10 Reasons Why JEE Advanced is One of the Toughest Exams in the World
Joint Entrance Exam - Advanced 2026 ( JEE Advanced )
What makes JEE Advanced one of the toughest exams in the world? Let's analyse some of the major factors that have led JEE Advanced to be known as a challenging exam to crack.
Why is JEE Advanced Considered One of the Toughest Exams in the World
JEE Advanced - Toughest Exam in the World: Factors like advanced syllabus, multi-concept questions, pressure, competition, etc, have made JEE Advanced one of the toughest exams not only in India but also in the world. As per various sources, JEE Advanced stands second in toughness level after Gaokao, which is the National College Entrance Examination in China.
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JEE Advanced is held at the national level with an average pass percentage of just around 18%. Around 1.8 lakh candidates take the exam every year for admission to one of the 23 IITs that offer somewhere around 18000 seats. Know what major factors determine the toughness of the exam on this page below.
You can prepare for all entrance tests at same time. It is a tough task but not impossible. For this a proper strategy is required. Here are some important tips.
- Compare the syllabus: All engineering entrance exams have almost the same syllabus. There might be some additional topics in some exams. The aspirant must study the syllabus for all exams and find out the topics that are extra, and prepare those separately. Almost 90% of the topics will be common for all entrance exams, and hence, syllabus completion for one exam will lead to completion of the syllabus for all the exams.
- Prepare for JEE Mains and incorporate the preparation for all other exams: Apart from JEE Advanced, all the exams are pretty straightforward for a well-prepared candidate. JEE Advanced require a higher level of preparation as the questions are multi-conceptual. However, the state-level entrance exams, and exams like BITSAT, VITEEE, etc., have direct questions. Most of the questions in JEE Mains are also direct and require the application of basic concepts. Hence, the candidates must prepare for one exam, like JEE Mains, that will cover their preparation for all other exams.
- JEE Advanced needs extra effort: For JEE Advanced candidates must focus on time management and building exam day temperament. Learn how to apply multiple concepts to a question.
The bottom line is to prepare for JEE Mains to cover the preparation for all other CETs and exams like BITSAT and VITEEE. For JEE Advanced, work on sharpening your skills of time management, stress handling, multiple concept application, speed and accuracy.
So far no student has ever scored full marks in JEE Advanced signifies exam's difficulty level. Highest marks one has achieved to date in JEE Advanced are 355 marks out of 360. Ved Lahoti scored these marks in 2024.
Which are the Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World?
Here are the top 10 toughest exams in the world according to various sources:
- Gaokao Exam, China
- IIT JEE Advanced Exam, India
- UPSC Exam, India
- Mensa Exam, UK
- GRE (Graduate Record Examination) America
- CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) USA
- CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert)
- GATE Exam, India
- USMLE Exam, America
- California Bar Exam
Why is JEE Advanced Considered the Second Toughest Exam in The World?
The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced exam is the only gateway to IIT admissions. To be eligible for JEE Advanced, candidates have to first qualify the JEE Main exam. In JEE Main, around 15 lakh candidates appear and of them top 2.5 lakh candidates are selected for JEE Advanced. Out of these 2.5 lakh candidates, 1.8 lakh appear for JEE Advanced and around 50,000 qualify. The 50,000 candidates who qualify compete to get a seat in one of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
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Here are some of the factors that make JEE Advanced one of the toughest exams in the world:
Extensive syllabus: The candidates who want to crack JEE Advanced have to get hold of the JEE Main syllabus along with the JEE Advanced syllabus. Hence, the topics and chapters that the candidates have to study for the exam are vast. The candidates have to prepare from the basics to the advanced concepts included in the syllabus of IIT JEE for subjects like Maths, Physics and Chemistry.
High level of conceptual understanding is needed: Candidates need to practice and have a strong hold of the concepts of all the topics asked in the JEE Advanced exam. Direct and simple questions are not asked in the exam. All questions in the exam are mostly multi-concept based, which requires the candidates to have a good understanding of the basics and their applications to solve questions.
There is no seperate rank list released for JEE Advanced. The rank of the candidates in All India category and in the respective category of the candidate is meantioned on the result itslef.
