Ministry plans annual maths contest

The Pakistan Mathematics and Informatics Olympiad (PMIO), which aims to foster a passion for mathematics and computer science among high school students (grades 9 to 12) across the country, is being organised by the Federal Board of Intermediate & Secondary Education (FBISE) on the directions of the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training.

The competition will adhere to international standards in terms of its syllabus, exams and assessment style.

The PMIO will be open to all eligible students under the age of 20, with the competition featuring multiple-choice and open-ended questions for mathematics, and online as well as on-site competitive programming platforms for computer science. Registration will take place annually in September for a nominal fee of Rs1,000 per student.

The competition will aim to secure wide participation, attract 10,000 students this year and reach a target of 100,000 students in future years. The event, to be held annually in mid-October, will offer gold, silver and bronze medals along with laptops, Chromebooks, cash awards and more to students who perform well in PMIO.

Top performers will also have the opportunity to secure admissions to the top-ranking universities of Pakistan.

The initiative aims to cultivate a new generation of mathematicians, computer experts and programmers to boost Pakistan's academic and global competitiveness.