IOQM 2026 cutoff released: check region-wise RMO eligibility for classes 8-12

The Mathematics Teachers’ Association, India (MTAI) released the official cutoff list and RMO cutoffs for the Indian Olympiad Qualifier in Mathematics (IOQM) 2026 on October 22, 2026. These cutoffs determine student eligibility for the upcoming Regional Mathematical Olympiad (RMO) exam.

Students across classes 8 to 12 can access the official IOQM cutoff along with the final IOQM result for the 2026-27 academic cycle by visiting the MTAI’s official website, ioqm.mtai.org.in. The IOQM 2026 exam, conducted offline on September 6, 2026, saw participation from students across 32 regions.

IOQM 2026 RMO Cutoffs AND Eligibility Criteria

The MTAI authorities have prepared the list of shortlisted students based on region-wise cutoffs for various classes. For Category A, which includes students from Classes 8, 9, 10, and 11, the top 200 students from each region have qualified for the next stage. For Category B, comprising Class 12 students, the top 40 students from each region have qualified. In addition, the official IOQM 2026 RMO cutoffs cover specific criteria for girls in Category A across all 32 regions.

To be considered for the next stage, all students were required to meet a baseline eligibility criterion by scoring at least 10% of the total marks, which translates to 10 out of 100. A uniform cutoff of 24 marks is prescribed nationwide for the award of the IOQM National Certificate. Normalised scores apply to specific administrative divisions and school systems, including the North-West region, Jammu region, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya (JNV), and Kendriya Vidyalaya (KV) networks. An earlier inaccurate announcement for Region 07 (Mumbai) stated a cutoff of 33.0, but the correct cutoff is 32.0.

IOQM 2026 Exam Structure AND Difficulty

The IOQM 2026 exam was an offline, OMR-based test with no negative marking, conducted over three hours. The paper consisted of 30 questions, with a total of 100 marks. Questions 1-10 carried 2 marks each, questions 11-20 carried 3 marks each, and questions 21-30 carried 5 marks each. Question 23 was awarded bonus marks, meaning all students received full marks for it.

The Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) is the conducting authority for the IOQM. The IOQM 2026 question paper’s difficulty level was assessed as moderate to difficult overall, covering topics such as number theory, combinatorics, geometry, and algebra. Number theory and combinatorics accounted for the largest number of questions. The official IOQM 2026 Answer Key PDF with Explanations was published on October 7, 2026.

Preparation for the Regional Mathematical Olympiad (RMO) 2026

Students who have qualified in the IOQM 2026 are now eligible to register for the RMO exam. The RMO 2026 is scheduled for November 15, 2026, from 1 PM to 4 PM. Students can check their individual status by logging into their student dashboard at ioqm.mtai.org.in. Those whose IOQM scores are close to or above the revised expected cut-off can register their interest in the RMO Pre-Departure Camp (PDC) 2026.

Previous year trends indicate that IOQM cutoffs vary widely across regions, influenced by factors such as exam difficulty, student performance, region-wise selection rules, and the number of students competing. For instance, the IOQM 2025 cut-off also varied region-wise and category-wise, with some regions recording cut-offs above 40 marks and others in the 20-35 mark range. Some IOQM 2024 cut-offs were recomputed after official review, underscoring the importance of relying on the latest official notifications.

Further reading

• IOQM 2026 scores and RMO cutoffs released; RMO registration opens November 2
• IOQM 2026 results and RMO cutoffs announced by MTAI; final merit list expected this month
• IOQM 2026 RMO cutoffs released: check qualifying status for November 15 exam

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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