IEO or the International English Olympiad is a yearly exam conducted by the Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) for school students. It is an English language and grammar competition that helps students judge themselves in terms of their English knowledge.
The participating students compete at different levels including school, city, zonal and international level. SOF, which also organises several other such Olympiads like the NSO, NCO, IMO, ICSO, and IGKO, tests students based on their English language and grammar knowledge. The marks obtained in the Olympiad help students to self-assess with other students from all over the country as well as abroad.
The article consists of important details on IEO, eligibility, key dates, awards, how to apply, and more.
IEO 2023 – General Overview
| Particulars | International English Olympiad |
| Provider | Science Olympiad Foundation |
| Academic Year | 2023 |
| Eligibility | Students of Class 1 to 12 |
| Application process | Through respective schools |
| Exam dates | Level 1 exam: September 26, 2023
Level 3 Exam – November 02, 2023 |
| Awards | Up to ₹50,000 + Gold medal + Performance certificate |
IEO 2023 – About SOF
The Science Olympiad Foundation (SOF) that organises IEO each year aims to help students test their English language knowledge. SOF is an educational organisation that assists the academic development of students through various competitions and Olympiads. The Olympiads organised by SOF see a huge response from all around the country with a large number of students participating in various competitions. For over two decades, SOF has been organising the following:
- National Cyber Olympiad (NCO)
- National Science Olympiad (NSO)
- International Mathematics Olympiad (IMO)
- International English Olympiad (IEO)
- International Company Secretaries Olympiad (ICSO)
- International General Knowledge Olympiad (IGKO)
IEO 2023 – Eligibility Criteria
Students of Class 1 to 12 who are interested in competing with other students to assess their knowledge of English can participate in IEO. The Olympiad is a two-level competition where only the top-performing students in Level 1 proceed to participate in the Level 2 exam.
Eligibility for Level 1 exam
For the Level 1 exam, there is no specific criterion. There is no minimum marks requirement which in turn makes the Level 1 exam open to a large number of students who are enrolled in Class 1 to 12.
Eligibility for Level 2 exam
Students performing well in the Level 1 exam are then shortlisted to appear for Level 2. The following are the eligible students for the Level 2 exam:
- The top 5% of the students from each class who appeared for the Level 1 exam are eligible to apply.
- Also, the top 25 zone-wise and class-wise rank holders can appear for the olympiad.
- Class toppers from each participating school where at least 10 students from a class appear in the exam and score 50% qualifying marks.
- Top-rank holders, in case of section-wise registration, can also apply.
However, it must be noted that students from Class 1 and 2 will be ranked based on their performance in Level 1. Hence, they do not need to appear for the Level 2 exam.
IEO 2023 – Key dates
The IEO is organised around the same time each year. Students interested in appearing for IEO must be aware of the key dates to avoid missing the deadlines. The table below throws light on various key dates relevant to the IEO.
| Exam Date 1 | September 26, 2023 |
| Last Date to Apply | At least 30 days before the exam date |
| Exam Date 2 | October 12, 2023 |
| Last Date to Apply | At least 30 days before the exam date |
| Exam Date 3 | November 02, 2023 |
| Last Date to Apply | At least 30 days before the exam date |
IEO 2023 – Results
The results of IEO are sent directly to the registered schools. IEO results are declared within 8 weeks of the examination. Applicants whose schools do not receive the results can also check their results on the website of SOF.
IEO 2023 – Awards
Awards will be given to top-performing students as well as schools. The IEO award winners are felicitated at the international and zonal level. Below is a detailed description of IEO awards based on different criteria.
Based on their ranks, participating students will receive various awards. The number of awards, criteria for awards, and specific award details are mentioned in the tables below.
Awards for Level 2 and for Classes 1 and 2
|
International level |
||
| Rank | Awards |
Number of awards |
| 1st | INR 50,000 Each + Gold Medal + Certificate of Outstanding Performance | 12 |
| 2nd | INR 25,000 Each + Silver Medal + Certificate of Outstanding Performance | 12 |
| 3rd | INR 10,000 Each + Bronze Medal + Certificate of Outstanding Performance | 12 |
Awards for Level 2 and for Classes 1 and 2
|
Zonal level |
||
| Rank | Awards |
Number of awards |
| 1st | INR 5000 Each + Gold Medal + Certificate of Zonal Excellence | 312 |
| 2nd | INR 2500 Each + Silver Medal + Certificate of Zonal Excellence | 312 |
| 3rd | INR 1000 Each + Bronze Medal + Certificate of Zonal Excellence | 312 |
| 4th to 10th | Gifts worth INR 500 Each + Certificate of Zonal Excellence | 2184 |
| 11th to 25th | Certificate of Zonal Excellence | 4680 |
| 26th and above | Merit certificate | All |
Awards for Level 1 performance
|
Zonal level |
||
| Rank | Awards |
Number of awards |
| 1 to 25 | Medal of Distinction + Certificate of Distinction + Student Performance Report | 7,800 |
| 26 and above | Participation Certificate + Student Performance Report | All |
Awards for schools
There are awards for various top-performing schools too. The tables below discuss the various awards for schools participating in the Olympiad.
