IMO Exam Pattern

The International Mathematics Olympiad is organized every year to encourage competitive spirit in students. With each passing year, the competition is rising and students are required to follow a smart preparation strategy. As the IMO exam covers the various aspects of the syllabus prescribed by CBSE, ICSE and different state boards, it is often confusing for students to follow a precise learning approach. One of the best ways to plan for IMO exam preparation is understanding and following the exam pattern. Explicit knowledge of the IMO exam pattern will aid students in structuring their preparation smartly. Moreover, familiarizing with the exam pattern is also helpful in gaining a competitive edge. If you are an IMO aspirant looking to obtain a deep insight into the IMO exam pattern and marks distribution, this article is exactly what you need.

Overview of IMO Exam Pattern

The International Mathematics Olympiad exam papers are based on the class-wise syllabus of all CBSE, ICSE, and state boards schools. The exam is conducted at primary, middle and secondary school-level with separate question papers for each grade. This exam is organized in two phases--

• IMO Level-1 Exam
• IMO Level-2 Exam

IMO Level-1

The IMO level-1 exam is open for all students studying in classes 1 to 12. The exam is organized on three different dates and each date has a different set of question papers. The IMO level-1 competition comprises 35 objective-type questions for grades 1 to 4 and 50 objective-type questions for grades 5 to 12. The exam duration for all grades is 60 minutes and the medium of the test is English. The Level1 IMO exam is scheduled during school hours.

Sections in IMO Level-1

The Level-1 IMO exam paper is divided into four sections. The details of each section in IMO level-1 are as follows:

• Section-1: First section in the level-1 IMO exam tests the verbal and non-verbal reasoning skills of students. There are 10 questions of 1 mark each comprised in this section for grades 1 to 4. For grades 5 to 12, there are 15 questions of 1 mark each.

• Section-2: Section two of IMO level-1 focuses on testing students’ mathematical abilities relevant to their grades. It has 10 questions of 1 mark each for grades 1 to 4 and 20 questions of 1 mark each for grades 5 to 12.

• Section-3: The third section in the IMO level-1 exam tests the students on their ability to apply various mathematical concepts. This section comprises 10 questions of 1 mark each for grades 1 to 4 and 10 questions of 1 mark each for grades 5 to 12.

• Section-4: Achievers section is the fourth section of the IMO level-1 exam that tests students’ critical thinking ability. This section comprises 5 questions of 2 marks each for classes 1 to 4 and 5 questions of 3 marks each for classes 5 to 12.

IMO Level-2 

IMO Level-2 exam is for students from classes 3 to 12 who have successfully qualified in the level-1 IMO exam. Students in classes 1 and 2 are not required to appear for the level-2 olympiad and the marks obtained in level-1 are considered final. School-level class topper, top 25 state/zone ranks holders and top 5 percent of international candidates are eligible for the level-2 IMO exam.

The IMO level-2 competition consists of 35 objective-type questions for grades 3 and 4 and 50 objective-type questions for grades 5 to 12. The IMO level-2 exam paper contains only two sections. The first section in IMO level-2 is mathematics and the other is the achiever's section. 

Preparation Tips for IMO Exam

The sample papers and mock tests will give students a better understanding of the pattern of each section and its mark distribution. By practicing them, students can get a knack for solving math problems covered in IMO exams. It will also enable students to figure out the weak topics they need to spend more time on. Here are some more tips that will help students in their IMO exam preparation:

• Build Conceptual Clarity: IMO aims to test the conceptual knowledge of students. The IMO exam is based on concept-oriented objective-type questions that require students to apply mathematical concepts.
• Plan Strategically: Strategically planning for IMO is highly important as the syllabus is vast and requires an in-depth understanding of each topic.
• Clarifying all doubts: Even small errors and doubts can lead to big calculation mistakes in the exam. It is important to clear all doubts during preparation.
• Revise Thoroughly: Carefully revising each topic will improve the speed and accuracy of applying various formulas and concepts.
• Practice Regularly: Regular practice of sample papers and other study materials will help students understand each topic’s key aspects. It will also bring confidence and mathematical ability to solve complex problems.

Studying for the math olympiad will promote the logical thinking of students and will drive them towards the right career path. To get an idea about the math olympiad exam pattern download and solve the latest sample papers for classes 1-12 provided below.