NSMQ 2026: St. John’s Grammar crushes St. Mary’s Sem., Zion College to book one-eighth spot

In the Preliminaries of the 2026 National Science and Maths Quiz (NSMQ), St. John's Grammar School showcased an overwhelming dominance, eliminating rivals St. Mary's Seminary SHS and Zion College with a commanding lead. The one-sided affair took place at the SMS Auditorium, with St. John's Grammar securing the top spot in Contest 26.

St. John's Grammar immediately established its advantage in Round One, leading Zion College by eight points and St. Mary's Seminary by 18. The gap widened significantly in Round Two as the Grammar school continued to amass points while St. Mary's Seminary struggled to respond. The Problem of the Day further solidified St. John's Grammar's dominance, with an impressive score of 9 out of 10, compared to Zion College's 5 and St. Mary's Seminary's lack of correct answers.

By the end of Round Three, St. John's Grammar had stretched its lead to a substantial 30 points. Zion College showed signs of a comeback in Round Four, adding 16 points to close the gap, but St. John's Grammar maintained its firm control. It was clear that the Grammar school had secured its position as the winner before the final round.

St. John's Grammar ultimately finished with a commanding 60 points, leaving Zion College 24 points behind and St. Mary's Seminary trailing even further with 15 points. The contest proved challenging for the two schools, especially St. Mary's Seminary, as St. John's Grammar transformed the SMS Auditorium into a testament of their dominance, ultimately securing a convincing victory in the 2026 NSMQ.