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Olympiad

IMO Exam Pattern 2026-27: SOF Level 1 & Level 2 Marking Scheme

IMO Exam Pattern 2026-27: SOF Level 1 & Level 2 Marking Scheme

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SOF IMO Olympiad Exam Pattern for Classes 1 to 12

The IMO exam pattern 2026-27 explains the number of questions, sections, marks, and class-wise structure of the SOF International Mathematics Olympiad. IMO Level 1 is conducted for students from Classes 1 to 12, while IMO Level 2 is conducted only for qualifying students from Classes 3 to 12.

The SOF IMO exam pattern changes according to the class group. Level 1 includes Logical Reasoning, Mathematical Reasoning, Everyday Mathematics and the Achievers Section, while the IMO Level 2 exam pattern focuses mainly on Mathematics and the Achievers Section. For Classes 11 and 12, Mathematical Reasoning or Applied Mathematics is also included in Level 2.

IMO Exam Pattern 2026-27 - Complete Details

Class Group	Exam Level	No. of Questions	Total Marks
Classes 1–4	Level 1	35	40
Classes 5–10	Level 1	50	60
Classes 11–12	Level 1	50	60
Classes 3–4	Level 2	35	40
Classes 5–10	Level 2	50	60
Classes 11–12	Level 2	50	60

SOF IMO Level 1 Exam Pattern 2026-27

The IMO Level 1 exam pattern is divided into four sections:

Logical Reasoning
Mathematical Reasoning
Everyday Mathematics
Achievers Section

The Achievers Section carries higher marks per question and tests higher-order thinking and application of mathematical concepts.

IMO Level 1 Exam Pattern for Classes 1 to 4

Section	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks
Logical Reasoning	10	1	10
Mathematical Reasoning	10	1	10
Everyday Mathematics	10	1	10
Achievers Section	5	2	10
Total	35	—	40

IMO Level 1 Exam Pattern for Classes 5 to 10

Section	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks
Logical Reasoning	15	1	15
Mathematical Reasoning	20	1	20
Everyday Mathematics	10	1	10
Achievers Section	5	3	15
Total	50	—	60

IMO Level 1 Exam Pattern for Classes 11 and 12

Section	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks
Logical Reasoning	15	1	15
Mathematical Reasoning / Applied Mathematics	20	1	20
Everyday Mathematics	10	1	10
Achievers Section	5	3	15
Total	50	—	60

IMO Level 2 Exam Pattern 2026-27

The IMO Level 2 exam pattern is different from Level 1. Level 2 is conducted only for qualifying students from Classes 3 to 12 and focuses more heavily on Mathematics and higher-order problem-solving.

IMO Level 2 Exam Pattern for Classes 3 and 4

Section	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks
Mathematics	30	1	30
Achievers Section	5	2	10
Total	35	—	40

IMO Level 2 Exam Pattern for Classes 5 to 10

Section	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks
Mathematics	45	1	45
Achievers Section	5	3	15
Total	50	—	60

IMO Level 2 Exam Pattern for Classes 11 and 12

Section	No. of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks
Mathematics	25	1	25
Mathematical Reasoning / Applied Mathematics	20	1	20
Achievers Section	5	3	15
Total	50	—	60

Difference Between IMO Level 1 and Level 2 Exam Pattern

Feature	IMO Level 1	IMO Level 2
Eligible Classes	Classes 1–12	Qualifying students from Classes 3–12
Main Sections	Logical Reasoning, Mathematical Reasoning, Everyday Mathematics, Achievers Section	Mathematics + Achievers Section; Classes 11–12 also include Mathematical Reasoning / Applied Mathematics
Syllabus Coverage	60% current class + 40% previous class	Current class syllabus only
Achievers Section	Current class syllabus only	Current class syllabus only
Question Type	Objective / MCQ	Objective / MCQ
Duration	1 Hour	1 Hour
Difficulty	Olympiad-level	Higher level for qualified students

SOF specifically states that Level 1 questions are 60% from the current class and 40% from the previous class, while Level 2 questions come from the current class syllabus only. The Achievers Section is also based only on the current class syllabus.

How Many Questions are Asked in the IMO Exam?

The number of IMO questions depends on the student's class and level:

Class	Level 1 Questions	Level 2 Questions
Classes 1–2	35	Not Conducted
Classes 3–4	35	35
Classes 5–10	50	50
Classes 11–12	50	50

IMO Achievers Section Marking Scheme

The Achievers Section is important because it contains only five questions but carries a higher weightage.

Class Group	Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks
Classes 1–4	5	2	10
Classes 5–12	5	3	15

The section is designed to test Higher Order Thinking Skills (HOTS), deeper conceptual understanding and application-based problem-solving.

What is the IMO Exam Duration?

