IIT JAM Exam Preparation 2026: Strategy, Study Plan, Tips and Tricks, Time Table

IIT JAM Exam Pattern

The following IIT JAM exam pattern has been released by the Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi, while conducting the IIT JAM 2025 examination. The exam involves three sections with different negative marking rules for each section. The detailed IIT JAM exam pattern is provided below for the reference of the candidates.

IIT JAM Exam 2026 Question Types

Section A – Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ): This section contains 30 questions, each with four answer choices. The candidate needs to select the correct option. Among these, 10 questions carry 1 mark each, while the remaining 20 questions carry 2 marks each.

Section B – Multiple Select Questions (MSQ): In this part, there are 10 questions where each has four answer options. The candidate must select all correct choices for a question to receive full marks. Every question in this section carries 2 marks.

Section C – Numerical Answer Type (NAT): This section includes 20 questions where no options are given. The candidate must enter the answer using the virtual numeric keypad. Out of these, 10 questions carry 1 mark each and the remaining 10 carry 2 marks each.

IIT JAM Preparation Tips

While analysing the IIT JAM previous year question papers, it can be observed that the difficulty level of the IIT JAM examination is increasing. If we go by the latest examination trends, it can be predicted that the IIT JAM 2026 may be slightly even more challenging. Since the candidates have almost 8 months for IIT JAM preparation, it is better to start early and follow a proper IIT JAM preparation schedule. Following the expert-recommended IIT JAM preparation tips and making it a part of the candidate’s preparation journey can be of great help for the candidates to ace the IIT JAM examination by specifically keeping in mind the difficulty level and heavy preparation of the examination. The subject-wise IIT JAM preparation tips by experts are given below for the reference of the candidates.

IIT JAM Preparation Tips: Mathematics

The IIT JAM Mathematics examination 2025 was conducted on 2nd February, 2025. According to the detailed IIT JAM Mathematics analysis, the questions were time-consuming and calculation-heavy. While the IIT JAM Mathematics question paper followed the format of the previous year, a lot of candidates responded that it was slightly easier than the IIT JAM previous year question papers. Some of the essential IIT JAM Mathematics tips that can be followed by the candidates to improve their scores are:

• The first and foremost IIT JAM Mathematics preparation tip is to completely understand the IIT JAM Mathematics syllabus. In the IIT JAM Mathematics question paper, the questions are asked from the topics such as Real Analysis, Linear Algebra, Calculus, Differential Equations, Abstract Algebra, and Vector Calculus. This means that the candidates should be well aware of the IIT JAM Mathematics syllabus and solve as many questions as possible from these topics to gain conceptual understanding.

• Getting the basics clear is one of the important necessities of any Mathematics or computation-related paper. One of the major reasons why the candidates consider the IIT JAM Mathematics question paper difficult is due to the absence of clarity in the concepts. Instead of mugging up formulas and memorising the questions, the candidates should understand the concepts clearly and attempt the questions.

• Regular practice is inevitable for IIT JAM Mathematics success. The candidates must solve as many problems, starting from the easy basic ones, to progressively more difficult ones, to improve their understanding of the concepts. This could very well be vital on the IIT JAM Mathematics exam day.

• One of the most common IIT JAM preparation tips recommended by experts is to solve the previous year's question papers. They provide valuable insights into the IIT JAM exam pattern, and this can be helpful for the candidates to understand the IIT JAM Mathematics examination better.

• During the candidate’s IIT JAM preparation for the Mathematics section, the candidates should prioritise accuracy first and then followed by time management. This is because there exist questions carrying negative marking in the IIT JAM exam.

IIT JAM Mathematics 2026: Key Topics to Focus On

After analysing the previous year’s IIT JAM Mathematics question paper, a set of topics along with their weightage is provided below. The candidates are encouraged to start with these topics for their IIT JAM 2026 preparation.

IIT JAM Mathematics Best Books

IIT JAM Preparation Tips: Physics

The physics domain of the IIT JAM 2025 was of moderate to challenging difficulty. The candidates responded that the multiple-choice questions were the hardest part of the IIT JAM Physics section. All the questions asked under section C were formula-based. Since the syllabus for IIT JAM Physics is extensive and requires a lot of time and dedication to complete, preparing for the Physics domain of the IIT JAM examination is considered challenging. But it is not impossible and can be achieved by following the IIT JAM preparation tips for the Mathematics section. Some of the expert insights into the IIT JAM Physics tips are provided below.

• The thorough analysis of the IIT JAM Physics question paper 2025 reveals that this year’s question paper was slightly more challenging than the previous years, meaning, following the examination trends, the difficulty of the examination may be even higher in 2026. Hence, a systematic approach and a proper study schedule must be kept in place to effectively complete the IIT JAM physics syllabus.

• Understanding the IIT JAM Physics syllabus is also very important. There are a plethora of concepts under the IIT JAM Physics domain. Going through it might be time-consuming and challenging, but it is essential. Start early, devise an achievable IIT JAM Physics timetable and stick to it.

