IIT JAM 2026 Physics Syllabus: Topic Wise Syllabus, Exam Pattern & Important Books

Indian Institute of Technology Joint Admission Test for MSc 2026 ( IIT JAM )

shadow

Opening and Closing of Withdrawal Option

3 Jun '26 - 3 Jul '26

Updated on Jan 30, 2026 18:01 IST
Are you preparing for the IIT JAM 2026 physics examination? Wanna pursue a master's degree in IITs and NITs? Read this Shiksha article to get the detailed syllabus for the IIT JAM MSc Physics course. Aspirants can also check the eligibility criteria and exam pattern for the same here.

Are you preparing for IIT JAM 2026 physics examination? Wanna pursue a master's degree in IITs and NITs? Read this Shiksha article to get the detailed syllabus for IIT JAM MSc Physics course. Aspirants can also check eligibility criteria & exam pattern for the same here.

IIT JAM MSc Physics Syllabus

Heads up, future JAM Mathematics test-takers! The key to your JAM 2026 prep lies in the official IIT JAM 2026 syllabus. Unlike the broad and university-specific BSc Physics curriculum, the JAM 2026 syllabus clearly outlines the exact topics you need to master. This focused approach ensures you spend your study time effectively.

IIT JAM 2026 exam will be conducted on February 15, 2026, in two shifts at various exam centres across the nation. Aspiring candidates for JAM 2026 exam should start their IIT JAM 2026 preparation soon to ace the examination and get a seat in their desired IITs. Candidates preparing for IIT JAM 2026 physics course must be aware of IIT JAM syllabus before start preparing for the exam. 

IIT Bombay, the examination conducting authority for IIT JAM 2026 exam has released the JAM 2026 Physics on the official website. Before starting the preparation for MSc Physics course, the ideal strategy for a candidate should be to make a suitable JAM exam preparation plan based on the analysis of the JAM 2026 physics syllabus and exam pattern.

Also Read: IT JAM 2026 Seat Matrix; Course Wise Seats at IITs and NITs 

Table of contents
  • IIT JAM 2026 Physics Exam Pattern
  • IIT JAM 2026 Physics Syllabus
  • IIT JAM 2026 Physics: Eligibility Criteria
  • IIT JAM Physics Books to Read for IIT JAM 2026 Examination
  • Important Topics for IIT JAM 2026

IIT JAM 2026 Physics Exam Pattern

IIT JAM 2026 Physics exam pattern states that each test paper is of three hours duration. In the exam, candidates need to attempt 60 questions, which are of 100 marks of weightage. These 60 questions are divided into three sections: A, B, and C. All these sections are compulsory, and candidates need to attempt questions from all the sections. The medium of instruction for JAM test papers is English. 

The detailed IIT JAM exam pattern 2026 is mentioned in the table below:

Section Type of Questions No of Question
A

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Each question has four choices with one correct answer.

30
B

Multiple Select Questions (MSQs)

Each question has four choices with one or more correct answers.

10
C

Numerical Answer Type (NAT)

The answer for each question is a signed real number that needs to be entered using the virtual numeric keypad on the monitor. No choices will be shown for these questions.

20
Total 60

Also Read: IIT JAM Exam Pattern: Exam Paper Pattern, Marking Scheme & Shift Timings 

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is the syllabus of IIT JAM?
A: 
IIT JAM or the Joint Admission Test for M.Sc. , is an entrance exam conducted by Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) for admission to various postgraduate Science programs. The syllabus for IIT JAM varies depending on the subject you choose to appear for. However, some common topics covered in the IIT JAM syllabus are: 1. Mathematical Statistics: Sequences and Series Differential Calculus Integral Calculus Matrices Probability Random Variables Joint Distributions Sampling distributions Estimation Testing of Hypotheses 2. 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 3. Chemistry: Physical Chemistry Organic Chemistry Inorganic Chemistry 4. Biotechnology: Biology Chemistry (Physical, Organic, and Inorganic) Mathematics Physics 5. Mathematical Sciences: Real Analysis Linear Algebra Complex Analysis Algebra Ordinary Differential Equations (ODE) Partial Differential Equations (PDE) Numerical Analysis Calculus of Variations Probability and Statistics It's important to note that the exact topics and level of difficulty of the questions may vary each year, so it's important to refer to the official IIT JAM syllabus for the specific subject and year you are planning to appear for the exam.
Q:   How can I get the IIT JAM syllabus PDF?
A: 

IIT JAM 2026 syllabus pdf is available on the website, jam2026.iitb.ac.in. The syllabus pdf is available for all seven papers. Students can check the syllabus of IIT JAM to know the important topics for preparation.