Awards at international level
|
International level |
||
| Category | Awards |
Number of awards |
| Best Principal | INR 25000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 20 |
| Best Teacher | INR 10000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 10 |
Awards at zonal level
|
Zonal level |
||
| Category | Awards |
Number of awards |
| Best Principal | INR 10000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 130 |
| Best Teacher | INR 5000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 78 |
Awards at district level
|
District level |
||
| Category | Awards |
Number of awards |
| Best Principal | INR 2500 Each + Citation + Trophy | 500 |
| Best Teacher | INR 1000 Each + Citation + Trophy | 400 |
IEO 2023 – Exam structure
IEO is conducted in two levels with top performing students in Level 1 then qualifying for Level 2. Here is how the exam is structured.
Level 1
The Level 1 exam has a relaxed eligibility criterion to promote a higher participation of students. Since there are no minimum marks, all the school students enrolled in Class 1 to 12 can enter the Olympiad. The major highlights of the Level 1 exam are:
- Level 1 is organised in the respective schools of the students. The exam is conducted during the school hours.
- The duration of the exam is 60 minutes.
- The exam is in the form of multiple-choice questions (objective-type). There are 35 questions for students of Class 1 to 4 and 50 questions for Class 5 to 12 students.
- There are 4 sections in the question paper:
- Word and Structure knowledge (Section 1)
- Reading (Section 2)
- Spoken & Written Expression (Section 3)
- Achievers Section (Section 4)
- There are separate question papers for each class and the medium of the exam is English.
- The exam papers are designed from CBSE, ICSE/ISC, and State Board syllabi.
Level 2
Students with excellent performance in the Level 1 exam qualify for the Level 2 exam. Those studying in Class 3 to 12 appear for the Level 2 exam. Students of Class 1 and 2 are judged based on their performance in the Level 1 exam only and thus they need not appear for the Level 2 exam. The following students are eligible to appear for the Level 2 exam:
- Class top 5% of candidates in the Level 1 exam
- Class-wise and zone-wise top 25 rank holders in the Level 1
- Class topper is eligible where at least 10 students appear in the exam and score 50% qualifying marks
IEO 2023 – Application process
Students interested in applying for IEO can do so through their respective schools. Class 1 to 12 students can follow the below steps to apply for the Olympiad-
- First, the schools need to register themselves with the SOF. The registered schools will receive the prospectus containing the registration forms. Students can then get these registration forms from their respective schools.
- Schools not registered with SOF can contact SOF to request the prospectus. Schools can contact SOF through phone (0124-4951200) or email (info@sofworld.org).
- Interested students must then fill the registration forms with all the relevant details. Submit the duly filled forms to the respective schools.
- The schools must then return the duly filled registration forms to SOF before the due date.
There is also a registration fee that applicants need to pay. The fee structure will be in the following manner-
- For schools in India, a registration fee of ₹125 (including GST) per student
- For international schools, a registration fee of USD 9 per student
Schools may collect an additional amount of ₹25 (USD 1 for International schools) per student towards the honorarium of incharge, remuneration to teachers to teach, guide using study material supplied by SOF, and other miscellaneous expenses.
IEO – Contact information
In case any queries, students can get in touch directly with the SOF in any of the following ways:
- Address: 1st Floor, Plot no. 99, Sector – 44, Gurgaon (Haryana) India. Pin- 122003
- Phone: (0124)-4951200, 9312680855, 9312680857
- Office: 406, Taj Apartment, Ring Road, Adjacent Safdarjung Hospital, New Delhi, India. Pin – 110029
- Registration queries: (0124)-4951200, info@sofworld.org
- Exam queries: (0124)-4951200, info@sofworld.org
- Result/Awards: (0124)-4951200, result@sofworld.org
- Roll no/Admit Cards: (0124)-4951200, rollnumber@sofworld.org
- General queries: (0124)-4951200, info@sofworld.org