• Memoising all the formulas is also equally important while preparing for the IIT JAM Physics section. This is because IT JAM questions are concept-based rather than formula-based, so clarity is important. Also, having a good knowledge of the formulas can help the candidates to answer the conceptual questions with ease.

• Practising a wide range of numerical questions is also essential for preparing well for the Physics section. Physics is not just theory; solving numerical problems can help candidates apply these concepts easily.

• The candidates should make a point that they solve at least 5-10 previous year question papers, as this can help them to gain a lot of insightful knowledge into the IIT JAM question paper.

• IIT JAM mock tests and IIT JAM sample papers are just as important as the IIT JAM previous papers for Physics. The candidates should always make them a part of their IIT JAM Physics preparation after they have completed the IIT JAM Physics syllabus.

• The candidates should also prioritise revising early.

IIT JAM Physics 2026: Key Topics to Focus On

As we have already discussed, completing the IIT JAM Physics syllabus in time can be challenging. But one effective approach would be to focus on the most important topics before starting with the entire syllabus. This can give the candidates an edge over their counterparts in the examination. Careers360 have analysed the IIT JAM previous year question papers, and the weightage of the topics is listed below.

IIT JAM Physics Best Preparation Books

IIT JAM Preparation Tips: Chemistry

In recent years, the Chemistry domain of the IIT JAM examination has maintained a difficulty level of moderate. The IIT JAM 2025 Chemistry question paper was observed to be of an easy to moderate level of difficulty. Section C, as usual, the one involving the numerical calculations, was deemed to be the most difficult section of the examination. It is essential to note that most of the candidates struggle to score well in the IIT JAM chemistry examination due to the presence of a large number of concepts that must be learnt before attending the examination. Hence, following the expert IIT JAM tips for the Chemistry subject can be really helpful for the candidates.

• The syllabus of the IIT JAM Chemistry examination is broadly classified into 3: organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry and physical chemistry. There are various subtopics and concepts under this that the candidates should go through in order to secure a good IIT JAM score. Starting from now, the candidates should have enough time to complete the entire IIT JAM syllabus for Chemistry and use the time remaining to engage themselves in the IIT JAM Chemistry revision. So, making the wise use of time is essential.

• JAM Chemistry questions are mostly conceptual. Don’t just memorise; understand the "why" behind each concept, especially in Physical and Organic Chemistry.

• Topics like Thermodynamics, Chemical Kinetics, Quantum Chemistry, and Electrochemistry are important, and while analysing the previous year's question papers, this section seems to have a lot of numerical-based questions asked under it. So they must be studied thoroughly.

• In Organic Chemistry, focus on reaction mechanisms, named reactions, and understanding electron movement. Practice drawing mechanisms and identifying intermediates.

• For Inorganic Chemistry, periodic trends, coordination compounds, and chemical bonding are key. Make flashcards or tables for quick revisions.

• Go through IIT JAM Chemistry papers from at least the last 5 years. This helps the candidates to understand the types of questions and important topics, which can help make the candidate’s preparation easier.

IIT JAM Chemistry 2026: Key Topics to Focus On

While analysing the IIT JAM previous year’s Chemistry question papers, the following topics were found to have the highest weightage. Prioritising these concepts and preparing for the examination will be helpful for the overall IIT JAM Chemistry preparation of the candidates.

IIT JAM Chemistry Best Preparation Books

IIT JAM Preparation Tips: Geology

The IIT JAM examination for the Geography subject was also of moderate difficulty. The questions were asked on topics such as Mineralogy and Petrology, Structural Geology, Geophysics, etc. Some of the important IIT JAM Geology preparation tips that can be followed by the candidates include:

• The candidates should go through the complete IIT JAM Geology syllabus. The syllabus includes sections like Earth and Planetary System, Geomorphology, Structural Geology, Palaeontology, Mineralogy, Petrology, Economic Geology, Applied Geology, and Stratigraphy. Go through the official syllabus and mark important topics.

• Topics like Structural Geology and Mineralogy require clear conceptual knowledge. Since Geology is a more theory-oriented subject, a lot of candidates prefer to just memorise the topics instead of understanding them. This must be discouraged, and the candidates should understand the concepts instead of blindly memorising them.

• Geology involves many visual topics. Practice drawing neat and labelled diagrams for fossils, rocks, structures, and geological maps to help with understanding and revision.

• Geology has many technical terms and classifications. Prepare short notes or flashcards with definitions, mineral properties, rock types, and fossil groups for regular revision.

• Practising the IIT JAM Geology previous year question papers is also very important for the candidates to understand the various important topics and prepare themselves for the IIT JAM Geology exam day.

IIT JAM Geology 2026: Key Topics to Focus On

The mst important topics to focus on while preparing for the IIT JAM 2026 examination after the analysis of the IIT JAM previous year question papers are the following:

IIT JAM Geology Best Preparation Books

IIT JAM Previous Year Question Papers

Going through the IIT JAM previous question paper can be very useful for the candidates, as the most recent question papers will provide the candidates with the most important insights into the examination. Since IIT JAM is observed to follow the similar trends of previous examinations, going through the IIT JAM previous question paper can be a game-changer for the candidates.