IIT JAM Exam Pattern, Syllabus, and Application Process

If you're aspiring to pursue a master's degree in science or related fields in IITs, the IIT JAM (Joint Admission Test for Masters) exam is your destination. Conducted by the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), the IIT JAM exam opens doors to some of the most prestigious institutions and programs in the country. In this comprehensive guide, we'll explore everything you need to know about the IIT JAM exam, from eligibility criteria, Admission process, exam pattern, and syllabus breakdown.

What is the IIT JAM Exam?

The IIT JAM exam, Joint Admission Test for Masters by IITs is a nationwide entrance test in India designed to assess a candidate's knowledge and understanding of various science and technology fields. Its primary purpose is to facilitate admissions into postgraduate programs such as M.Sc., M.Sc. - Ph.D. dual degree, and other Master of Technology (M.Tech.) programs at IITs and IISc. This exam serves as a gateway for students seeking a higher education degree in subjects like physics, chemistry, mathematics, biotechnology, geology, and more.

However, when the competition extends into the hundreds of thousands and available seats number in the mere thousands, many aspiring students find themselves facing disappointment as they do not secure a seat in the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). But for those determined to turn their IIT dreams into reality, there is an alternative path - the Joint Admission Test for Masters, more commonly known as JAM. JAM is a nationally recognized examination conducted for admissions to M.Sc. and M.Sc.-Ph.D. programs at various IITs.

IIT JAM Eligibility

Factor

Details

Educational Qualifications

  • For the M.Sc. programs, you should have a bachelor's degree in the respective science discipline or a related field.

  • For M.Sc. - Ph.D. dual degree programs, you must have a bachelor's degree in the science or related field.

  • For M.Tech. programs, you need a relevant bachelor's degree or equivalent.



Minimum Marks

  • Most institutions require a minimum aggregate of 55% or 5.5/10 CGPA (for General/OBC-NCL category candidates). 

  • For SC/ST/PwD candidates, a minimum of 50% or 5.0/10 CGPA is usually required.

Age Limit

There's no specific age limit to appear for the IIT JAM exam.

IIT JAM Admission to Courses

Institute

Main Course 

Sub Course

IITGN, IITB, IITD, IITI, IITJ,IITK, IITM, IITP, IITR, IITRPR


Mathematics (MA)

  • M.Sc. Mathematics

  • M.Sc. Mathematics/ Mathematics and Computing

  • M.Sc.-M.Tech. Dual Degree in Mathematics-Data and Computational Sciences

  • M.Sc. Mathematics and Computing

  • M.Sc. Mathematics and Statistics

  • M.Sc. Applied Mathematics

  • Joint M.Sc.- Ph.D. in Mathematics

IITB, IITK, IITBBS

Mathematical Statistics (MS)

  • M.Sc. Applied Statistics and Informatics

  • M.Sc.- Ph.D. Dual Degree in Operations Research

  • M.Sc. Statistics

  • Joint M.Sc.- Ph.D. in Atmosphere and Ocean Sciences

IITB, IITI, IITKGP

Biotechnology (BT)

  • M.Sc. Biotechnology

  • Joint M.Sc.- Ph.D. in Molecular, Medical Microbiology

  • M.Sc.- Ph.D. Dual Degree in Environmental Science and Engineering

IITGN, IITH, IITI, IITR, IITB, IIT Bhilai, IITBHU, IITD, IITG, IITISM, IITJ, IITK, IITM, IITMandi, IITP, IITRPR, IITPKD, IITBBS, IITKGP, IITBBS

Chemistry (CY)

  • M.Sc. Chemistry

  • Joint M.Sc.- Ph.D. in Chemistry

  • Joint M.Sc.- Ph.D. in Nuclear Medicine

  • M.Sc.- Ph.D. Dual Degree in Energy

  • M.Sc.- Ph.D. Dual Degree in Environmental Science and Engineering

  • Joint M.Sc.- Ph.D. in Atmosphere and Ocean Sciences

IITB, IITR, IITKGP, IITBBS, IITISM

Geology (GG)

  • M.Sc. Applied Geology

  • Joint M.Sc.- Ph.D. in Geophysics

  • Joint M.Sc.- Ph.D. in Geology

  • Joint M.Sc.- Ph.D. in Atmosphere and Ocean Sciences

  • M.Sc.(Tech) in Applied Geology

IITD, IITR

Economics (EN)

  • M.Sc. in Economics

IIT JAM Participating Institutes

  1. IIT Kharagpur
  2. IIT Bombay
  3. IIT Delhi
  4. IIT Madras
  5. IIT Guwahati
  6. IIT Roorkee
  7. IIT Hyderabad
  8. IIT Kanpur
  9. IIT Gandhinagar
  10. IIT Indore
  11. IIT Bhubaneswar
  12. IIT Ropar
  13. IIT Patna
  14. IIT (ISM) Dhanbad
  15. IIT Bhilai
  16. IIT (BHU) Varanasi
  17. IIT Mandi
  18. IIT Jodhpur
  19. IIT Tirupati
  20. NIT Durgapur
  21. NIT Calicut
  22. NIT Agartala
  23. NIT Hamirpur
  24. IISc (Transit Campus), Tirupati

