INTERNATIONAL GENERAL KNOWLEDGE OLYMPIAD (IGKO)

International General Knowledge Olympiad (IGKO) encourages the students to build up their overall knowledge and focuses more on young learners. General knowledge covers a wide range of things and provides knowledge regarding the subject.

Benefits of IGKO Olympiad Exam

Enhances general awareness.
Learn about the current affairs in India and around the world.

IGKO has only one level for exam and conducted in the respective schools of the participants during school hours.

There are 35 objective-type (Multiple Choice) questions for class 1 to class 4 and 50 objective-type (Multiple Choice) questions for class 5 to class 10 of 60 minutes duration.
The question paper consists of four sections:
- Section 1: General Awareness
- Section 2: Current Affairs
- Section 3: Life Skills
- Section 4: Achievers Section
SOF conducts exam on three dates and each school may select a date for conducting the ISO as per their convenience. Question paper is different for each date of exam. SOF does not permit the change of date for conducting the exam.
English is the Medium of the test.
Test paper are prepared based on CBSE, ICSE/ISC and State Board syllabus.

How to participate

Registration of Students

Student of class 1st to 10th can participate in the exam.

Any school can get themselves registered as a center for SOF IGKO Level 1 and there is no fee for the institution to become a registered examination centre.

Mark Distribution

Classes 1–4

Section	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks
General Awareness	20	1	20
Current Affairs	5	1	5
Life Skills	5	1	5
Achievers Section	5	2	10
Total	35	—	40

Classes 5–10

Section	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks
General Awareness	30	1	30
Current Affairs	5	1	5
Life Skills	10	1	10
Achievers Section	5	3	15
Total	50	—	60

Awards

To know about the awards and recognition received by the participants, please click here.

FAQs

What is SOF IGKO?

The SOF International General Knowledge Olympiad (IGKO) is a General Knowledge competition conducted by the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) for students from Classes 1 to 10. It helps students improve their awareness of the world, current affairs, life skills, and general knowledge while encouraging curiosity and learning beyond textbooks.

Who can participate in SOF IGKO?

Any student studying in Class 1 to Class 10 can participate in the SOF IGKO through their school. Schools register interested students, making it easy for them to appear for the exam.

What is the syllabus for SOF IGKO?

The SOF IGKO syllabus includes topics such as General Awareness, Current Affairs, Life Skills, Achievers Section, and Logical Reasoning. The questions are based on the student's class level and are designed to test knowledge, observation skills, and awareness of the world around them.

Is there a Level 2 in SOF IGKO?

No. SOF IGKO has only one level of examination. Students from Classes 1 to 10 appear for Level 1, and there is no Level 2 for this Olympiad.

How are SOF IGKO rankings decided?

SOF IGKO rankings are based on the total marks scored by students in the exam. If two or more students score the same marks, SOF uses a tie-breaking process by comparing marks in important sections of the paper. This ensures that the final rankings are fair and accurate.

Should students read newspapers for SOF IGKO preparation?

Yes, reading newspapers regularly is highly recommended for SOF IGKO preparation. It helps students stay updated with current events, improves general awareness, and builds reading skills.

What current affairs are important for SOF IGKO?

Students should focus on important national and international news, including:

Science and technology
Sports events and achievements
Awards and honours
Environment and climate
Space missions
Important days and events
Books and authors
Famous personalities
Countries, capitals, and world organisations