IIT JAM 2026 Physics Syllabus

Aspirants preparing for IIT JAM MSc Physics degree programme should start their preparation according to the Physics syllabus mentioned below:

Mathematical Methods: Calculus of single and multiple variables, partial derivatives, Jacobian, imperfect and perfect differentials, Taylor expansion, Fourier series. Vector algebra, Vector Calculus, Multiple integrals, Divergence theorem, Green’s theorem, Stokes’ theorem. First-order equations and linear second-order differential equations with constant coefficients. Matrices and
determinants, Algebra of complex numbers.
Mechanics and General Properties of Matter: Newton’s laws of motion and applications, Velocity and acceleration in Cartesian, polar and cylindrical coordinate systems, uniformly rotating frame, centrifugal and Coriolis forces, Motion under a central force, Kepler's Law of Motion, Gravitational Law and field, Conservative and non-conservative forces. System of particles, Center of mass, equation of motion of the CM, conservation of linear and angular momentum, conservation of energy, and variable mass systems. Elastic and inelastic collisions. Rigid body motion, fixed axis rotations, rotation and translation, moments of Inertia and products of Inertia, parallel and perpendicular axes theorem. Principal moments and axes. Kinematics of moving fluids, equation of continuity, Euler’s equation, Bernoulli’s theorem.
Oscillations, Waves and Optics: Differential equation for simple harmonic oscillator and its general solution. Superposition of two or more simple harmonic oscillators. Lissajous figures. Damped and forced oscillators, resonance. Wave equation, travelling and standing waves in one dimension. Energy density and energy transmission in waves. Group velocity and phase velocity. Sound waves in media. Doppler Effect. Fermat’s Principle. General theory of image formation. Thick lens, thin lens and lens combinations. Interference of light, optical path retardation. Fraunhofer diffraction. Rayleigh criterion and resolving power. Diffraction gratings. Polarization: linear, circular and elliptic polarization. Double refraction and optical rotation. Additionally, refer to the equation of SHM
Electricity and Magnetism: Coulomb’s law, Gauss’s law. Electric field and potential. Electrostatic boundary conditions, Solution of Laplace’s equation for simple cases. Conductors, capacitors,
dielectrics, dielectric polarization, volume and surface charges, electrostatic energy. Biot-Savart law, Ampere’s law, Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction, Self and mutual inductance.
Alternating currents. Simple DC and AC circuits with R, L and C components. Displacement current, Maxwell’s equations and plane electromagnetic waves, Poynting’s theorem, reflection and
refraction at a dielectric interface, transmission and reflection coefficients (normal incidence only). What is Magnetic Force, Lorentz Force and motion of charged particles in electric and magnetic fields. 
Kinetic Theory, Thermodynamics: Elements of Kinetic theory of gases. Velocity distribution and Equipartition of energy. Specific heat of Mono-, di- and tri-atomic gases. Ideal gas, van-der-Waals gas and equation of state. Mean free path. Laws of thermodynamics. Zeroth law and concept of thermal equilibrium. First law and its consequences. Isothermal and adiabatic processes.
Reversible, irreversible and quasi-static processes. Second law and entropy. Carnot cycle. Maxwell’s thermodynamic relations and simple applications. Thermodynamic potentials and their
applications. Phase transitions and Clausius-Clapeyron equation. Ideas of ensembles, Maxwell-Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein distributions.
Modern Physics: Inertial frames and Galilean invariance. Postulates of special relativity. Lorentz transformations. Length contraction, time dilation. Relativistic velocity addition theorem, mass-energy  equivalence. Blackbody radiation, photoelectric effect, Compton effect, Bohr’s atomic model, X-rays. Wave-particle duality, Uncertainty principle, the superposition principle, calculation of expectation values, Schrödinger equation and its solution for one, two and three-dimensional boxes. Solution of Schrödinger equation for the one-dimensional harmonic oscillator. Reflection
and transmission at a step potential, Pauli exclusion principle. Structure of atomic nucleus, mass and binding energy. Radioactivity and its applications. Laws of radioactive decay.
Solid State Physics, Devices and Electronics: Crystal structure, Bravais lattices and basis. Miller indices. X-ray diffraction and Bragg's law; Intrinsic semiconductor and extrinsic semiconductors, variation of resistivity with temperature. Fermi level. p-n junction diode, I-V characteristics, Zener diode and its applications, BJT: characteristics in CB, CE, CC modes. Single-stage amplifier, two-stage R-C coupled amplifiers. Simple Oscillators: Barkhausen condition, sinusoidal oscillators. OPAMP and applications: Inverting and non-inverting amplifier. Boolean algebra: Binary number systems; conversion from one system to another system; binary addition and subtraction. Logic Gates AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR exclusive OR; Truth tables; combination of gates; de Morgan’s theorem.