Tough Competition: The competition in JEE Advanced is fierce. Check below the data from previous years to get an overview of the stiff competition faced by lakhs of candidates every year:
| Year |
Number of students appeared in JEE Mains |
Number of JEE Main candidates qualified for Advanced |
Number of candidates appeared |
Number of qualified candidates |
Seats in IITs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 |
14,75,103 |
2,50,236 |
1,80,422 |
54,378 | 18,160 |
| 2024 |
14,15,110 |
2,50,284 |
1,80,200 |
48,248 |
17,740 |
| 2023 |
11,13,325 |
2,50,255 |
1,80,372 |
43,769 |
17,340 |
| 2022 |
9,05,590 |
2,62,175 |
1,55,538 |
40,712 |
16,635 |
| 2021 |
9,39,008 |
2,50,186 |
1,41,699 |
41,862 |
16,296 |
| 2020 |
10,23,000 |
2,50,681 |
1,50,838 |
43,204 |
16,061 |
| 2019 |
11,47,125 |
2,45,194 |
1,61,319 |
38,705 |
13,604 |
| 2018 |
10,43,000 |
2,31,024 |
1,55,158 |
31,988 |
12,069 |
| 2017 |
11,22,351 |
2,21,834 |
1,59,540 |
51,040 |
- |
| 2016 |
11,28,633 |
1,98,228 |
1,47,678 |
36,566 |
10,576 |
Dynamic exam pattern: The exam pattern of JEE Advanced keeps changing every year. This makes the exam unconventional and full of surprises. Also, the types of questions asked in the exam are very different from any other typical exam, like numerical value questions, match the following, assertion & reasoning, and paragraph-type questions. The exam also has negative marking that leaves no scope for guesswork.
Pressure for performance and time management: JEE Advanced questions are tough and require critical analysis and thinking. And when the time is limited, there is a lot of pressure to complete the exam on time. There are two papers in the exam that have 180 questions. These 180 questions have to be solved in 6 hours. This battle with time makes the exam more challenging for the candidates.
All the above factors and some other factors, like family expectations, add to the toughness of the JEE Advanced exam. If you want to understand how students prepare for JEE Advanced, you can watch Kota Factory and Super 30 for some motivation!
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
Candidates should ideally try to solve at least 3 previous year JEE question papers per week. However, candidates can also increase the frequency of this to 5 to 6 papers per week, one month before the exam. Candidates should also assess their performance after solving each JEE Advanced question pap
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a week ago
Well, becoming a rocket scientist is a long-term commitment, and it depends on your education path and goals It takes almost 5 to 6 years with a bachelor's and 8 to 12 years if you want to study higher. Here below is how long it usually takes:
- Bachelor's degree: You have to study aeronautical enginee
M
Beginner-Level 2
Answered a week ago
Who work on the rocket-propelled vehicles, they apply the principles of Mathematics, Physics, and Material Science to solve challenges related to these vehicles. Rocket Scientists are involved in the process of design and development of the vehicles such as small drones, satellites, and commercial a
L
Beginner-Level 2
Answered a week ago
Yes, this field is considered hard. It is complex and demands high precision. There can be extreme consequences for minor errors. The overall field is extremely challenging as it requires to apply the basic scientific principles to design and develop rockets. It requires sophisticated engineering wi
P
Beginner-Level 2
Answered a week ago
The following are the qualification which can help you to become a rocket scientist:
· Bachelor's Degree such as B.Tech/B.E can take up to four years to complete.
· You can do a two years Master's Degree M.Tech/M.E./M.S. after graduation.
· For advanced level study in this field, you
C
Beginner-Level 2
Answered a week ago
There can't be a straightforward answer to this question. The salary package differs as per the experience, location and employer. In India, one can expect somewhere between Rs 10 Lacs to Rs 43.5 Lacs annual salary. In US, it can range between $65,000 to $118,000.
Y
Beginner-Level 2
Answered 2 weeks ago
Well, that's great, as you are preparing for JEE Advanced Physics. From my research, I would like to recommend some of the books and resources that will help you learn the basics and understand the concept:
1. Concept of Physics (Vol 1 and 2) by H.C. Verma
2. Understanding Physics Series by D.C. Pande
M
Beginner-Level 2
Answered a month ago
To be eligible for JEE Advanced JoSAA counselling:
- Candidates should have JEE Advanced rank
- Candidates must have passed class 12 or equivalent exam
- Candidates should have studied Physics, Chemistry and Maths in class 12
- In class 12, canmdidates must have score 75% aggregate marks or must be in top 20 p
Y
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
No, your candidature will be rejected as you need to have minimum of 75% in class 12 to be eligible for admisison to the IITs, NIT, IIITs and GFTIs via the JoSAA counselling. Even if you pass JEE Advanced and JEE Main, of you do not have 75% minimum marks in class 12 boards you will no get admission
V
Contributor-Level 6
Answered a month ago
Devdutta Majhi was the female topper in JEE Advanced 2025. She has scored 312 marks out of 360 marks and got anm all India rank of 16.
A
Contributor-Level 6
Preparation for JEE Advanced begins by knowing exam syllabus. Every student must follow syllabus. Once preparation is done then start solving previous year questions for self-assessment. This will give an overview of your preparation.