The Indian National Mathematical Olympiad (INMO) is a highly selective high school mathematics competition held annually in India. Since its debut in 1989, it has served as the final round of the Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics. It is the third tier in the Indian team selection procedure for the International Mathematical Olympiad and is conducted by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) under the aegis of the National Board for Higher Mathematics (NBHM).[1][2]
The Mathematical Olympiad Program (MOP) comprises a five-stage process overseen by the National Board for Higher Mathematics (NBHM). The initial stage, the Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics (IOQM), is organized by the Mathematics Teachers’ Association (India). Subsequent stages are conducted by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE).[3]
In order to be eligible to take the INMO, a participant must be either an Indian citizen or an Overseas Citizen of India. Only Indian citizens may join the Indian IMO team. In addition, all participants, regardless, must meet qualification indices determined by previous rounds of the IOQM contests. Entry to the INMO is by invitation only.
All stages are divided into three categories:
Category A, catering to participants in Class XI and below.
Category AG, female supernumerary participants in Class XI and below.
Category B, tailored for Class XII students.
The top 200 students in Category A, top 5 in Category AG and top 40 students in Category B from each region qualify for the Regional Mathematical Olympiad (RMO).
The top 30 students in Category A, top 5 in Category AG and top 6 students in Category B from each region qualify for the Indian National Mathematical Olympiad (INMO).
RMO qualifying students are invited to the one-week INMOTC held in their state/region (details vary heavily region by region & it may not be held in all regions). These students then represent their state/region at the INMO. The top 48 students in Category A, top 5 in Category AG and top 12 students in Category B from entire India qualify for the International Mathematical Olympiad Training Camp (IMOTC).
The INMO is conducted by the MO Cell and is held on the third Sunday of January at 30 centers across the country. The INMO is conducted to select students for the IMOTC, which is further conducted to select the Indian team for the IMO. It is similar to the USAMO conducted in the USA. The exam structure various from year to year. From 2024 onwards, INMO will consist of 6 problems to be solved over a span of 4.5 hrs.[4] The topics asked are generally what is taught at high school level, except calculus. The difficulty of the problems tends to be generally higher than what is done in schools, with strong focus on application of concepts. The topics generally covered are Number Theory, Geometry, Combinatorics and Algebra.
INMO qualifying students are invited to the four-week IMOTC which will be hosted by the CMI in 2024. For first-time participants, the camp runs from first week of May to the end of May, while previously participated candidates join about one week later. Four selection tests and two practice tests are conducted, and the top six students qualify to represent India at the IMO.
The selected team of six students undergoes an additional two-week training and orientation session before departing for the IMO.
The six-member team, accompanied by a leader, deputy leader, and observer, represents India at the IMO, held in July each year in a different member country. The Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD) finances international travel, while NBHM(DAE) covers other associated expenditures.
Students who qualify the INMO and attend the IMOTC are eligible to appear directly in the INMO in the subsequent year.