National Mathematics Olympiad 2026

National Mathematics Olympiad 2026

About National Mathematics Olympiad 2026

The Mathematics Research Foundation (MRF) has officially announced the introduction of the National Mathematics Olympiad (NMO), also referred to as National Maths Olympiad (NMO), in a major step to enhance and assess mathematical abilities and critical thinking of the students. Students from classes 1 to 12 are eligible to participate in National Maths Olympiad. The NMO promotes the principles outlined in the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 by focusing not on memorizing but on overall growth and critical problem-solving skills. National Maths Olympiad is based on the curriculum developed by the National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT), an autonomous body of the Ministry of Education of Government of India.

The National Maths Olympiad will be conducted in two levels so as to adequately gauge the mathematical talent in the country. The curriculum for both the rounds will be strongly based on the NCERT curriculum in order to provide an equal playing field among all the applicants.

● Prelims – Round 1 (School Level): This is a preliminary stage that involves an offline, multiple-choice question (MCQ) based examination. Marks and number of questions will be different for different classes with negative marking in place. Students in classes 3 to 12 with a score more than or equal to 70 in Round 1, automatically qualifies for the Round 2 (National level examination).

● Mains – Round 2 (National Level): The second round involves a problem solving based examination and is conducted at the designated venue for the qualifying students from Classes 3 to 12. The date, venue and all the necessary details will be notified to the eligible schools and maths olympiad coordinators after declaration of Round 1 results.

(The round 2 is not conducted for the classes 1 and 2. The students studying in classes 1 and 2 are awarded medals based on their marks instead of rank.)

According to the sources at Foundation, the NMO is expected to garner more than 1 lac participation from students across India in the first iteration of the olympiad.

In order to suit the different academic timetables of CBSE, ICSE and State board exams, the Foundation has offered a flexible Round 1 schedule. The schools can choose between the following officially planned dates or can choose a specific date that fits their needs:

● 24 August (Last day to register: 31 July)

● 23 September (Registration deadline: 31 August)

● 28 October (Registration deadline: 30 September)

● 25 November (Registration Deadline: 31 October)

Registration is done offline via schools and all registration information must be sent to the headquarters of the Mathematics Research Foundation located in New Delhi at least 20 days before the opted date of examination. Interested students may contact their school for the participation in the National Maths Olympiad.

The complete registration details and proforma can be found at https://mathsolympiad.in/national-maths-olympiad-details.

The syllabus for the National Maths Olympiad can be found at https://mathsolympiad.in/syllabus

The sample papers for the National Maths Olympiad can be found at https://mathsolympiad.in/sample-papers

Rewards and Recognition

The elite competition mainly focuses on merit and mathematical excellence. All the participants will receive a participation certificate, and school-level winners will be awarded with a medal and a certificate of merit based on their performance. Cash prizes, certificate of excellence and medals will be awarded to the national winners. National winners will also be conferred with “The Arybhata Award” whereas the teachers with most contribution and student participation in the NMO will be conferred with “The Bhaskaracharya Award”.

National/ State/ Zonal level winners will be given prizes valued around 10 lakh.

Importantly, the National Maths Olympiad also provides a platform to the students to interact with the top Indian mathematicians currently affiliated with the IITs, IIMs, IIITs, NITs and IISc.

Resources and Support

The Mathematics Research Foundation has provided the elaborate syllabus and sample papers on their website, to help students study and prepare at all grades. Study materials, and registration proforma, can be found on the official site at mathsolympiad.in.

In case of any queries, school coordinators and parents may contact the NMO team through email at info@mathsolympiad.in or WhatsApp/call at +91 9988113929.

Other Awards and Competitions In India