You only need to pay for the first round of IOQM. If you pass, there are no fees for the next rounds. The costs are: JNV students: ₹125. KV students: ₹150. Other students: ₹240.
Participants scoring 10% or higher in the IOQM 2026 paper will receive a certificate.
While clearing the IOQM does not directly lead to specific career opportunities, it encourages the pursuit of careers in science or mathematics. The Olympiads aim to inspire students to embrace a lifelong journey filled with exciting intellectual challenges.
Students enrolled in a 3-year diploma program after Class X are not eligible to participate in the IOQM exam.
The Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics (IOQM) is a prestigious and rigorous Mathematics competition in India, aimed at identifying and nurturing talented young mathematicians. It was introduced by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) and the Mathematics Teachers' Association (India) to streamline the selection process for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO).
IOQM 2026 is the precursor to participation as the official Indian team member at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2026. It is the doorway for students to showcase their mathematical talent at a national and international level. It offers the chance for students to work with difficult problems and hone advanced problem-solving skills.
1.0IOQM 2026 Highlights
Mark your calendar with these important dates for IOQM 2026 to stay on top of your preparation and participation.
Events
IOQM 2026 Dates
Exam Date
September 06, 2026 (Sunday)
Duration
3 Hours
Total Marks
100
Conducting Body
Mathematics Teacher’s Association (India)
Exam Mode
Offline (OMR based)
Centre Registration Starting Date
June 01, 2026 (Monday)
Centre Registration End Date
June 29, 2026 (Monday)
Student Registration Starting Date (Through Centre)
June 01, 2026 (Monday)
Student Registration End Date (Through Centre)
July 27, 2026 (Monday)
Online Student Registration Starting Date
June 29, 2026 (Monday)
Online Student Registration End Date
July 27, 2026 (Monday)
Hall Ticket Download
August 08, 2026 (Saturday)
Registration Link
ioqmexam.in
2.0Eligibility for IOQM 2026
To participate in IOQM 2026, students must meet specific criteria based on their class and performance. Below are the detailed eligibility requirements for the IOQM 2026 exam:
Students born between August 1, 2007 and July 31, 2014, and studying in Class 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, are eligible to write IOQM 2026. Please note that NO student born on or after August 1, 2014, will be allowed to write IOQM 2026.
The students must be eligible to hold an Indian passport. Provisionally, students with OCI cards are eligible to write IOQM 2026 subject to the conditions mentioned below.
As per the orders of the Madras High Court, students with OCI status will not be eligible for selection to the Indian team in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad (EGMO), and Asian Pacific Mathematics Olympiad (APMO). However, they are provisionally eligible for selection at all prior stages, up to and including IMOTC and EGMOTC, provided they fulfil all other criteria.
The student must have been residing and studying in India since October 30, 2024 or earlier OR must have been studying in an Indian school system since October 30, 2024 or earlier.
Students residing abroad but studying in an Indian school system must come to India to appear for IOQM 2026 and subsequent stages, i.e. RMO 2026 and INMO 2027, if they qualify. Such students will be considered as enrolled from Delhi-NCR and must bear their travel expenses.
The student must NOT have qualified or be scheduled to appear for the Class 12 board examination earlier than October 30, 2026. Forfeiture of Class 12 board examination results to meet the eligibility criteria is NOT ALLOWED and may result in disqualification.
The student must NOT have commenced or be planning to commence studies in a university or equivalent institution by June 1, 2027.
INMO 2026 Awardees are eligible to write INMO 2027 directly WITHOUT qualifying through IOQM 2026 and RMO 2026, provided they fulfil the applicable age and eligibility criteria. They must also fulfil the eligibility criteria for IMO 2027 and EGMO 2028. OCI students are not eligible to represent India in IMO 2027 and EGMO 2028.
The student is responsible for ensuring that all eligibility criteria are satisfied. If a student is found ineligible at any later stage of the programme, they may be disqualified.
Any aspirant for the International Mathematical Olympiads such as IMO, EGMO, APMO and the domestic selection rounds (i.e. RMO, INMO)
Must be familiar with all the topics covered in the NCERT Mathematics books of Class VIII, IX and X.
Must note that in addition to the topics covered in point no. 1 above, the following issues are to be given importance while preparing for the olympiad examinations;
Must know that the major areas from which problems are posed are algebra, combinatorics, geometry and number theory and that the difficulty level increases from RMO to INMO to IMO.
Algebra
Inequalities, Progressions (A.P, G.P, H.P), Theory of indices, System of linear equations, Theory of equations, Binomial theorem and properties of binomial coefficients, Complex Numbers, Polynomials in one and two variables, Functional equations, Sequences.
Plane Geometry
Triangles, quadrilaterals, circles and their properties; standard Euclidean constructions; concurrency and collinearity (Theorems of Ceva and Menelaus); basic trigonometric identities, compound angles, multiple and submultiple angles, general solutions, sine rule, cosine rule, properties of triangles and polygons, Coordinate Geometry (straight line, circle, conics, 3-D geometry), vectors.
Combinatorics
Basic enumeration, pigeonhole principle and its applications, recursion, elementary graph theory.
Number Theory
Divisibility theory in the Integers (The Division Algorithm, the Greatest Common Divisor, The Euclidean Algorithm, The Diophantine Equation ax + by = c) , Fundamental Theorem of Arithmetic, Basic properties of congruence, Linear congruences, Chinese Remainder Theorem, Fermat’s Little Theorem, Wilson’s Theorem, Euler’s Phi function and Euler’s generalisation of Fermat’s Theorem, Pythagorean triples (definition and properties), Diophantine equations.
Alongside NCERT books, students can select the best books for IOQM to enhance their understanding of the subjects and prepare for challenging questions.
4.0IOQM 2026-27 Exam Pattern
If you are preparing for the exam, you should familiarise yourself with the IOQM 2026-27 exam pattern. Here is a brief overview:
The IOQM (Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics) is scheduled for 6th September 2026. The exam will be held from 10:00 to 13:00 hours (IST). This test comprises 30 questions, structured in sections with varying mark allocations:
10 questions worth 2 marks each, 10 questions worth 3 marks each, and 10 questions worth 5 marks each, totalling 100 marks.
The exam format is objective, with each answer being an integer between 00 and 99. It is an OMR-based exam conducted offline using pen and paper. Importantly, there is no negative marking for incorrect answers.
5.0IOQM 2026-27 Answer Key & Paper Solutions By ALLEN
Practising previous years' IOQM papers enhances students' efficiency and accuracy for the next exam, so it is important to practice past papers. This will also make you comfortable with the exam pattern, marking scheme, and question types that can be asked.
The Question Paper and Answer Key for IOQM 2025 conducted on 7th September 2025 have been released. Check link below to download - Link
Know more about the
6.0IOQM 2026-27 Exam Result
The results for IOQM 2026-27 will be released after the exam has been conducted. They will be published on the official website, where students can check their results by logging in. Based on their IOQM scores, candidates will qualify to participate in the second stage, i.e. Regional Mathematical Olympiad (RMO).
