You must note that the Indian National Mathematical Olympiad (INMO) is a prestigious mathematics competition for high school students in India, held every year. This competition is the final stage to appear for IMO and it is the last stage before the training camps.
The INMO features a 30-question objective test that you need to complete in 3 hours. The exam is scheduled annually on the first Sunday of September. If you are familiar with international math competitions, you might find it similar to the AIME held in the USA.
Approximately 900 top-performing RMO students advance to the third level, the Indian National Mathematical Olympiad (INMO). The INMO is held on the third Sunday of January at 28 locations across the country.
INMO Registration Process
You should know that there is no formal registration process for the INMO. Instead, direct entry is given to students who are past IOQM and INMO merit awardees from the previous year. Nearly 900 candidates are selected for the INMO Exam based on various criteria.
If you are serious about participating in the INMO Exam, you must first compete in the Regional Mathematics Olympiad 2024-25 (RMO) and secure a top 30 position in your country.
The RMO is organized across 25 regions in the country by three coordinating bodies: the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), Navodaya Vidyalaya Samiti (NVS), and Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan (KVS).
INMO Eligibility Criteria
The INMO selects the top 48 students from Classes 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 based on merit from around the country. The ties in the 48th position in the Class 8, 9, 10, and 11 categories, as well as the 12th position in the Class 12 category, will be broken using appropriate tie-breaking criteria posted on the HBCSE Mathematical Olympiad website before INMO 2024.
- If you are a student selected in RMO 2023, you are entitled to write INMO 2024.
- The INMO 2023 AWARDEES can apply for the INMO 2024 if they meet other eligibility criteria.
These students will be entitled to take INMO 2025 directly without first qualifying through IOQM 2024 or RMO 2024, provided they meet all other eligibility requirements.
In addition to the INMO awardees from Classes 8-11, up to 5 female pupils from the merit list will be selected as INMO awardees under a females’ quota. They are treated equally with the other INMO recipients for all reasons of eligibility. There will be no distinct female quota for Class 12 pupils.
The IMOTC 2024 junior and senior classes will be separated based on the final merit list.
The senior batch would include INMO 2023 Awardees who were selected for IMOTC 2024 from INMO 2024. While the remaining pupils will form the junior batch.
Exam Pattern and Syllabus of INMO
For the INMO 2024-25, the exam will cover math topics from Class XI and XII. It is an offline test lasting four hours. The questions are much harder than typical school exams and require detailed answers—simple, brief responses won’t be enough.
You’ll have six questions to answer in a total of six hours, with the questions worth a combined total of 102 marks, equally divided among them. The syllabus includes most math topics except calculus and statistics. As you move from PRMO to MO, INMO, and then IMO, the difficulty of the questions will increase.
In the INMO 2024-25 examination, you can expect questions from the following topics.
- Coordinate Geometry
- System of Linear Equations
- Permutations & Combinations
- Inequalities
- Arithmetic of Integers
- Geometry
- Quadratic Equations & Expressions
- Trigonometry
- Elementary Combinatorics
- Probability Theory
- Number Theory
- Finite Series & Complex Numbers
- Elementary Graph Theory
- Factorization of Polynomial
Other Related Olympiad Exam
Frequently Asked Questions about INMO
Q. How many questions are asked in the INMO round of IMO?
A. The INMO consists of six very challenging questions, and you have four hours to complete them. You must write your answers on the provided response sheet and submit it along with any rough work at the end of the exam.
Q. What are the benefits of excelling in the INMO?
A. If you excel in the INMO, you have the opportunity to apply for direct admission to IIT Gandhinagar for any undergraduate course. Additionally, if you are selected as part of the Indian team for the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), you automatically qualify for the KVPY fellowship.
Q. How long does the INMO Exam Last?
A. The INMO exam lasts for four hours. During this time, you are expected to solve all six questions provided.
Q. What comes after the INMO?
A. After the INMO, the top 35 students are invited to the International Mathematical Olympiad Training Camp (IMOTC). This fourth stage is organized by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) and takes place in April and May.
Q. Where is the INMO Administered?
A. The INMO is administered annually by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE). This organization oversees the exam and the subsequent selection process for the IMO.
