced during the valedictory function held on June 11, 2025, at IISER Mohali. A special lecture on "Imaging in Different Wavebands in Astronomy" was delivered by Professor Dipankar Bhattacharya from Ashoka University. This was followed by the distribution of medals by Professor Kulinder Pal Singh (IISER Mohali) and certificates by Professor Bhattacharya, under the aegis of the Indian Association of Physics Teachers (IAPT).
The team selected to represent India at IOAA 2025 includes Aarush Mishra, Sumant Gupta, Banibrata Majee, Panini, and Akshat Srivastava. Among them, Aarush Mishra received the C.L. Bhat Memorial Award for Best Performance in OCSC, an award instituted by the Indian Physics Association through the efforts of Arnold Wolfendale.
Sumant Gupta was recognized for best performance in the observational test, while Akshat Srivastava won awards for best performance in both theory and data analysis.The team will be accompanied to IOAA 2025 by experienced team leaders Professor Jasjeet Singh Bagla and Dr. Harvinder Kaur Jassal, who have been long associated with the Astronomy Olympiad programme.
The scientific observers introduced at the event include Dr. Kinjalk Lochan, Dr. Pankaj Kushwaha, Dr. Jaswant Yadav (Central University of Haryana), and Dr. Mamta Gulati (Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala).