Skip to content
GK24

India Wins Best-Ever 9 Medals at 19th Earth Science Olympiad

India took nine medals, four of them gold, at the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad in Turin, Italy, its best-ever haul at the competition.

By Published · 2 min read
India Wins Best-Ever 9 Medals at 19th Earth Science Olympiad

Why in News

On 4 September 2026 Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh felicitated the Indian school team that won a best-ever nine medals at the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad held in Turin, Italy.

India recorded its best-ever performance at the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) 2026. The team of school students brought home nine medals. That is the highest tally India has taken at this Olympiad in the history of the event.

Where and when it was held

The Olympiad was held in Turin, Italy. It ran from 20 to 27 August 2026. It was held under the aegis of the International Geoscience Organisation. Students from 39 countries took part.

The medal tally

Gold4
Silver3
Bronze2
Total9, India's highest ever

The medals came across four categories: the Written examination, the Practical examination, the International Team Field Investigation (ITFI) and the Earth Science Project (ESP).

Who won what

  • Soumik Mandal, DAV Model School, Durgapur, West Bengal: two gold and one silver. He stood third in the overall global ranking among the 39 countries.
  • Aaron Maiti, DAV Model School, IIT-Kharagpur, West Bengal: one gold and one bronze.
  • Riddhi Ranjan, Gyan Asthali International School, Patna, Bihar: one gold and one silver.
  • Md Ehtesham Rizwi, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya, Bihar: one silver and one bronze.

The felicitation

The winners were felicitated by Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences. The meeting was held at Prithvi Bhawan on Lodhi Road in New Delhi. Dr T. Srinivasa Kumar, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, also praised the students and their mentors.

How the team was picked

The selection pipeline is worth remembering. The Olympiad journey begins with an all-India test facilitated by the Geological Society of India. Roughly 17,800 students appeared for it across 500 centres in the country. The top 25 students then went through an intensive three-week training camp. That camp was held in June 2026 at M.S. University in Vadodara, Gujarat. The Minister had asked that camp locations be rotated across different regions of the country. The Ministry supports the Olympiad under its Outreach and Awareness programme, alongside missions such as the Deep Ocean Mission, Mission Mausam and PRITHVI.

Important Facts

Event19th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) 2026
VenueTurin, Italy
Dates of the Olympiad20 to 27 August 2026
Held underInternational Geoscience Organisation
Countries taking part39
India's medals9 in all: 4 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze, the highest ever
Top Indian performerSoumik Mandal, 2 gold and 1 silver, third in the global ranking
Felicitated byDr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences
Venue of felicitationPrithvi Bhawan, Lodhi Road, New Delhi
National selection testFacilitated by the Geological Society of India, about 17,800 students at 500 centres

Exam Point of View

Remember the edition (19th), the host city and country (Turin, Italy), the dates, the organiser (International Geoscience Organisation), the medal break-up of four gold, three silver and two bronze, the number of competing countries and the minister who felicitated the team.

Practice Questions

Q1.Awards & HonoursEasy

In which city was the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad 2026 held?

  1. A.Rome, Italy
  2. B.Turin, Italy
  3. C.Milan, Italy
  4. D.Vienna, Austria
Show answer

Correct answer: B. Turin, Italy

Explanation

The correct answer is Turin, Italy. The release records that Indian student delegates delivered their best-ever performance at the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad, held under the aegis of the International Geoscience Organisation in Turin, Italy, from 20 to 27 August 2026. Competing against participants from 39 countries, the Indian team took nine medals in all. Option A, Rome, and option C, Milan, are the two Italian cities students name first when they remember only the country and not the city, which makes them the natural traps in a question of this kind. Neither hosted this edition. Option D, Vienna, is in Austria and has no connection with this Olympiad. The safe method here is to tie three details together in one line: the nineteenth edition, the city of Turin and the year 2026. The felicitation of the winning team in New Delhi is what brought the achievement back into the news.

Q2.Awards & HonoursMedium

What was India's medal break-up at the 19th International Earth Science Olympiad 2026?

  1. A.3 gold, 4 silver, 2 bronze
  2. B.4 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze
  3. C.5 gold, 2 silver, 2 bronze
  4. D.4 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze
Show answer

Correct answer: B. 4 gold, 3 silver, 2 bronze

Explanation

The correct answer is four gold, three silver and two bronze, which adds up to the nine medals that made this India's highest-ever haul at the competition. The medals were won across the Written and Practical examinations, the International Team Field Investigation and the Earth Science Project categories. Every one of the wrong options also totals nine, which is deliberate: an examiner will rarely change the total, because the total is the headline and the break-up is what separates a careful student from a hurried one. Option A simply swaps the gold and silver counts. Option C inflates the gold to five and cuts the silver to two. Option D swaps the silver and bronze counts. The easiest way to lock the correct sequence is to notice that the numbers fall in order from four down to two as the medals descend from gold to bronze. Dr T. Srinivasa Kumar, Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences, joined in commending the contingent.

Q3.Awards & HonoursHard

Which body facilitates the all-India test through which the Indian team for the Earth Science Olympiad is chosen?

  1. A.National Centre for Earth Science Studies
  2. B.Indian Institute of Geomagnetism
  3. C.Geological Society of India
  4. D.Survey of India
Show answer

Correct answer: C. Geological Society of India

Explanation

The correct answer is the Geological Society of India. The release explains that the Earth Science Olympiad journey begins with an all-India test facilitated by this body, in which roughly 17,800 students appeared across 500 centres nationwide. The top 25 meritorious students then underwent an intensive three-week training camp in June 2026 at M.S. University, Vadodara, Gujarat, the location having been chosen because the Minister wanted camp venues rotated across different regions of the country. The whole effort is supported by the Ministry of Earth Sciences under its Outreach and Awareness programme. Option A, the National Centre for Earth Science Studies, and option B, the Indian Institute of Geomagnetism, are genuine institutions in the earth sciences family and therefore plausible, but neither is named here. Option D, the Survey of India, is the national mapping agency and also does not figure in this selection. Remember the chain: all-India test, then the camp, then the Olympiad.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many medals did India win at the 19th IESO 2026?

India won nine medals: four gold, three silver and two bronze. This was India's highest-ever tally in the history of the Olympiad, achieved in Turin, Italy against participants from 39 countries.

Which Indian student stood third in the overall global ranking?

Soumik Mandal of DAV Model School, Durgapur, West Bengal. He won two gold medals and one silver, and finished third in the overall global ranking among 39 countries.

How is the Indian team for the Earth Science Olympiad selected?

It begins with an all-India test facilitated by the Geological Society of India, in which about 17,800 students appeared across 500 centres. The top 25 then attended a three-week training camp at M.S. University, Vadodara.

Sources