The Mathematical Olympiad Programme (MOP) in India, which leads to participation of Indian students in the International Mathematical Olympiad (IMO), is organized by the Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education (HBCSE) in collaboration with the National Board for Higher Mathematics (NBHM) of the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE), Government of India. The first stage (PRMO) of the Olympiad examination is conducted by MTA (Mathematics Teachers’ Association) with assistance from IAPT, while the later stages are the responsibility of HBCSE. This programme is one of the major initiatives undertaken by the NBHM.
Aim of Mathematical Olympiads:
- To stimulate love and enthusiasm for mathematics
- To provide a healthy competitive activity that facilitates the learning of mathematical concepts, and the teaching of major strategies for problem solving
- To foster mathematical creativity and ingenuity, and the thrill of meeting challenges
- To spot mathematical talent among pre-university students in the country
The Six Stages of Mathematical Olympiad programme
In order to select the students for International Olympiads, the country has been divided into regions with a regional coordinator responsible for each region (details of which are available on the HBCSE website). The Mathematical Olympiad programme consists of the following six stages