Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics (IOQM)

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 2025 is the precursor to participation as the official Indian team member at the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO) 2025. 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 2025 Highlights

Mark your calendar with these important dates for IOQM 2025 to stay on top of your preparation and participation.

2.0Eligibility for IOQM 2025

To participate in IOQM 2025, students must meet specific criteria based on their class and performance. Below are the detailed eligibility requirements for the IOQM 2025 exam:

1. Students born between August 1, 2006 and July 31, 2013, and studying in Class 8, 9, 10, 11 or 12, are eligible to write IOQM 2025. Please note that NO student born on or after August 1, 2013, will be allowed to write IOQM 2025.
2. The students must be eligible to hold an Indian passport. Provisionally, students with OCI cards are eligible to write the IOQM 2025 subject to the conditions as explained 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), Asian Pacific Mathematics Olympiad (APMO). However, such students are provisionally eligible for selection at ALL prior stages, up to and including the International Mathematical Olympiad Training Camp (IMOTC) and the European Girls’ Mathematical Olympiad Training Camp (EGMOTC) provided they fulfil all other criteria. They are also provisionally eligible to write the selection tests at the IMOTC and EGMOTC. This policy is subject to revision without prior notice depending on any further orders issued by the courts, or by a competent Government authority. 

3. The student must have been residing and studying in India since 30 October 2022 or earlier or must have been studying in an Indian school system since 30 October 2022 or earlier. 

• If the student is residing abroad and is studying in an Indian school system, then the student will have to come to India to write IOQM 2025 and the examinations of the subsequent stages (i.e Regional Mathematical Olympiad (RMO) 2025 and Indian National Mathematical Olympiad (INMO) 2025) in case s/he qualifies for these examinations. The student will be regarded as one who has enrolled from the Delhi-NCR and the same selection criteria for RMO 2025 and INMO 2026 will apply to him/her as for any student residing and studying in India who has enrolled from Delhi-NCR. The student will have to bear the expenses for the onward journey to India and the return journey from India.

4. The student must NOT have qualified (or scheduled to appear) for the class 12 board examination earlier than 30 October 2025. Please note that forfeiture of class 12 board examination results to meet the eligibility criteria of IOQM 2025 is NOT ALLOWED, and any student adopting such a means will be DISQUALIFIED from the IOQM 2025.
5. The student must NOT have commenced (or planning to commence) studies in a university or equivalent institution by 1 June 2025. 
6. The INMO 2025 Awardees are eligible to write INMO 2026 directly WITHOUT qualifying through IOQM 2025, and RMO 2025 provided they fulfil the age criteria mentioned in point no.1, they haven’t commenced (or plan to commence by June 1, 2026) studies in a university or equivalent institution, and they fulfil the eligibility criteria for IMO 2026 and EGMO 2027. Please note that the OCI students are not eligible to represent India in IMO 2026 and EGMO 2027. 
7.  The student is responsible for ensuring that the above eligibility criteria are satisfied. If a student does not meet the eligibility criteria at any later stage of the programme, he or she may be disqualified from the programme.

Also Read: Indian National Mathematical Olympiad

3.0IOQM 2025-26 : Latest Syllabus

Any aspirant for the International Mathematical Olympiads such as IMO, EGMO, APMO and the domestic selection rounds (i.e. RMO, INMO)

1. Must be familiar with all the topics covered in NCERT Mathematics books of Class VIII, IX and X.
2. Must note that in addition to the topics covered in point no. 1 above the following topics are to be given importance while preparing for the olympiad examinations;
3. 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.

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 2025-26 Exam Pattern

If you are preparing for the upcoming exam, you should familiarize yourself with the IOQM 2025-26 exam pattern. Here is a brief overview:

• The IOQM (Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics) is scheduled for September 8, 2025. 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,
  • 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 2024-2025 Answer Key & Paper Solutions By ALLEN

Practicing 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.

Hence, we have given the IOQM previous year question papers with full solutions by ALLEN in downloadable PDF format. Also, for your reference, we have provided the IOQM 2023-24 answer key.

Know more about the Criteria for qualification from IOQM 2025 to RMO 2025

6.0IOQM 2025-26 Exam Result

The results for IOQM 2025-26 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).