If you are preparing for OMI 2026, first determine which category you will enter.
Although the competition has the same name, the science and research categories differ in eligibility and initial procedures.
Regional madrasas have begun preparations not only for student problem-solving but also for distributing guidelines and handling administrative requirements.
3-Line Summary
1. OMI 2026 is a student competition for madrasas
2. The science and research categories have different eligible participants
3. Science uses staged selection, while research begins with a proposal
‘OMI’ Is a Competition With Two Categories, Not a Single Exam
OMI stands for Olimpiade Madrasah Indonesia, or Indonesia’s madrasah student competition. According to Tirto.id, the 2026 OMI consists of two fields: OMI Science and OMI Research. Thinking of it simply as one type of Olympiad can lead to choosing the wrong eligibility criteria and starting point for preparation.
The science category is open to MI·MTs·MA students. By contrast, the research category is for MTs and MA students. Preparing MI-level students for the research category does not fit this distinction. This is why it is important to first confirm which educational level the student belongs to before deciding which problem books to use.
The science category uses a staged selection process progressing through the educational institution, regency/city, province, and national levels. Each educational institution determines the format of the examination at the first school-level stage. The research category, by contrast, begins with the submission of a research proposal. Even within OMI, one side requires passing through successive examination stages, while the other requires preparing a proposal from the outset.
The science category was introduced as connecting science and technology with Islamic values, pure science, and the perspective of local culture. Participants are expected to understand and analyze materials, interpret experimental results, and find solutions to complex problems. It is difficult to view the format as merely a test of memorized concepts.
MI Math Practice Problems Include Everyday Calculations
The science category for the MI level generally includes Integrated Mathematics and Integrated IPAS. The math practice problems introduced by Tirto.id included time calculations, fractions, averages, ratios, discounts, distance, and percentages. This shows why practice is needed in reading numerical information and conditions within sentences, rather than repeatedly studying only one unit.
One example asks what time someone arrives after departing at 3:35 a.m. and traveling for 12 minutes. Another asks students to find the remaining number when four of five numbers are known and their average is 26. The calculations are also connected to everyday situations, such as the price after a 15% discount on an item costing 80,000 rupiah (80000), and the number of students equivalent to 3/8 of a group of 32.
A question asking for the shortest distance after traveling 250m east and then 150m north requires not only calculation but also converting a situation into a geometric relationship. A problem asking for the proportion of female students in a group consisting of 18 boys and 12 girls follows the same approach. The published questions are practice materials and do not mean that the actual examination questions have been finalized.
Even so, these materials show that preparing by looking only at mathematics may not be sufficient. The scope emphasized by the OMI science category includes data analysis, interpretation of experimental results, problem-solving, and innovative solutions that can be applied. Reviewing Integrated IPAS as well is more consistent with the science category’s description.
Simeulue and Tanggamus Prepare to Communicate the Guidelines
The Regional Office of the Ministry of Religious Affairs (Kemenag Simeulue) in Simeulue, Aceh, held a meeting on September 3 with the heads of MI·MTs·MA madrasas. The agenda included confirmation letters for renewing BOS school operational assistance funds, OMI, and preparations for the 2026 madrasah anniversary celebration. The event emphasized digitally updating institutional data and strengthening administrative accountability.
Sudirman, an education official at the Simeulue Ministry of Religious Affairs office, requested that principals and administrative officers strengthen cooperation in updating institutional data and managing BOS administration. Another education official, Abusmar, encouraged madrasas to improve students’ abilities and their preparation for various activities and competitions. These were requests and expectations from officials in the area, not an announcement confirming any particular student’s participation or results.
The education division of the Tanggamus Ministry of Religious Affairs office also participated online in an information session on the OMI 2026 technical guidelines held on August 27. The session was introduced as an opportunity to fully understand the operating guidelines and align implementation standards at madrasas. Its theme was “Islam, Science, and Ecotheology,” and it presented a direction aimed at fostering students’ talents, innovation, and interest in the environment together.
The first question to answer regarding OMI 2026 is not which math problems to solve, but whether the category is science or research. The available choices also differ depending on whether the student is in MI or MTs·MA. Math practice problems are one part of preparing for the science category, while the research category has a separate starting point: the proposal.
References
Tags #OMI #OMI2026 #OlimpiadeMadrasahIndonesia #MadrasahOlympiad #IndonesianMinistryofReligiousAffairs #OMIScience #OMIResearch #MIMathematics #IntegratedMathematics #IPAS #MathPracticeProblems #ResearchProposal #Madrasah