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    ZIO Exam 2026 - Dates, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern, Result

    author
    Priyanka DasguptaUpdated on Aug 10, 2026 10:54 AM

    About ZIO 2027

    The Indian Association for Research in Computer Science (IARCS) conducts the Zonal Informatics Olympiad (ZIO) annually to assess students' abilities in Computer Science. This is a nationwide competition that is organised to identify school students' skills in algorithms and computer programming.

    • ZIO is open for all students up to Class 12 who are enrolled in schools. There is no age limit to participate in the ZIO 2027 exam. The 
    • ZIO exam is the first round, in which students are selected to appear for the INOI exam.
    • Zonal Informatics Olympiad 2027 is expected to be held in November 2027. 

    Application Form and Admit Card

    • The online registration and application for ZIO 2027 are expected to start from October 2026. Candidates can register online through the official website, www.iarcs.org.in. The last date to register for the ZIO 2027 will be announced soon on the official website.
    • The ZIO admit card will be released a few days before the examination.
    • Students will be able to download the ZIO admit card 2027 by following the instructions sent by IARCS through Email/SMS. 

    Result

    • ZIO results will be announced in December 2026.
    • Selected students can sit for the INOI 2027 examination to be held in February 2027 (expected).
    • The question paper will consist of 4 questions containing 12 'cases' (or sub-questions). Each question carries 20 marks.
    • The test duration is 3 hours. Students have to solve the 80-mark' ZIO 2027 paper in the same.

    Also, read

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    ZIO Exam 2026 - Dates, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern, Result
    ZIO Exam 2026 - Dates, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern, Result

    ZIO 2027 Highlights

    Full Exam Name
    Zonal Informatics Olympiad
    Short Exam Name
    ZIO
    Conducting Body
    Indian Association for Research in Computing Science
    Frequency Of Conduct
    Once a year
    Exam Level
    Intermediate
    Languages
    English
    Mode Of Application
    online
    Application Fee
    Online : 472
    Mode Of Exam
    offline
    Exam Duration
    3 Hours

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    The eligibility criteria for the Zonal Informatics Olympiad state the rules and regulations to be followed by candidates. These are the minimum requirements which candidates should meet to be allowed for ZIO 2027:

    • The candidate must be enrolled in a school in a class between Class 1 and Class 12.
    • All schools and boards across India are accepted.
    • There is no lower age limit for the ZIO 2027 exam.

    Also, check UCO

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    Application forms for ZIO 2027 are expected to be released in October 2026. Students can register individually by submitting an application form in online mode. Below, we have provided the steps to fill out the ZIO 2027 application form:

    • Step 1: Students will have to visit the online portal.
    • Step 2: Click on the guidelines and read all the instructions carefully.
    • Step 3: Click on the register now button and log in/sign up using the required credentials.
    • Step 4: Now, click on the link named "Apply for ZIO".
    • Step 5: It will lead to an application form. Fill in all the details appropriately and submit it.

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    Documents Required at Exam ZIO 2027

    Zonal Informatics Olympiad 2027

    Admit card
    School ID card

    ZIO 2027 Exam Centers

    StateCity
    Gujarat
    Ahmedabad
    Baroda
    Andhra Pradesh
    Visakhapatnam
    Karnataka
    Bangalore
    Uttar Pradesh
    Varanasi
    Lucknow
    Kanpur
    Kerala
    Trivandrum
    Tamil Nadu
    Tiruchirapalli
    Chennai
    Coimbatore
    Madhya Pradesh
    Bhopal
    Odisha
    Bhubneswarpur
    Jharkhand
    Bokaro
    Ranchi
    Chandigarh
    Chandigarh
    Delhi
    New Delhi
    Uttarakhand
    Dehradun
    Assam
    Guwahati
    Maharashtra
    Mumbai City
    Nagpur
    Pune
    Rajasthan
    Jaipur
    Chhattisgarh
    Raipur
    Bihar
    Patna
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    The exam pattern for ZIO 2027 gives information on how the paper is set so that students can study accordingly. It is important for students to go through the ZIO 2027 exam pattern to prepare. 

    • Students will get 5 marks for each part that they solve correctly.
    • If all three parts of a question are solved correctly, then 20 marks will be awarded.

    ZIO Exam Pattern 2027

    Sr. No.QuestionMarks
    1)Question 1 (3 sub-questions)20
    2)Question 2 (3 sub-questions)20
    3)Question 3 (3 sub-questions)20
    4)Question 4 (3 sub-questions)20
    Total4 questions (12 sub-questions)80

    Mock Tests and Sample Question Papers are advised by exam experts for their success in the Zonal Informatics Olympiad. Aspirants must practise sample papers and mock tests before appearing for ZIO 2027 to have an extra edge over the competition. 

    Solving question papers also makes you aware of the exam pattern, syllabus, standard of questions, etc. Some of the most important topics for ZIO 2027 are divided into 'Basic' and 'Advanced' categories:

    Basic Topics :

    • Introduction
    • Efficiency
    • Searching
    • Sorting
    • Basic Graph Algorithm
    • Dynamic Programming
    • Greedy Algorithms 
    •  Computing Shortest Paths
    • Heaps 
    • Permutations
    • Directed Acyclic Graphs
    • Computing Prefix Sums
    • Sliding Window Algorithm

    Advanced Topics :

    • Advanced Graph Algorithms
    • Dynamic Programming on Trees
    • Range Queries
    • Network Flows
    • Games and Strategies
    • Geometry

    Also, check

    Apart from determination and hard work, studying smart is also needed. These are some tips and tricks which may be beneficial in your preparation for ZIO 2027:

    • Study smart, not more: Studying smart is more important than studying more. Get a notebook and write down the complete syllabus. Sort out the topics into categories like 'Prepared, not Prepared, have to revise, etc.' This will give you an overview of the amount of time you need to give to a particular topic and help you study smart.
    • Make a Study Plan: Making a study plan makes you more consistent towards your studies and allows you to give a set amount of time for everything you do. This is important as most of our time is spent doing idle things. Making a study plan diminishes the chance of wasting your precious time.
    • Learn the syllabus: Being aware of the complete syllabus and the important topics is the first step in realising the areas of strongholds and the chinks in the armour of your preparation. Read the syllabus completely and analyse it accordingly.
    • Practice from sample papers and mock tests: Sample papers and mock tests are very important as they help you analyse yourself. After completing a topic, make it strong by giving a mock test or solving a sample paper.
    • Understand the standard of questions and the Exam Pattern: Understanding the standard of questions enables you to prepare for the topics accordingly. Exam pattern and previous year question papers show us that a total of 4 questions will come in the ZIO 2027. These 4 questions are divided into 12 parts (3 parts or sub-questions for one main question). 

    Also, check NSP Portal

    • The ZIO admit card will be released in November 2026.
    • IARCS releases the instructions to download the ZIO admit card 2027. 
    • These instructions are sent to applicants through email/SMS. 
    • Registered students can check their email/SMS to download their ZIO 2027 admit card.

    The Indian Association of Research in Computing Science (IARCS) is expected to release the ZIO results in December 2026 on the official website. Students can access the city-wise lists of selected students to check their results of the Zonal Informatics Olympiad 2027.

    Selected students will move on to the Indian National Olympiad in Informatics, which will lead to the International Olympiad in Informatics Training Camp.

    How to check the ZIO Result 2027?

    • Step 1: Visit the official website iarcs.org.in/inoi/
    • Step 2: Click on the ZIO result 2027 link.
    • Step 3: Check the state-wise list to know if the student has been selected for the next stage or not.
    • Step 4: Download the result and keep it safe.

    Also, check

    ZIO Qualifying Cutoff

    Class

    Male Students

    Female students
    Class 7 or below20 marks or below20 marks or below

    Class 8

    25 marks

    20 marks

    Class 9

    30 marks

    20 marks

    Class 10

    35 marks

    25 marks

    Class 11

    40 marks

    25 marks

    Class 12

    40 marks

    25 marks

    General Information

    Contact Number:

    04471961000

    Relevant Links:

    Official Website Link Click Here, + 1 more
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    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Q: What is ZIO 2027 exam date?
    A:

    The ZIO 2027 exam is expected to be held in November 2026.

    Q: When will ZIO admit card 2027 be released?
    A:

    ZIO admit card 2027 is expected to be released in November 2026. Generally, the admit card is released a few days before the examination.

    Q: What is the next stage after ZIO exam?
    A:

    After the ZIO exam, selected students will appear for the Indian National Olympiad in Informatics (INOI – 2027).

    Q: Where can I appear for ZIO exam 2027?
    A:

    Students can appear for the ZIO 2027 exam at their allotted exam centre. They can check the admit card to know the address of the exam centre.

    Q: Where can I register for ZIO 2027 exam?
    A:

    Students can apply for the ZIO exam 2027 in online mode on iarcs.org.in.

    Q: What is the syllabus for INOI 2027 exam?
    A:

    The second round is the Indian National Olympiad in Informatics (INOI) which involves programming in C++ language.

    Q: How can I download ZIO hall ticket 2027?
    A:

    Students will be able to download the ZIO exam admit card 2027 online by following the instructions sent through Email/SMS.

    Q: What is next stage after INOI 2027 exam?
    A:

    After the INOI exam, 30 students will be selected for the IOI Training Camp (IOITC), which is expected to be organised in May 2027.

    Q: How many questions will be asked in ZIO 2027 exam?
    A:

    A total of 4 questions are asked in the ZIO 2027 exam for 80 marks in total.

    Q: When will ZIO 2027 result be declared?
    A:

    ZIO result 2027 will be declared in December 2026.

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    Questions related to ZIO

    On Question asked by student community

    Have a question related to ZIO ?

    Dear aspirant !

    Hope you are doing well! The registration for zonal informatics Olympiad (ZIO) will be ended on 24th November 2021 till evening ,so you have enough time,if there is some more related query then ask us anytime.

    Hope it helps you !!

    Thank you

    Hello


    If you want to crack ZoI then first you have to be thorough about the syllabus and analyze each topic and figure out your strong points and weak points. Secondly,you have to study wisely and not just go on studying whatever someone suggests. You have to do smart study.

    Hello Aspirant,

    Hope you are doing well.

    At the ZIO, participants are not expected to know any standard algorithms. It is more of a test of the participant's ability to think and solve problems. Hence generally, problems are of an ad-hoc nature. So doing any particular topics is probably not

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