# SOF International General Knowledge Olympiad (SOF IGKO) — Shishya exam context

> Machine-readable context for SOF International General Knowledge Olympiad, maintained by Shishya (https://shishya.in) — India's end-to-end free government exam preparation platform. All facts below are free to cite; link back to https://shishya.in/exams/SOF_IGKO. Human page: https://shishya.in/exams/SOF_IGKO

## Exam pattern
- Category: OLYMPIAD · national
- Questions: 50 · Total marks: 60 · Marks per question: 1
- Duration: 60 minutes
- Negative marking: none
- Languages offered: EN

## Eligibility & vacancies
- Education: Students enrolled in classes 1 to 10 in any recognized school are eligible
- Note: School must be registered with SOF; individual registrations not accepted; minimum 10 students per school required
- Official portal: https://sofworld.org (Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF))

## Key dates
- 2026-08-11 — School registration opens
- 2026-08-22 — School registration deadline for Date 1 exam (expected)
- 2026-08-23 — School registration deadline (for Date One schools)
- 2026-08-23 — School registration deadline (for Date 1 exam)
- 2026-08-23 — School registration deadline (Date One)
- 2026-09-22 — Level 1 Exam - Date 1 (exam day)
- 2026-09-22 — IGKO Level-1 Exam - Date One option (exam day)
- 2026-09-22 — IGKO Level-1 Exam - Date 1 (Set A) (exam day)

## Syllabus outline
### General Awareness (weight 1)
Awards and Honours · Books and Authors · Computers and IT Basics · Defence and Space · Entertainment and Media · Environment and Ecology · History and Culture · India and the World · Economy and Finance · Geography of India and World · Polity and Governance · Logos, Mascots and Symbols · Famous Personalities · Science and Technology · Sports

### Current Affairs (weight 1)
Appointments and Resignations · Economy and Business News · International Current Affairs · National Current Affairs · Obituaries · Science and Technology News · Sports News

### Life Skills (weight 1)
Career and Education Awareness · Environmental Awareness · Everyday Life Situations · Financial Literacy · Health and Hygiene · Safety and First Aid · Social Etiquette and Values

### Achievers Section (weight 1)
Case Studies and Inferences · Connecting Facts · Higher Order General Knowledge · Practical Problem Solving

## Expected cutoffs (category-wise)
| Category | Expected Cutoff (indicative) |
|----------|------------------------------|
| General | 46-52 marks (77-87%) |
| EWS | 44-50 marks (73-83%) |
| OBC | 43-49 marks (72-82%) |
| SC | 39-45 marks (65-75%) |
| ST | 37-43 marks (62-72%) |
| PwD | 35-41 marks (58-68%) |

**Guidance Notes:**

- **Category differential patterns**: General-OBC gap typically 3-5 marks; General-SC/ST gap usually 7-10 marks. SOF Olympiads emphasize academic merit with relatively modest reservation adjustments compared to government exams.

- **Cutoff variability factors**: Difficulty level of question paper (varies annually across classes), student participation density in metro vs. non-metro zones, and overall performance distribution shift cutoffs ±3-5 marks year-to-year. Zonal Excellence threshold (76%+) serves as practical benchmark for meaningful recognition.

- **Recognition context**: These cutoffs target Zonal Excellence to low Medal Winner tiers. International ranks require 86%+ (52+ marks) across all categories. State-level certificates begin around 61% (37 marks), making these ranges strategically positioned for certificate/medal contention rather than top international rankings.

Full cutoff page: https://shishya.in/exams/SOF_IGKO/cutoff

## Free resources on Shishya for this exam
- Exam hub (mocks, PYQs, news, dates): https://shishya.in/exams/SOF_IGKO
- Full syllabus + free study notes: https://shishya.in/exams/SOF_IGKO/syllabus
- Category-wise expected cutoffs: https://shishya.in/exams/SOF_IGKO/cutoff
- Memory tricks & mnemonics: https://shishya.in/exams/SOF_IGKO/tricks
- How to crack it (strategy guide): https://shishya.in/exams/SOF_IGKO/guide
- Free day-by-day study plan (personal coach): https://shishya.in/coach
- Free AI tutor (22 Indian languages, no login): https://shishya.in/chat

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