The SOF IMO exam duration is 60 minutes. Students must complete all sections within this one-hour time limit, so speed and accuracy become important parts of preparation.

Is There Negative Marking in SOF IMO?

SOF IMO is conducted as an objective-type Olympiad. The currently published SOF pattern tables list the marks awarded per correct question but do not show any deduction for incorrect answers. Students should still prioritise accuracy rather than guessing randomly.

Which Sections are Included in the IMO Exam?

For Level 1, the paper includes:

Logical Reasoning: tests analytical, verbal and non-verbal reasoning.
Mathematical Reasoning: tests class-specific mathematical concepts and their application.
Everyday Mathematics: focuses on applying Mathematics to practical situations.
Achievers Section: contains higher-order and more challenging questions.

For Level 2, the structure becomes more Mathematics-focused, with Mathematics and Achievers Section for Classes 3–10 and an additional Mathematical Reasoning / Applied Mathematics component for Classes 11–12.

What Syllabus Is Used in IMO Level 1 and Level 2?

SOF follows a class-wise syllabus aligned broadly with CBSE, ICSE/ISC and State Board curriculum.

For Level 1:

around 60% of questions come from the current class syllabus, and
around 40% come from the previous class syllabus.

For Level 2:

questions are based on the current class syllabus only.

The Achievers Section at both levels is also based on the current class syllabus.

How to Use the IMO Exam Pattern for Preparation?

Understanding the IMO Olympiad exam pattern helps students plan their preparation more effectively. Students should:

allocate preparation time according to section weightage,
practise the Achievers Section regularly because it carries higher marks,
solve timed mock tests within the 60-minute limit,
revise both current and previous-class concepts for Level 1,
focus only on the current-class syllabus when preparing for Level 2, and
analyse accuracy and time spent after every practice test.

Important Resources for IMO 2026-27

S. No	Important Links for IMO Exam 2026
1	IMO Registration
2	IMO Eligibility Criteria
3	IMO Mock Tests
4	IMO Sample Papers
5	IMO Important Questions
6	IMO Previous Year Question Papers
7	IMO Exam Results

FAQs on IMO Exam Pattern 2026-27: SOF Level 1 & Level 2 Marking Scheme

1. What is the IMO exam pattern 2026-27?

The IMO exam pattern 2026-27 is class-wise. Level 1 has four sections: Logical Reasoning, Mathematical Reasoning, Everyday Mathematics and Achievers Section. Classes 1–4 answer 35 questions for 40 marks, while Classes 5–12 answer 50 questions for 60 marks.

2. What is the SOF IMO Level 2 exam pattern?

The SOF IMO Level 2 exam pattern has 35 questions for Classes 3–4 and 50 questions for Classes 5–12. Classes 3–10 mainly have Mathematics and Achievers Section, while Classes 11–12 also include Mathematical Reasoning / Applied Mathematics.

3. How many questions are there in IMO Level 1?

Classes 1–4 have 35 questions, while Classes 5–12 have 50 questions in IMO Level 1.

4. How many questions are there in IMO Level 2?

Classes 3–4 have 35 questions, and Classes 5–12 have 50 questions in IMO Level 2.

5. What are the total marks in the SOF IMO exam?

For Classes 1–4, the total is 40 marks. For Classes 5–12, the total is 60 marks. The same overall totals apply to the corresponding Level 2 class groups.

6. What is the duration of the IMO exam?

The SOF IMO examination is 1 hour or 60 minutes long.

7. Is there negative marking in IMO?

The published SOF marking scheme specifies marks awarded per question and does not list negative marks for incorrect responses. Students should nevertheless focus on accuracy and proper time management.

8. Is the IMO Level 2 exam harder than Level 1?

Yes, Level 2 is intended for students who qualify through Level 1, so questions generally require stronger mathematical application and higher-order problem-solving. The paper also concentrates more directly on Mathematics and the Achievers Section.

9. What is the weightage of the Achievers Section in IMO?

For Classes 1–4, the Achievers Section has 5 questions worth 2 marks each, contributing 10 marks. For Classes 5–12, it has 5 questions worth 3 marks each, contributing 15 marks.

10. Does IMO Level 1 include the previous class syllabus?

Yes. SOF states that Level 1 contains approximately 60% questions from the current class syllabus and 40% from the previous class syllabus.

11. Is the Achievers Section based on the previous class syllabus?

No. SOF specifies that the Achievers Section is based only on the current class syllabus for both Level 1 and Level 2.

12. How should I divide time in the IMO exam 2026?

There is no official section-wise time limit, so students should manage the full 60 minutes based on their strengths. A practical approach is to solve easier Mathematics and reasoning questions first, preserve enough time for the higher-value Achievers Section and keep a few minutes for review.

13. Are all IMO questions multiple-choice?

SOF presents the IMO as an objective-type examination, and its Level 1 structure is built around objective questions across the prescribed sections.