The International Math Olympiad is organized every year by the science Olympiad foundation. It is a Mathematics competition that tests the mathematical and logical reasoning skills of the students. The eligibility criteria have not been changed by SOF for several years. The eligibility criteria for class 5 students who are appearing in IMO have been mentioned below for their reference. Every student appearing for the IMO must know the eligibility criteria to be able to prepare for the exam efficiently and know what level of the exam they must prepare for.
The students whose schools are registered with the SOF can register for the exam through their schools. For the IMO to be held in a school, a minimum of 10 students must participate from that specific school. The registration process must be completed at least 30 days before the exam. Students can also participate individually in case any school is not able to participate in it. The sample books are also available at the SOF websites and sample papers like Class 5 IMO Question Paper 2015 are also available online.
The eligibility criteria of IMO for class 5 students are
- There are 2 levels of IMO exams: Level 1 and Level 2
- Any class 5 student who wants to evaluate their mathematical capabilities can participate in the level 1 exams of IMO.
- Students who get the minimum cutoff marks for the IMO level 1 exam are qualified to participate in the IMO level 2 exam.
Eligibility criteria for Level 1 IMO
- Any student can appear for level 1 IMO. No specific cutoff for performance or percentage is required to participate in level 1.
- The criteria level is kept in such a way to ensure maximum participation and so that a maximum number of students can participate in this exam as it is a very integral part of any student’s development.
- Students of any nationality or living in any region can participate in my IMO as it is held on the international platform.
Eligibility criteria for level 2 IMO
IMO level 2 is organized for students from class three to 12. In these classes, the students who have cleared the minimum cut-off in level one of IMO are shortlisted for IMO level 2. The short-listing criteria for IMO level 2 have been mentioned below:
- The top 5 students in the Olympiad collectively on the international level are eligible for level two of the exam.
- Level 2 of IMO is available to the top 25 students in this zone.
- The top 25 students in each of the participating school’s classes are qualified for IMO level 2.
- Level 2 is open to toppers from each class of participating schools where a minimum of 10 students has enrolled for IMO examinations. To qualify, they must also get a score of 50%.
- Level 2 IMO will be awarded to the best performers in each section.
Levels of IMO exam
The IMO is conducted at 2 levels: Level 1 and Level 2
Level 1
The students from class 1 to class 12 can appear in the IMO exam. Many students can participate in IMO as there is no requirement for any minimum marks. The features of the IMO exam have been mentioned below:
- The syllabus of many boards such as state boards, CBSE, ICSC/ISC is considered while making the question paper for IMO.
- A separate question paper is distributed for every class.
- Each of the sections is given a separate weightage. This is beneficial while handling a case of a tie.
- The IMO question paper has 4 sections:
- Logical reasoning
- Mathematical reasoning
- Everyday mathematics
- Achievers section
- The test has a different decision design. For class 1 to 4, the total number of questions in the paper are 34. 50 questions are there in the IMO exam for students of classes 5 to 12.
- The Level 1 exam is conducted within the school premises of the registered schools within the working hours
- It is a 60-minute exam, and the medium is English for the same.
Level 2
Students who perform well in the level one exam and clear the minimum eligibility criteria set forward by SOF are shortlisted for appearing in level 2 of the IMO exams. There are no level two exams for the students of classes 1 and 2 as they are judged on their proficiency in the level 1 exam itself. Only students in grades 3 to 12 are eligible to take the level 2 examinations. Students fulfilling the following mentioned criteria are allowed to move on and are shortlisted for level 2 of the exams:
- The top 5% candidates of every class in the registered school.
- The top 25 candidates in the zone and class
- Class winners from schools with a minimum of ten pupils who applied and appeared for IMO and received at least 50% of the qualifying marks.
The above mentioned are the criteria that will be deciding who gets to participate in the IMO exams and at what levels. The initial criteria are not that stringent, and any participant can participate in these exams. the eligibility criteria are relaxed so that the maximum number of students can appear for this exam as the International Math Olympiad is a big part of the cognitive development of any student and incorporates reasoning skills inside them. the skills and the method that they use to prepare for the exams will stick with them throughout life and help them in their future endeavours.
Even for the students who don’t make it to level two, it is a very elaborate and important learning exercise as they learn a lot of skills like planning and time management while preparing for this exam, therefore, it is highly suggested that every student appears for IMO to enhance their skills as a future model student and an ideal corporate. What is more important than winning is learning in the process of achieving the goals set by individual students. Best of luck with the exams.
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