IIT JAM 2026 Exam Pattern: Exam Paper Pattern, Marking Scheme & Shift Timings

Q: What type of questions will be asked in IIT JAM examination?

IIT JAM exam will be conducted for 7 subjects, and the examination pattern is divided in such a way that the examination will have 60 questions. These 60 questions have the following types: Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) – 30 questions Each question has four choices with one correct answer. Multiple Select Questions (MSQs) – 10 questions Each question has four choices with one or more correct answers. Numerical Answer Type (NAT) – 20 questions 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.

Q: What is the duration of IIT JAM 2026?

A. IIT JAM is of three hours duration. The national-level Science entrance exam will be conducted in two sessions, which are as follows: Session-I (9 AM to 12 noon) for the following JAM Test Papers- Chemistry (CY), Geology (GG) and Mathematics (MA) Session-II (2.30 PM to 5.30 PM) for the following JAM Test Papers- Economics (EN), Biotechnology (BT), Physics (PH) and Mathematical Statistics (MS)

Q: What are the other miscellaneous information about IIT JAM examination pattern?

In all sections, questions not attempted will result in zero marks. There is no provision for partial marking. The candidates are required to select the answer (s) for MCQ and MSQ type questions using the mouse. The answer for NAT questions must be entered using a mouse on a virtual numeric keypad. The keyboard of the computer will be disabled. There is a provision for using an online virtual calculator. Candidates are not allowed to bring their own calculators. A scribble pad will be provided for rough work. Candidates have to write their name and registration number before using it. The scribble pad has to be returned at the end of the examination. The examination will end automatically after the stipulated time. Candidates are required to adhere to the code of conduct specified in Annexure III (Code of Conduct).

Q: How many questions are asked in IIT JAM?

IIT Madras, the examination-conducting body, will be conducting IIT JAM 2026 for the academic year 2026-2027. Aspirants of IIT JAM 2026 examination must go through the exam pattern carefully before starting the preparation. The JAM 2026 examination will be conducted in such a way that the question paper for each subject will have 60 questions. These 60 questions will be in the format of MCQ, MSQ and NAT type.

Q: Do all test papers in IIT JAM follow the same 3-hour, 100-mark format?

Yes, all IIT JAM papers follow the same 3-hour, 100-mark format. This structure applies in all seven disciplines, which include 60 questions divided into three sections. All papers are computer-based and presented in English, and every section is mandatory for all candidates.

Q: Will marks be deducted for unanswered questions in IIT JAM 2026?

According to the IIT JAM 2026 exam pattern, there will be no deduction of marks for unanswered questions. Such questions will not be taken into consideration while calculating the total marks of a candidate. Hence, if candidates are not sure about the answer of a question, it is better to leave it unattempted rather than doing guessworkto avoid negative marking. Also, candidates are advised to revise the JAM exam sheet on the computer screen before submitting it.

Q: What type of questions Section A of IIT JAM exam has?

JAM 2025 Examination for all the Test Papers will be conducted as a Computer Based Test (CBT) where the candidates will be shown the questions in a random sequence on a computer screen. Section - A contains a total of 30 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) involving 10 questions of one mark each and 20 questions of two marks each. Each MCQ has four choices out of which only one choice is the correct answer. Candidates can mark their answer by clicking one of the choices. A wrong answer will result in negative marks. For each wrong answer to 1 mark questions, 1/3 mark will be deducted and similarly for each wrong answer to 2 marks questions, 2/3 mark will be deducted.

Q: What type of questions does Section B of IIT JAM exam have?

JAM 2026 Examination will be conducted in SEVEN subjects, also referred to as Test Papers; Biotechnology (BT), Chemistry (CY), Economics (EN), Geology (GG), Mathematics (MA), Mathematical Statistics (MS), and Physics (PH). The medium for all the Test Papers is English only. JAM 2026 examination pattern is divoded in such a way that the exam will be conducted in the form of three sections ie., Section A, B and C. Section - B contains a total of 10 Multiple Select Questions (MSQs) carrying two marks each. Each MSQ is similar to MCQ but with the difference that MSQ may have one or more than one correct choice (s) out of the four given choices. The candidate is awarded full credit only if all the correct answer (s) and no wrong answers are selected. Candidates can mark the answer (s) by clicking the choice (s). There is no negative marking or partial marking for MSQ.

Q: What type of question does Section C of IIT JAM exam has?

There will be a total of 60 questions carrying a total of 100 marks. The entire paper will be divided into three sections, A, B and C. All sections are compulsory. Questions in each section will be of different types as given below: Section - C contains a total of 20 Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions involving 10 questions of one mark each and 10 questions of two marks each. For NAT questions, the answer is a signed real number, which needs to be entered using the virtual numeric keypad displayed on the monitor. No choices will be shown for NAT questions. There is no negative marking for NAT.

Q: What is the IIT JAM 2026 Exam Schedule?

The Test Paper schedule of JAM 2026 is given below: Examination Date Session Test Papers and Codes February 15, 2026 (Sunday) Forenoon (FN) 9.30 am to 12.30 pm • Chemistry (CY) • Geology (GG) • Mathematics (MA) Afternoon (AN) 2.30 pm to 5.30 pm • Biotechnology (BT) • Economics (EN) • Mathematical Statistics (MS) • Physics (PH) A candidate can appear in either ONE or TWO Test Paper (s). However, a candidate can appear in two Test Papers only if they are not scheduled in the same session.

