IOIInternational Olympiad in Informatics
About IOI
The International Olympiad in Informatics, running since 1989, is the world championship of algorithmic programming for school students. Across two five-hour contest days, each contestant tackles six tasks whose full solutions demand both deep algorithmic insight and flawless implementation under time pressure.
India fields a team of four selected through the IARCS-run Indian Computing Olympiad: zonal rounds, the national INOI contest, and finally the IOI Training Camp. Indian contestants have won gold at the IOI, and the pathway has become the definitive proving ground for the country’s strongest young programmers.
Accepted by: IOI medals are elite credentials for computer-science admissions globally; Indian medallists have gone on to top CS programmes and research careers
Official websiteIOI eligibility
Secondary-school students per IOI regulations; India’s four-member team is selected via the Indian Computing Olympiad (ZIO/ZCO → INOI → IOITC)
IOI exam pattern
Sections
- Two competition days; on each day contestants solve 3 algorithmic programming tasks in 5 hours
Marking scheme: None (tasks are auto-graded against test data, with subtask partial scoring)
IOI syllabus outline
- Algorithms and data structures: graphs, dynamic programming, greedy strategies, computational geometry and advanced structures
- Solutions are submitted as programs (C++ is the dominant language) and scored automatically against hidden test cases
- India’s route: ZIO or ZCO → INOI → IOI Training Camp (IOITC) → team of four
Preparing for IOI?
Olympiads reward deep fundamentals — the same preparation that pays off later in JEE, NEET and other entrance exams. Explore every national and international olympiad, or check the official site for this year's dates and registration.