'Indian National AI Olympiad 2026' registrations open to nurture school-level AI talent
New Delhi, Dec 20
ACM India, the Indian arm of the Association for Computing Machinery, on Saturday announced the launch of the 'Indian National AI Olympiad 2026' -- a nationwide initiative to identify and nurture exceptional school-level talent in Artificial Intelligence.
Registration for the INAIO 2026 test for Indian students pursuing Classes IX to XII, to be conducted online on January 18, 2026, is open until December 31, 2025.
Test results will help candidates born after August 2, 2006, qualify for IOAI 2026 in Abu Dhabi from August 2–8, 2026, ACM India said in a statement.
The Indian National AI Olympiad, to be proctored live and administered by assessment technology platform HireMee, will serve as an accredited gateway to the International Olympiad in Artificial Intelligence (IOAI).
IOAI will offer students global exposure, advanced innovation skills, and world‑class academic opportunities, it added.
Toppers of related Olympiads such as INMO (Indian National Mathematical Olympiad), INOI (Indian National Olympiad in Informatics), PLO (Panini Linguistics Olympiad), and Bebras will receive direct entry into Stage 2 of INAIO.
The multi‑stage structured evaluation model of INAIO is designed to strengthen conceptual understanding of machine learning and develop real‑world modelling abilities, with the Olympiad selecting students to represent India at IOAI.
Key benefits include international recognition, potential scholarships from top universities, and enhanced higher‑education pathways in globally recognised universities, the statement said.
Further, the top three national rankers will receive attractive prizes, as all participants will be awarded digital certificates, the statement noted.
The first 500 applicants to the programme will receive access to HireMee’s Career Navigation Assessment worth Rs 1,599, it added.
Demand for AI and machine learning engineers, data scientists, and AI governance specialists is set to surge in 2026, while cybersecurity is being reshaped by AI-driven threats.
Around 74 per cent of corporate leaders in India ranked artificial intelligence (AI) among their top three technology adoption choices, according to a recent report.
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— IANS
Reader Comments
Great news! But I hope the registration process and the test are accessible to students from smaller towns and government schools. AI shouldn't become an elite club. The digital certificates for all participants is a nice touch though.
Representing India in Abu Dhabi? What an opportunity! This is exactly the kind of global platform our young minds need. The future is AI and we need to lead, not follow. Kudos to ACM India. My son will definitely be applying.
The focus on real-world modelling abilities is crucial. Too many courses are just theory. If this Olympiad can actually teach kids to solve practical problems, it will be a game-changer. The career assessment for early applicants is a good bonus.
A small suggestion: The article mentions the demand for AI specialists, but the test is only for Classes IX-XII. Why not have a separate category for undergraduate students as well? The talent pool is much larger. Otherwise, a very welcome step.
As a teacher, I'm thrilled! We need to push students beyond just JEE and NEET. This creates a new avenue for brilliant minds. The link to international scholarships could be life-changing for many families. Time to inform my school's science club! 👩â€ðŸ«
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