Olympiad exams are organized at a large scale for the students of Class I to XII. These exams are conducted by the SOF (Science Olympiad Foundation). It is a non-profit organized which is located in New Delhi. It is the one that lay the stress on General knowledge, science, mathematics, computer, and English language. The Olympiad exam helps in identifying the capability of a child and his/her potential which helps them to survive better in a present competitive world. The main objective of the exam is to motivate students for a deeper and better understanding of science and improve their analytical, problem solving, and reasoning skills.
What is an Olympiad exam?
The Olympiad exams which are conducted by the SOF are best designed for testing students on different skills. The main aim of SOF is to use these Olympiads for identifying and nurturing the IT talent, future scientists, and also the technologist at the school level. SOF keeps on organizing various Olympiads in India which includes:
- NCO- National Cyber Olympiad
- NSO- National Science Olympiad
- IEO- International English Olympiad
- IMO- International Mathematics Olympiad
- IGKO- International General Knowledge Olympiad
- ICSO- International Company Secretaries Olympiad
These exams help in offering proper exposure to the students at national & international platforms. It pushes them to work hard and give their best in the exam for outstanding results. The Olympiad exam awards various gold, silver, and bronze medals along with certificates to the achievers at different stages.
Eligibility criteria
Each Science Olympiad foundation caters to a different group of students. Below is a detailed description of the eligibility criteria for participating in various SOF Olympiads.
- Class I to XII students can participate in National Science Olympiad
- Class I to XII students can participate in National Cyber Olympiad
- Class I to XII students can participate in International Mathematics Olympiad
- Class I to XII students can participate in International English Olympiad
- Class I to X students can participate in International General Knowledge Olympiad
- Class XI and XII students can participate in International Company Secretaries Olympiad
There is an age limit for giving Olympiad exams, which means the student who is in school till Class XII is only eligible to give these exams. If you are a college student, then you can’t be a part of these exams. It is only for school levels.
How one can enroll himself in the Olympiad exam?
All the schools which are registered with the SOF (Science Olympiad Foundation) can give Olympiad exam. The prospectus includes the registration form of Olympiad exams which are conducted by the SOF. The schools which are not registered can also request for enrolling themselves with SOF by sending a mail on their registered id as info@sofworld.org.
The school has to choose a coordinating teacher who helps in generating the roll number of students as per the guidelines laid in the SOF prospectus. A copy of all the roll numbers along with the school registration form and student registration sheet is sent to the foundation office before the form submission due date.
The SOF then dispatches the Olympiad question papers once the applicant school and their students get registered.
Exam Pattern and Syllabus of Olympiad
If the student is aware of the exam pattern and its syllabus, then the candidate can perform well in the exam. It includes the question paper divided into different sections. Below you can understand well the exam sections
The question papers are divided into various sections. The table below describes the exam sections and their syllabus for various Olympiads.
- For NSO: The syllabus from Class I to X includes:
Section A- Logical reasoning
Section B- Science
Section C- Achievers section
Class XI and XII
Section A: Physics/ Chemistry
Section B: Achiever section
Section C: Biology or Mathematics
- For IMO:
Section A: Logical reasoning
Section B: Mathematical reasoning
Section C: Everyday Mathematics
Section D: Achievers section
- For NCO:
Section A: Logical reasoning
Section B: Computer & Information technology
Section C: Achiever section
- For IGKO
Section A: General Awareness
Section B: Current Affairs
Section C: Like skills
Section D: Achievers Section
- For IEO:
Section A: Word and structure knowledge
Section B: Reading
Section C: Spoken and written expression
Section D: Achievers Section
- For ICSO:
Section A: Quantitative analysis reasoning
Section B: Economics
Section C: Commerce
Section D: Accounts
Section E: Achievers Section
Marking scheme
- NSO: The paper is of 1-hour duration. It includes multiple-choice questions. It has 35 questions in total for classes I to IV, For classes V to X and XI, XII it has 50 questions.
- IGKO: The paper is of 1-hour duration. It includes multiple-choice questions. It has 35 questions for class I to IV, and for class V to X, 50 questions in total.
- ICO: It has 50 questions, which are multiple choices based. The time limit is 1 hour.
- NCO: The paper is of 1-hour duration. It includes multiple-choice questions. It has 35 questions in total for class I to IV, for class V to X it has 50 questions.
- IMO: The paper is of 1-hour duration. It includes multiple-choice questions. It has 35 questions in total for classes I to IV, For classes V to X and XI, XII it has 50 questions.
- IEO: The paper is of 1-hour duration. It includes multiple-choice questions. It has 35 questions in total for class I to IV, for class V to XII it has 50 questions.
- ISSO: The paper is of 1-hour duration. It includes multiple-choice questions. It has 35 questions in total for classes III and IV, for classes V to X it has 50 questions.
Olympiad application fees
For Olympiad exams, the student has to submit Rs 150/- each for their choice of subject. For instance, a student wants to enroll himself in International English Olympiad, then he has to submit only 150 Rs, but in case he wants to go for the English and science exam both, then an amount of Rs. 300 has to be submitted.
The school sends Rs 125 to the concerned SOF authority and keeps 25 Rs. each from every application fee to manage to supervise and organizing expenses. The school then sends the filled registration form, exam fees through demand draft in favor of SOF, to be payable at New Delhi, and student list at SOF through courier or registered post.
One can also make an online transfer through RTGS or NEFT. Check out the bank information at its official website for quick bank transfers.
Olympiad levels and awards
The Olympiad exam includes 2 levels. The 2nd level is available for only students from class III onwards. The students are given awards for their great achievements. The first level is organized in school, whereas the 2nd level is organized at different centers decided by the SOF organization. Many students also receive international awards which include scholarships, certificates, and medals as well. The zonal winners are also selected who are awarded medals and certificates. The SOF takes a lot of effort to boost the enthusiasm of the child and pushes them to work harder and better for achieving the best in their coming future.
Rahul Kumar is a passionate educator, writer, and subject matter expert in the field of education and professional development. As an author on CoursesXpert, Rahul Kumar’s articles cover a wide range of topics, from various courses, educational and career guidance.
