Olympiads have become a source for bright young minds to test themselves beyond academics. As students prepare for the upcoming 2026 Olympiads, they must stay updated with the latest exam trends. The syllabus is aligned with school curricula, and the competition is becoming increasingly challenging at every level. Today, we’ll break down the latest trends for children to get accustomed to the different subjects they must prepare for, the exam pattern, and the difficulty level. We’ll also recommend the best books they must follow to prepare for the Olympiads and secure a commendable rank.
Important Subjects Students Must Focus On for Olympiads 2026
Olympiads are just as important as school exams. They don’t just check a child’s knowledge but also how well they can apply what they study. Therefore, students must work equally hard for them. Let’s discuss the important subjects students must prepare for to stay ready for the Olympiads.
Mathematics
Maths is a crucial subject for the Olympiads. It helps students sharpen their calculation skills and get better at the subject. They must focus on topics like arithmetic, number sense, geometry, elementary algebra, etc. These topics have a high probability of appearing in the Olympiads and enable students to be thorough with the chapters for their school exams as well. The difficulty level increases from level 1 to level 2. Level 1 is based on the concepts taught in school, while level 2 includes more complex and higher-order reasoning questions. Students must resort to authentic Maths Olympiad books for thorough practice.
Science
Science is another subject that forms the basis for the majority of national and international school-level Olympiads (SOF, IMO-type Olympiads, NSO, etc.). The questions are generally aligned with the topics included in the school curriculum. However, olympiads also test higher-order thinking skills, logic, and a deeper understanding of topics. This often requires dedicated preparation beyond regular schoolwork. Moreover, the level 2 exams are tougher than level 1 exams. So, they require more practice and comprehensive preparation with the help of a reliable book of Science Olympiad.
Read More: Olympiad Exams 2026: Latest Updates, Registration Dates & Syllabus Overview
Reasoning
Reasoning tests the logical thinking, analytical ability, and problem-solving skills of students. It’s not just an “added advantage” but an essential subject in primary-level competitions. It enables students to strengthen their critical thinking skills, which are required across all subjects. Students can expect questions from verbal reasoning, non-verbal/logical reasoning, and mathematical reasoning. Primary topics asked in the Olympiads include analogies, coding-decoding, pattern recognition, figure series, word problems, number series, etc.
Cyber
Cyber Olympiads focus on computer literacy and basic computational thinking. The increased popularity of this exam shows the growing importance of digital skills and logical computational understanding. Students must focus on topics like hardware, software, e-mail usage, algorithms, MS Office basics, etc. The primary level questions are easy, including simple MCQs and questions based on conceptual understanding. On the other hand, the upper primary level questions are moderate and involve questions based on problem-solving, basic algorithms, etc.
General Knowledge
Through GK Olympiad, a student’s awareness broadens beyond textbooks. They can stay informed about current affairs, science, sports, etc. through the Olympiad. It doesn’t just test a child’s memory but also their ability to connect what they learn in classrooms with the outside world. Questions are generally asked from topics like famous personalities, Indian festivals, Everyday science, etc. The questions at the primary level range from easy to moderate, based mainly on observation and general exposure. At the upper primary level, questions become more conceptual and based on current events.
Expected Difficulty Level in Olympiads 2026
Here’s what we can say about the expected difficulty level of Olympiads 2026:
Tiered difficulty in papers: Most exams (SOF/NSO/IMO-type tests, especially) still maintain a tiered paper. They begin with easy/core questions and then proceed to more difficult "achievers" sections. This system promotes correctness and risk management over blind guessing.
Application-based questions: Instead of pure recall, questions increasingly test children’s application skills. When students work through chapter-wise PYQs (previous year questions), it enables them to spot such questions easily and solve them quickly.
Minor rise in problem-solving depth for higher classes: Students from the middle and high grades can expect two or more subtopic-based multi-step reasoning questions.
Competition insights: what distinguishes top performers
Practice with pattern-aware resources: Top students do not just try random questions. They practice with materials that resemble actual Olympiad patterns. These include chapter-wise questions, previous years’ questions (PYQs), and question-level tagging (easy/medium/hard). That's why it’s essential to use study materials crafted particularly for the Olympiads. The Oswaal One For All Olympiad Chapter-wise Previous Years' Solved Papers series is tailor-made for this. This series includes Maths, Science, English, Reasoning, Cyber and GK.
Smart revision beats massive revision: Frequent short revisions of important topics and previous year questions help students remember key techniques needed to solve Olympiad problems. That’s what top performers do to excel in the Olympiads.
Solving Mock tests based on real papers: Timed mock tests that mimic the tiered difficulty and marking scheme of the exam build up speed as well as mental stamina. Many preparation sites and workbooks include such tests. Serious students use them regularly to perform well.
Choosing Reliable Olympiad books and workbooks
When purchasing resources for Olympiad preparation, students must select resources that offer:
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Chapter-wise PYQs and solved solutions (to learn patterns)
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Topic-wise graded practice (easy → medium → hard)
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Mock tests and test-taking strategies (to handle marks/negative marking).
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Cross-subject practice for reasoning and GK
8- Week Quick Preparation Plan for Olympiads 2026 (8–10 weeks)
Weeks 1–3: During this time, students must cover major chapters from school books and solve chapter-wise PYQs from a dependable resource.
Weeks 4–6: This duration should be utilised to solve questions from Olympiad workbooks. Students must focus on mixed-topic sets and reasoning questions during this time.
Week 7: This week should be dedicated to taking two full-length timed mock tests, as they help in simulating exam conditions. Additionally, they must review their mistakes and correct them.
Week 8: Students must use this time to revise the portions they’re weak in and re-attempt the questions they couldn’t answer correctly earlier.
Effective Preparation Tips for Olympiads
This is how children can prepare well for Olympiads and give their best in the exam:
Chapter-wise Preparation: Students should start preparing with the chapters they’ve learned in school. Then, they must solve the PYQs of those chapters to check how well they’ve understood them.
Practice questions from the workbook: Once students have solved the past years’ questions, they must practice similar questions from Olympiad workbooks to test how well they’ve understood the topics.
Practice based on time slots: Practicing in small timed lots (e.g., 20–30 minutes) helps students simulate test conditions. It also allows them to focus on accuracy before speed.
Maintaining an "error log": Students should note down the types of errors they commit and read those portions from their books again to clear any doubts.
Final thoughts
To secure a suitable rank in the Olympiad 2026, students need smart practice that includes chapter-wise exposure, PYQ practice, and practice of application-based problems. The key is to practice with material that reflects real exam patterns. The One For All Olympiad Chapter-wise Previous Years' Solved Papers is a collection of Olympiad books that helps students gain the competitive edge efficiently. Therefore, they must utilise it fully to practice all types of questions and analyse their performance. This way, they’ll be fully prepared for the main exams.
