Opportunity brief
About the Competition:
Quantathon '26 Powered by T.I.M.E Chennai is the flagship joint quantitative competition hosted by Pareto, the Economics Club of IIT Madras, and the Giffen Club of Madras School of Economics (MSE). This high-intensity online contest pushes participants beyond theoretical economics into core quantitative methods, mathematical modeling, econometrics, and game theory under strict time constraints across two rounds. If you thrive on optimizing payoff matrices and analyzing stochastic models, this is your battleground.
Key Topics:
The syllabus spans
- Mathematical economics: Constrained and unconstrained optimization, differential equations, linear algebra, real analysis
- Econometrics and statistics: Regression models, hypothesis testing, probability distributions, stochastic processes
- Microeconomics and Game Theory: Nash equilibrium, strategic form games, information economics, general equilibrium analysis
- Macroeconomic modeling: Growth models, dynamic optimization, quantitative macro principles
Structure & Format:
- Round 1 (Preliminary Qualifier): A 30-minute, 20–25 question MCQ/MSQ test on the Unstop Assessment Platform, testing speed, accuracy, and foundational concepts.
- Correct answers earn +3 marks, incorrect MCQs carry a -1 penalty, and MSQs require all correct options for credit. Top scorers advance to next Round.
- Round 2 (Main Final Round): A 45–60 minute test with advanced MCQs, MSQs, and Numerical Value Answer questions, focused on in-depth econometric modeling and multi-step derivation. This round is exclusive to Round 1 qualifiers and determines the final winners.
Rewards & Prizes:
- Winner (1st Rank): Cash Prize of ₹10,000 + Certificate of Excellence
- 1st Runner-Up (2nd Rank): Cash Prize of ₹6,000 + Certificate of Excellence
- 2nd Runner-Up (3rd Rank): Cash Prize of ₹4,000 + Certificate of Excellence
- All Participants will receive Official Certificate of Participation jointly issued by IIT Madras
Eligibility & Rules:
Open to undergraduate and postgraduate students from any recognized Indian institution. Students from Engineering, Economics, Mathematics, Statistics, Finance, and Data Science backgrounds are strongly encouraged to apply. Participation is individual; cross-college and cross-specialization entries are welcome. Timers run continuously once started and cannot be paused. Plagiarism, unauthorized material, or tab-switching leads to immediate disqualification. Ties are broken by submission time, and the organizing committee's decisions are final.