IIT JAM 2026 Physics: Eligibility Criteria

Candidates can check the minimal eligibility criteria for enrolling in the MSc Physics course below:

Test Paper Code Academic Programmes Institutes Minimal Educational Qulaifucation for Admissions
Physics (PH) MSc Physics IIT Bhilai, IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Dhanbad, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore, IIT Jammu, IIT Jodhpur, IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, IIT Mandi, IIT Patna, IIT Roorkee, IIT Ropar, IIT Varanasi BSc/BS degree with Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters.
No restrictions for engineering degrees.

Joint MSc‐ PhD

IIT Bhubaneswar BSc/BS degree with Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters.
No restrictions for engineering degrees.

MSc Applied Geophysics

IIT Bombay Physics and Mathematics/ Mathematical Physics for two years/four semesters and at least one of them as subject for three years/six semesters.

MSc Physics

IIT Gandhinagar, IIT Palakkad No restrictions

Joint MSc‐ PhD

IIT Kharagpur B.Sc. degree with at least 4 Physics subjects and 2 Mathematics Subjects

Candidates can check out the JAM 2026 eligibility criteria in detail from here: IIT JAM Eligibility Criteria 2026: Know Educational Qualification and Age limit 

Staying updated about the latest educational events is just a click away
Enter Mobile Number

Explore more Science exams with upcoming dates

Round 2 Seat Allotment Announcement

22 Jun '26

Rajasthan Pre PG 2026 Display ...

25 Jun '26

ICAR AIEEA PG 2026 Exam

4 Jul '26

TIFR GS 2026 Session Starts

1 Aug '26

MCAER PG CET 2026 Result

3 Jul '26

IIT JAM Physics Books to Read for IIT JAM 2026 Examination

Books that aspirants should consider while preparing IIT JAM MSc Physics course are as mentioned below:

Name of Book

Author

Thermal Physics: Heat & Thermodynamics

HP Roy & AB Gupta

Fundamentals of Statistical Mechanics & Thermal Physics

F Reif

Mathematical Methods in The Physical Sciences

Mary L Boas

Advanced Engineering Mathematics

Erwin Kreyszig

Waves and Oscillations

Brij Lal & N Subrahmanyam

Waves and Oscillations

NK Bajaj

Classical Mechanics

JC Upadhyaya

An Introduction to Mechanics

Kleppner and Kolenkow

Introduction to Quantum Mechanics

David J Griffiths

Nuclear Physics

DC Tayal

Also Read: Important Topics and Best Books for IIT JAM Physics Paper

IIT JAM 2026 Student Reactions

The JAM 2026 exam will be held on February 15, 2026, at various exam centres across the country. For better preparation and knowledge of the JAM exam difficulty level, candidates appearing for IIT JAM 2026 exam can check out the previous year student reaction video from here:

The students found that IIT JAM Physics questions were lengthy this year, and it took more time to solve them. Section C was more time-consuming in nature and overall, it can result in a decrease in the cutoff from last year. Aspirants preparing for IIT JAM 2026 exam must start their preparation soon to ace the examination and get into their desired college or university. IIT JAM MSc Physics exam syllabus includes the topics studied in UG of Physics course. The UG Physics course is very vast and contains topics like Wave optics, Electromagnetism, Mechanics, Electromagnetic Theory, etc.

Also Read: Check Year Wise IIT JAM Student Reaction and Difficulty Level from Here

IIT JAM 2026 Physics (PH) Important Topics

Candidates can go through important topics that they should study to score well in IIT JAM exam in the table mentioned below:

Topic Weightage
Oscillation and wave optics 9-10
Modern Physics 6-7
Mathematical Physics 7-10
Electricity and Magnetism 10-11
Solid state, Devices and Elements 10-12
Mechanics and General Properties of Matter 12-15
Kinematic 10-12

Also Read: How to prepare for IIT JAM Physics: Check Important Topics and Books here 

Joint Admission test for Masters (JAM) has been established as a benchmark for undergraduate level Science education in the country from last two decades. The objective of JAM is to provide admissions to Post- graduate Degree Programmes and to consolidate Science as a career option for the students across the country. These programmes offer high-quality education in
their respective disciplines, comparable to the best in the world. The curricula for these programmes are designed to provide the students with opportunities to develop academic talent leading to challenging and rewarding professional lives. The interdisciplinary content of the curricula enables the students with the ability to utilise scientific knowledge for practical applications. These programmes are open to all eligible students irrespective of their nationality. The medium of instruction is English for all the programmes.

