What Do You Need for IOQM?
IOQM at a Glance
The Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics is the first stage of India’s Mathematical Olympiad programme, which selects the team for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).
Based on IOQM 2026. Rules can change each year — always confirm on olympiads.hbcse.tifr.res.in.
The Mathematical Olympiad Pathway
Five stages, from a school student to India’s IMO team.
IOQM
Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics — 30 integer-answer problems, 3 hours. Open to Classes 8–12.
RMO
Regional Mathematical Olympiad — for IOQM qualifiers. Proof-based, 3 hours.
INMO
Indian National Mathematical Olympiad — for RMO qualifiers. Proof-based, about 4½ hours.
IMOTC
International Mathematical Olympiad Training Camp at HBCSE for top INMO performers.
IMO
India’s team of six students is selected for the International Mathematical Olympiad. Girls’ teams are also chosen for EGMO.
Who Can Take IOQM?
Main conditions for IOQM 2026.
1. Class
Studying in Class 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12 in the current academic year. Students who have passed Class 12 are not eligible.
2. Date of birth
For 2026: born between 1 August 2007 and 31 July 2014 (both days included).
3. Any board
Students of any recognised board can appear — CBSE, ICSE, state boards, NIOS, IB and others.
4. International team
Selection for India’s IMO team follows HBCSE’s rules on citizenship and residence.
Summary only. The exact rules are announced each year on olympiads.hbcse.tifr.res.in.
IOQM Pattern and Marking
30 problems in 3 hours. Each answer is an integer from 00 to 99, filled in on an OMR sheet.
| Part | Qs | Marks each | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Questions 1–10 | 10 | 2 | 20 |
| Questions 11–20 | 10 | 3 | 30 |
| Questions 21–30 | 10 | 5 | 50 |
| Total | 30 | 100 |
No negative marking
A wrong or blank answer scores 0. Always enter an answer for every question.
Example score
8 right in Part 1, 6 in Part 2, 3 in Part 3:8 × 2 + 6 × 3 + 3 × 5 = 49 marks.
Allowed items
No calculators or electronic devices. The problems are designed to be solved by hand.
Olympiad Syllabus
Pre-college mathematics, with no calculus — but at a much deeper level than school. Tap a topic to see its areas.
AlgebraEquations to inequalities
- Polynomials and their roots
- Equations and systems of equations
- Inequalities — AM-GM, Cauchy-Schwarz and others
- Sequences and series
- Functions and simple functional equations
- Complex numbers (basic)
Number TheoryIntegers and their properties
- Divisibility, primes, GCD and LCM
- Modular arithmetic and congruences
- Fermat’s little theorem and Euler’s theorem
- Diophantine equations
- Digits, bases and number patterns
GeometryEuclidean geometry
- Triangles — centres, congruence, similarity
- Circles — angles, tangents, power of a point
- Cyclic quadrilaterals
- Areas, ratios and lengths
- Trigonometry and coordinate methods
CombinatoricsCounting and reasoning
- Permutations and combinations
- Pigeonhole principle
- Principle of inclusion-exclusion
- Mathematical induction and recursion
- Invariants, colouring and games
- Basic graph ideas
HBCSE describes the syllabus as pre-college mathematics. Details are on olympiads.hbcse.tifr.res.in.
Free Olympiad Study Material
Topic-wise theory and problem sets, from beginner to RMO level.
These resources are being added topic by topic. Pages marked “Coming soon” are not published yet.
Number Theory Notes
Divisibility, congruences and Diophantine equations.
Coming soon →Algebra Notes
Polynomials, inequalities and sequences.
Coming soon →Geometry Notes
Triangles, circles and classic theorems.
Coming soon →Combinatorics Notes
Counting, pigeonhole and invariants.
Coming soon →Mathematics Course
Our course for competitive maths (outline).
Explore →IOQM and RMO Practice
Mock tests in the real IOQM format, and proof-writing practice for RMO.
Under development. The tests below are planned and will open here when ready.
IOQM Full Mock
Topic-wise Test
RMO Proof Practice
Problem of the Day
IOQM Previous-Year Papers
Papers with answers and full solutions, arranged by year.
Coming soon. Official papers and answer keys are released by the organisers; see olympiads.hbcse.tifr.res.in.
How to Prepare for IOQM
Olympiad maths rewards thinking time, not speed alone.
Strengthen school basics
Make sure algebra, geometry and number skills from your class are solid.
Learn the four topics
Study algebra, number theory, geometry and combinatorics beyond the textbook.
Struggle with problems
Spend real time on a hard problem before reading the solution — that is where learning happens.
Solve past papers
Use past IOQM and earlier PRMO papers to learn the style and level.
Never leave a blank
There is no negative marking — make your best estimate for every question.
Start writing proofs
RMO and INMO need complete written solutions; practise writing them early.
2026–27 Olympiad Dates
IOQM 2026 was held on 6 September 2026. RMO 2026 is scheduled for 15 November 2026 and INMO 2027 for 17 January 2027. Always check the official website. We will post verified updates here.
IOQM FAQs
Who conducts IOQM?
IOQM is conducted by the Mathematics Teachers’ Association (India) in collaboration with the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE), which runs India’s Olympiad programme. Official information is on olympiads.hbcse.tifr.res.in and the MTA(I) website.
Is there negative marking?
No. Every answer is an integer from 00 to 99 and there is no negative marking, so attempt every question.
Who can appear?
Students of Classes 8 to 12 studying in India, within the date-of-birth window set each year (for 2026: born between 1 August 2007 and 31 July 2014). Students who have already passed Class 12 cannot appear.
Are calculators allowed?
No. Calculators and other electronic devices are not allowed. The problems are designed to be solved by hand.
How do I qualify for RMO?
Qualification is based on your IOQM score, with cut-offs and selection rules set each year by the organisers — check the official announcement.
Do I need calculus?
No. Olympiad problems use pre-college maths — algebra, number theory, geometry and combinatorics — but at a much deeper level than school exams.
How is IOQM different from JEE?
JEE tests speed across a wide syllabus. Olympiads test deep problem-solving on fewer topics, and later stages need written proofs. Olympiad training also strengthens JEE preparation.