Registration - 5 Sep '25 - 12 Oct '25

Updated on Sep 5, 2025 16:13 IST

By Rakshit Prabhakar

IIT JAM 2026 exam pattern has been notified and mentioned on the JAM 2026 official website. IIT Bombay is the conducting authority for this year’s IIT JAM. The IIT JAM 2026 exam will be conducted on February 15, 2026, in two sessions: forenoon (9:30 am to 12:30 pm) and afternoon (2:30 pm to 5:30 pm). JAM 2026 exam will be held in a Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. Through this exam, a candidate's subject knowledge will be assessed for admission to various Master’s degree programmes offered by IITs, IISC, and other institutions.

There will be 60 questions carrying a total of 100 marks divided into 3 sections - A, B, and C. The paper will include three types of questions: MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions), MSQ (Multiple Select Questions), and NAT (Numerical Answer Type Questions). The pattern is partially the same as the previous year.

All sections will be compulsory. PwD candidates (Persons with Disabilities) who are visually impaired or dyslexic (severe) or may have disability in the upper limbs or have lost fingers/hands will be given one hour compensatory time for each paper. And avail the facility of a scribe as per the Government of India guidelines. Candidates are advised to check the JAM 2026 dates “regularly” for details in the admission process. Complete information about the exam pattern is provided here.

IIT JAM 2026 Exam Timing and Shift Details

These are the seven test papers for which IIT JAM 2026 will be conducted:

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

Below is the schedule for IIT JAM 2026:

Date	Session	Time	Test Paper Code
15th February 2026	Forenoon	9:30 am to 12:30 pm	CY, GG and MA
15th February 2026	Afternoon	2:30 pm to 5:30 pm	BT, EN, MS and PH

Also Read:

IIT JAM 2026 Exam Pattern Highlights

The table below provides a clear overview of the IIT JAM 2026 exam pattern and question paper structure, helping candidates understand the format of the test before appearing for the exam.

Feature	Details
Mode of Exam	Conducted as a Computer-Based Test (CBT)
Duration	3 hours (Single-Sitting)
Language	English
Question Styles	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs), Multiple Select Questions (MSQs), Numerical Answer Type (NAT)
Subject Offered	Biotechnology(BT), Chemistry(CY), Geology(GG), Economics (EN), Mathematics (MA), Mathematical Statistics (MS), Physics (PH)
Total Questions	60
Maximum Marks	100

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Commonly asked questions

Q: What type of questions Section A of IIT JAM exam has?

Q: What type of questions does Section B of IIT JAM exam have?

Q: What type of question does Section C of IIT JAM exam has?

IIT JAM 2026 Pattern of Test Papers

IIT JAM 2026 exam pattern mentions that the test will be conducted for a duration of three hours in online mode. Candidates will be required to answer 60 questions carrying a total of 100 marks. These questions will be divided into three sections: A, B and C, and all the sections will be “compulsory”. The medium of the exam will be English. The questions will be asked in the form of MCQs(Multiple Choice Questions), MSQs(Multiple Select Questions), and NAT(Numerical Answer Type) questions. While section A will have negative marking, Sections B and C will not carry any negative marking.

The detailed IIT JAM 2026 exam structure is given below.

Section	Type of Questions	Number of Questions
A	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) Each question has four options with one correct answer	30
B	Multiple Select Questions (MSQs) Each question has four options with one or more correct answers	10
C	Numerical Answer Type(NAT) The answer is a real number to be entered using the virtual keypad on the screen.	20
Total		60

Also Read: IIT JAM Previous Years Question Papers: Download Last 5 Years JAM Subject Wise Question Paper PDF

IIT JAM 2026 Marking Scheme

The number of questions and the marks allotted to them in JAM 2026 are as given in the table below:

Section	No. of Questions	Marks for each correct answer
A	10 MCQs	1 mark each
A	20 MCQs	2 marks each
B	10 MSQs	2 marks each
C	10 NAT Questions	1 mark each
C	10 NAT Questions	2 marks each

Note: Section A has negative marking. For each wrong answer, one-third mark will be deducted for a 1-mark question and two-thirds mark for a 2-mark question. Sections B and C have no negative marking.

Commonly asked questions

Q: Do all test papers in IIT JAM follow the same 3-hour, 100-mark format?

Q: Will marks be deducted for unanswered questions in IIT JAM 2026?

IIT JAM 2026 Negative Markings

Candidates are informed that there will be negative marking in IIT JAM 2026, but only in Section A. Marks will be deducted as per the scheme mentioned below.

Section A: For each answer to a one-mark question, 1/3 mark will be deducted. For each wrong answer to a two-mark question, 2/3 marks will be deducted. And no marks will be deducted for questions left unanswered by the students.
Section B: There is no negative or partial marking in this section.
Section C: There is no negative marking in this section. For these particular questions, the answer has to be done using a virtual numeric keypad displayed on the computer screen, as no choices are provided.

Note: For MCQs and MSQ-type questions candidates need to select the answers using a mouse, while answers for NAT-type questions must be done through the virtual keypad. A virtual calculator will be provided on the screen for calculations.

Additionally a scribble pad will be provided for rough work, which must be returned after the examination. The test will be closed on its own after the completion of 3 hours duration.

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