Important Topics for IIT JAM 2026

Aspirants can go through the list of important topics for IIT JAM 2026 exam for all test papers in the table below:

IIT JAM 2026: Important Topics for Biotechnology (BL)

Subject

Topics

Biology (10+2+3 level)

General Biology

Biochemistry and Physiology

Basic Biotechnology

Molecular Biology

Cell Biology

Microbiology

Read more

Candidates appearing for IIT JAM 2026 can go through the links:

IIT JAM Exam Pattern IIT JAM Preparation IIT JAM Question Papers

Read More:

About the Author

Rakshit Prabhakar is a content writer with 2 years of experience. He is an alumnus of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University, where he did Bachelor in Journalism and Mass Communication. This gives him a solid bas

Read Full Bio
Download Important Dates for Science Exams

News & Updates

Latest NewsPopular News

Explore Other Exams

1 Aug '26

TIFR GS 2026 Session Starts

Feb '26

TIFR GS 2026 Final Result

1 Oct '23

JUET 2023 results

20 Sep '23

JUET 2023 answer key objection...

Jul '26

CUET UG 2026 Result

21 Jun '26

CUET UG 2026 Final Answer Key

24 Jun '26

NEST 2026 Exam Result

25 Jun '26 -

25 Dec '26

NEST 2026 Exam Result

20 Feb '26 -

19 Mar '26

MGU CAT 2026 Registration

20 Jun '25

MGU CAT 2026 result

Jun '26

PU CET (UG) 2026 Counselling P...

May '26

PU CET (UG) 2026 Result

Sep '26

SPSAT 2026 admit card

Sep '26

SPSAT 2026 exam date

The list of exams are recommended based on what other exams do the students in your area show interest in
qna

Student Forum

chatAnything you would want to ask experts?
Write here...

Answered 17 hours ago

Yes, you can get into IIT Hyderabad with a rank of 400 if you belong to the OBC AI category. For this category, the round 3 cutoff ranged from 454 to 707

Students can check the table below to know which branches are available.

CourseIIT Hyderabad MSc cutoff 2026
M.Sc. in Chemistry566
M.Sc. in Physics707
M.Sc. in Mathematics454

The IIT Hyderabad JAM cutoff 2026 was released till round 3 for various M

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 18 hours ago

The IIT Indore MSc cutoff 2026 was released till round 3 for various All India quota categories. For the MSc in Physics course, the cutoff (Round 1 to Round 3) ranged from 420 to 420 for the General AI category. 

Students can see the table below to know the IIT Indore MSc cutoff 2026 for different Al

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 20 hours ago

The IIT Kharagpur MSc cutoff 2026 ranged from 337 to 2485 in the first round. The IIT Kharagpur cutoff 2026 was released for the first round for several AI quota categories for admission to the MSc courses. 

As per the first round, MSc + PhD in Geology and MSc + PhD in Nuclear Medicine were the most

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 5 days ago

IIT Mandi MSc cutoff 2026 has been released for various specialisations, including Chemistry. For the General AI category, the Round 3 closing rank for admission was 515. To check out the category-wise break-up, refer to the table below: 

CategoryIIT JAM Cutoff 2026 
General515
OBC726
SC1876
ST4047
EWS728

 

R

Rashmi Sinha

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 weeks ago

Yes, you could get into IIT Palakkad for the MSc course admission, with a cutoff rank of 700 if you belong to the OBC category under the All India quota. 

For this category, the IIT Palakkad cutoff 2026 was published for round 1. The first round cutoff varied between 759 and 1019. Students can refer

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 weeks ago

IIT Palakkad cutoff 2026 was released for round 1 regarding MSc course admission. The cutoff was published for various All India quota categories. 

For the General AI category, the first round cutoff ranged from 614 to 665. To know the IIT Palakkad category-wise cutoff 2026, students can refer to the

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 weeks ago

Yes, you could get into IIT Mandi for the MSc course with a rank of 700 if you belong to the OBC AI category. According to the IIT Mandi cutoff 2026 for round 1, the maximum rank accepted for the OBC AI category was 868. Hence, a rank of 700 might get you a seat at IIT Mandi for the PG-level course.

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 weeks ago

IIT Mandi JAM cutoff 2026 was published for admission to the MSc and Integrated MSc courses for round 1. The cutoff has been released for various All India quota categories. 

For the General AI category, the first round cutoff ranged from 407 to 449. To know the IIT Mandi category-wise cutoff 2026, s

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 weeks ago

Yes, you could get into IIT Bombay for the MSc courses with a rank of 500 if you belong to the General AI category. According to the IIT Bombay cutoff 2026 for round 1, General AI category students can opt for 2 courses. To know which refer to the table below. 

CourseIIT Bombay cutoff 2026 
M.Sc. + Ph.D. in Energy Science and Engineering582
M.Sc.+ Ph.D. in Environmental Science and Engineering710

Note: Students who belong to the OBC, S

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 weeks ago

IIT Bombay cutoff 2026 was published for admission to the MSc and Integrated MSc courses for round 1. The cutoff was published for various All India categories in the form of ranks. 

For the General AI category, the first round cutoff ranged from 15 to 710. To know the round 1 cutoff for all other ca

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10