SOF vs Humming Bird: which olympiad suits your child?
Both run school olympiads on the school syllabus, with a certificate for every child. They differ in who can register, where your child sits the paper, the fee and the rounds.
- your child's school already runs SOF olympiads: registration is only through the school
- you want a second round for top scorers
- you want to know when results come: within 8 weeks, to the school and on SOF's results page
- you want to register your child yourself
- you want the option of sitting it from home
- your child is in pre-primary: Humming Bird has olympiads for those years; SOF starts at Class 1
- you want the lower fee: from ₹150 against ₹170
- you want more subjects to choose from: 11 olympiads against 8
Side by side
| SOF | Humming Bird | |
|---|---|---|
| Olympiads | 8, Classes 1 to 12 | 11, Classes 1 to 12, and Juniors for pre-primary |
| Who registers | Through the school only; if your school doesn't run it, it can sign up free | You (Humming Bird's own website) or the school |
| Where | On paper, in your child's school | Online (home or school) or on paper, as the school decides |
| Fee (India) | ₹170 per olympiad; the school may add up to ₹30 | ₹150 to ₹200 per subject |
| Paper | 35 questions (Classes 1 to 4) or 50 (Class 5 up), 60 minutes | 30 to 50 multiple-choice questions, 50 minutes |
| Rounds | Level 2 for maths, science and English (Classes 3 to 12) | Not published |
| Maths dates 2026-27 | IMO: 23 Oct (held), 26 Nov, 10 Dec 2026 | HMO: not published yet |
| Last date to register | Through the school, usually 30 days before the exam date | Registration open; exam dates not published yet |
| Results | Within 8 weeks, to the school and on SOF's results page | Declared online on its own schedule |
| Negative marking | Not published | Not published |
Full details: every SOF olympiad · every Humming Bird olympiad · IMO · HMO
Which is better, SOF or Humming Bird?
Neither is better for every child. Start with which one your child can take (one is through the school and the other you can register for yourself), then pick the subjects your child enjoys.
Is Humming Bird easier than SOF?
Neither organiser publishes a difficulty comparison. What can be compared is the paper. SOF: 35 questions (Classes 1 to 4) or 50 (Class 5 up), 60 minutes. Humming Bird: 30 to 50 multiple-choice questions, 50 minutes.
Can my child take both?
Yes. They are separate organisers with separate papers, and their 2026-27 exam dates never fall on the same day.
Is SOF or Humming Bird online or offline?
SOF: on paper, in your child's school. Humming Bird: online (home or school) or on paper, as the school decides.
Which olympiads can be taken from home?
Every olympiad date for 2026-27