Regional Mathematics Olympiad (RMO) | Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics (IOQM)

Facts: 

• The RMO or Regional Mathematics Olympiad leads to IMO or International Mathematics Olympiad held across 141 countries of the world. 
• Stage 1 (PRMO) and Stage 2 (RMO) are now combined into a single test called IOQM (Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics) to release stress. 

Do you simply love Maths? Do you want to pursue a career in Mathematics? Do you want to meet Maths geniuses from different countries of the world? If you just said yes, then RMO or Regional Mathematics Olympiad is the best answer for you. This competitive examination can motivate you to find a career in Mathematics and make you meet like-minded people from different parts of the world. 

What is the Regional Mathematics Olympiad? 
 

The Regional Mathematics Olympiad is a part of the Mathematical Olympiad Programme (MOP) in India organised by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) on behalf of the National Board for Higher Mathematics (NBHM) of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India. It is the Stage 2 examination that leads students to the International Mathematics Olympiad as given in the diagram below. 

RMO Exam until 2021-2022

RMO 2022-2023

• Regional Mathematics Olympiad (RMO) is a 3-hour test (written test) that includes 6 Maths problems. 
• On the basis of the performance in RMO, up to 30 students from Classes 8, 9, 10, 11 and up to 6 students from Class 12 from each region are selected for Stage 3 (INMO). 
• Also, up to 5 students studying in KV schools outside India may be selected to appear directly for the INMO examination. The selection of these students will be done by KVS. 
• Additionally, up to five girls may be additionally selected ONLY FROM AMONG STUDENTS STUDYING IN CLASSES 8, 9, 10 and 11, apart from the general quota of 30 students for each region.

For the 2022-2023 Cycle, the selection for IMOTC (International Mathematics Olympiad Training Camp) will be accomplished in two stages only!

What are the eligibility criteria for the Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics (IOQM) 2022- 2023?

Eligibility criteria for Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics (IOQM), 2022- 2023

1. Students born between August 1, 2003, and January 1, 2010, and studying in Class VIII, IX, X, XI or XII, are eligible to write IOQM. Please note that NO student born after January 1, 2010, will be allowed to write IOQM. 
2. Students satisfying criterion 1 above and studying in Kendriya Vidyalayas (KV) and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNV) are ELIGIBLE to write IOQM. There will be NO separate IOQM for students of Kendriya Vidyalayas (KV) and Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalayas (JNV). 
3. The INMO 2022 Awardees are eligible to write INMO 2023 WITHOUT qualifying through IOQM provided they fulfil the eligibility criteria of IMO 2023 and EGMO 2024. 
4. The students must be eligible to hold an Indian passport. Provisionally, students with OCI cards are eligible to write the IOQM subject to 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. However, such students are provisionally eligible for selection at ALL prior stages, up to and including the IMOTC provided they fulfil all other criteria. They are also provisionally eligible to write the selection tests at the IMOTC. This policy is subject to revision without prior notice depending on any further orders issued by the courts, or by a competent Government authority. 

1. The student must be residing and studying in India from 30 October 2020 or earlier OR must be studying in an Indian school system from 30 October 2020 or earlier. 
2. The student must not have completed (or scheduled to complete) the class 12 board examination earlier than 30 October 2022. 
3. The student must not have commenced (or planning to commence) studies in a university or equivalent institution by 1 June 2023. 
4. It will be the responsibility of the student to ensure that the above eligibility criteria are satisfied. In case it is found at any later stage of the programme that a student does not meet the eligibility criteria, he or she may be disqualified from the programme.

Eligibility Criteria for qualification from IOQM to INMO

1. The list of students qualified for the INMO 2023 will be prepared according to the following rule: 
   1. The top 600 in the IOQM merit list will qualify for INMO regardless of the regional quota. In this pool 
      1. the number of class XII students will be 100. 
      2. the number of class VIII, IX, X, XI students will be 500. 
   2. From each region (including KV and JNV), a minimum of 
      1. 25 students (class XI or below category) 
      2. 5 students (class XII category) 
      3. 3 girl students from class XI or below category irrespective of the number of girl students qualifying in 1.(b).i. Above will qualify for INMO regardless of the scores provided each qualifying candidate has a score above a minimum cut-off score of 30% of the total marks of the IOQM paper.
   3. No girl student of class XII will be selected under the girls’ quota. A girl student of class XII can qualify for INMO from IOQM if, and only if, she is selected among the top 100 students in the class XII category mentioned in 1(a)i. 

1. A maximum of 6 students (provided each qualifying candidate has a score above a minimum cut-off score of 30% of the total marks of the IOQM paper.) will be selected from the category of students residing abroad and studying in an Indian school system different from Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV). Among these 6 students, no more than 1 student will be from the class XII category and no more than 5 students will be from the class XI or below category. There is no separate girls’ quota for this category of students.

What is the syllabus for IOQM and INMO?
 

The syllabus for Mathematical Olympiad (regional, national and international) is pre-degree college mathematics. The areas covered are 

• arithmetic of integers, 
• geometry, 
• quadratic equations and expressions,
• trigonometry, 
• coordinate geometry, 
• the system of linear equations, 
• permutations and combination, 
• factorization of polynomial,
• inequalities, 
• elementary combinatorics, 
• probability theory and number theory, 
• finite series, 
• complex numbers, and 
• elementary graph theory. 

The syllabus does not include calculus and statistics. The major areas from which problems are given are algebra, combinatorics, geometry, and number theory. The syllabus is in a sense spread over Class XI to Class XII levels, but the problems under each topic involve a high level of difficulty and sophistication. The difficulty level increases from Stage 1 to Stage 2 to Stage 3. 

Prepare for the Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics (IOQM) with askIITians
 

The registrations for the Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics (IOQM) have not started yet but you can start your preparations as soon as possible to secure the best results in this olympiad. This olympiad will give you a lot of exposure and learning opportunities beyond the four walls of your classroom. You will be able to explore how students pursue Mathematics and enjoy studying it. At askIITians, our whole team is here to help you out. 

• Prepare for IOQM as per the latest exam pattern. 
• Get previous year's papers for IOQM and INMO. 
• Study from Maths experts from IITs and NITs in live classes. 
• Get separate doubt sessions and mock tests to practice well for the olympiad. 
• Access special books focusing on the olympiad syllabus and exam pattern. 

Frequently Asked Questions
 

• Are PRMO and IOQM the same?

Until 2022, two separate exams - PRMO and RMO were conducted to select students for the IMO training camp. Now, these two examinations are combined into one exam called IOQM or Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics. 

• Has India won in the IMO 2022?

Yes, India won 1 Gold and 5 Bronze Medals at the IMO 2022 held in Oslo, Norway, Jul 6-16, 2022. 

• Can Class 12 students give IOQM?

Yes, as per the eligibility criteria for Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics (IOQM), 2021 – 2022, students born on or after August 1, 2002, and studying in Class VIII, IX, X, XI or XII, are eligible to write IOQM.

• Are calculators allowed in IOQM?

Yes, calculators are allowed in IOQM.