IIT JAM 2024 Important Dates

Events

Dates 2024 (Announced)

The online application form starts

5th September 2023

Last date to apply

13th October 2023

Last date to pay the fee

2nd week of October 2023

Correction facility opens

2nd week of November to 4th week of November 2023

Admit card releases

8th January 2024

Exam Date

11th February 2024

Release of provisional answer key

4th week of February 2024

Challenge against the answer key

4th week of February 2024

Result declaration

22nd March 2024

Availability of Score Card

2nd April 2024

The portal for admission opens

10th April 2023

IIT JAM 2024 Exam Details

Particulars

Details

Exam Mode

Online, Computer Based Test (CBT)

Exam Duration

Three hours

Test Language

English

Type of Questions

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), Multiple Select Questions (MSQs) and Numerical Answer Type (NAT)

Subjects

Biotechnology (BL), Chemistry (CY), Geology (GG), Economics (EN), Mathematics (MA), Mathematical Statistics (MS) and Physics (PH)

Total Questions

60

Total Marks

100 marks

IIT JAM 2024 Exam Pattern

Sections

No. of questions

Type of questions

Total marks

Section 1

30

Multiple choice questions

50

Section 2

10

Multiple choice questions

20

Section 3

20

Numerical answer type questions

30

Total

60 Q’s

100 Marks

IIT JAM Exam Syllabus

Biotechnology

Biology, Chemistry and Mathematics should be prepared to excel in this. Academics should be studied from class 10 to degree level for the biology department. General Biology, Biochemistry and Physiology, Basic Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, and Microbiology chapters should be prepared. Study 10th class, inter, and degree syllabus related to chemistry. Studying Maths and Physics at Inter level is enough.

Chemistry

Basic Mathematical Concepts, Atomic and Molecular Structure, Theory of Gases, Solid State, Chemical Thermodynamics, Chemical and Phase Equilibria, Electrochemistry, Chemical Kinetics, Absorption, Spectometry; Basic concepts of organic chemistry and spectrometry, organic reaction mechanism, synthetic applications, qualitative organic analysis, aromatic and heterocyclic chemistry. Periodic Table, Chemical Bonding, Shapes of Compounds, Main Group Elements, Transition Metals, Bio Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry in Inorganic Chemistry.

Economics

Micro Economics, Macro Economics, Statistics for Economics, Indian Economy, Mathematics for Economics should be studied.

Geology

Emphasis should be placed on Planet Earth, Geomorphology, Structural Geology, Paleontology, Stratigraphy, Mineralogy, Petrology, Economic Geology, Applied Geology. Mathematics

Sequences and Series of Real Numbers, Functions of One/Two/Three Real Variables, Integral Calculus, Differential Equations, Vector Calculus, Group Theory, Linear Algebra, Real Analysis Syllabus should be prepared.

Mathematical Statistics

This paper has 40 percent weightage for Maths and 60 percent for Statistics. In relation to Maths, the chapters on Sequences and Series, Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus, Matrices should be studied. Probability, random variables, standard distribution, joint distribution, sampling distribution, limit theorems, estimation, testing of hypothesis should be studied in statistics.

Physics

Mathematical Methods, Mechanics and General Properties of Matter, Oscillations, Waves and Optics, Electricity and Magnetism, Kinetic Theory, Thermodynamics, Modern Physics, Solid State Physics, Devices and Electronics curriculum should be studied.

Academics are Key

Candidates should arm themselves with the academic books of their chosen subject to excel in the respective papers. Studying Bachelor's level academics is preferable. Similarly, jam old question papers, GATE science subjects old question papers are useful to practice. Candidates should master the concepts and application approaches. Only then you will be prepared to answer any question in the exam hall. This approach is especially useful in the case of multiple select quotations. Experts say that if you study with an application approach, it will be easier to understand the meaning of the question and answer it.

IIT JAM 2023 Application Process

To appear for the IIT JAM exam, you need to complete the online application process. Here are the steps involved:

  • Registration: Visit the official IIT JAM website and register yourself by providing your basic details such as name, email, and mobile number.
  • Fill Application Form: After registration, log in with your credentials and complete the application form. You will need to provide academic and personal details, select the test paper, and choose your preferred examination cities.
  • Upload Documents: You'll be required to upload scanned copies of your photograph, signature, and other relevant documents. Make sure to follow the specified format and size guidelines.
  • Payment of Fees: Pay the application fee through the online payment system. The fee varies based on your category and the number of test papers you choose to appear for.
  • Submission: Once you've filled in all the necessary details and made the payment, submit the application form.
  • Admit Card: After the successful submission of your application, you can download your admit card when it becomes available.