IIT JAM Preparation 2026: Tips, Strategy & Guide
Indian Institute of Technology Joint Admission Test for MSc 2026 ( IIT JAM )
Registration - 5 Sep '25 - 12 Oct '25
IIT JAM 2026 Preparation is a major step for students to become a top scorer in the exam. For this academic session 2026-2027, the JAM 2026 exam will be held on February 15, 2026, at 118+ exam centres across the nation. The IIT JAM Application Process has begun on September 5, 2025, and the last date to complete the application process is October 12, 2025.
The IIT JAM 2026 exam is a very competitive exam in which you need a well-planned and systematic preparation strategy to ace the exam, and you would get a chance to get into a renowned university. While preparing for the exam, candidates will understand that the IIT JAM syllabus 2026 is vast. There is a lot of material that you need to cover to be successful in the exam. A preparation plan will help you ensure that you cover all of the JAM 2026 important topics.
This Science entrance examination for postgraduate programmes comprises a total of seven papers or subjects, and aspirants should review the IIT JAM prep advice relating to the subject for which they are appearing in the examination. IIT JAM 2026 examination will be conducted for seven papers – Biotechnology (BT), Chemistry (CY), Physics (PH), Geology (GG), Mathematical Statistics (MS), Economics (EN), and Mathematics (MA). To apply for admission to a desired programme, a candidate is required to qualify in the relevant Test Paper, satisfy the Eligibility Requirements (ERs) and JAM 2026 Minimum Educational Qualifications (MEQs) of the respective Academic Programmes. Candidates can view the preparatory tips and scheme here on this page to ace the IIT JAM examination.
Also Read: IIT JAM 2026 Registration Begins @jam2026.iitb.ac.in; Direct Link, Steps to Apply
- Step-wise IIT JAM 2026 Preparation Plan
- How to Prepare for IIT JAM 2026?
- Books to Study for IIT JAM Preparation 2026
- IIT JAM Peparation 2026: Mock test
- IIT JAM Topper Interviews and Preparation Strategy
Step-wise IIT JAM 2026 Preparation Plan
Students are advised to go through these methods to start their IIT JAM 2026 preparation:
Firstly, read the IIT JAM syllabus in detail and understand the IIT JAM exam pattern and its marking scheme, get your study materials and relevant books to study for IIT JAM, and make a monthly time-table and break it down into a weekly and daily basis, the last advise would be to solve the past year question papers, sample papers and mock tests - IIT JAM Previous Years Question Papers: Download Last 5 Years JAM Subject Wise Question Paper PDF
Also Read:
- How to prepare for IIT JAM 2026 exam in 2 months
- Important Topics and Best Books for IIT JAM Physics 2026
- Important Topics and Best Books for IIT JAM Mathematics 2026
- Important Topics and Best Books for IIT JAM Chemistry 2026
- Important Topics and Best Books for IIT JAM Biotechnology Preparation 2026
- Best Books for IIT JAM Mathematical Statistics Preparation 2026
- Important Topics and Best Books for IIT JAM Geology Preparation 2026
Commonly asked questions
Yes you can, but you need to familiarise yourself with the questions asked in the exam, its marking scheme and how important are some topics which comes probably every year. For that you should make a 2 month structuted preparation plan for yourself in order to achieve good marks.
Honestly there are no fixed hours to study and to crack the exam. There are people who stidy just 1 to 2 hours daily and they top in the exams and on the other hand there are people studying for 8 hours but they are not cracking the exam.
How to Prepare for IIT JAM 2026?
IIT JAM is a competitive entrance exam, and students need an action plan to score high in this science entrance exam. Here are a few important points that students should keep in mind while formulating the IIT JAM prep strategy.
Know the Exam Pattern for IIT JAM 2026
The IIT JAM is conducted for each of the subjects in individual question papers. Each of question papers shall contain 60 questions to be attempted by the candidates in a time duration of 3 hours. The IIT JAM has three sections A, B, and C. The overall exam pattern of IIT JAM is as follows:
| Section |
Type of Questions |
No of Question |
|---|---|---|
| A |
Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) |
30 |
| B |
Multiple Select Questions (MSQs) |
10 |
| C |
Numerical Answer Type (NAT) |
20 |
| Total |
60 |
|
Know IIT JAM 2026 Marking Scheme
There is a negative marking scheme only in Section A of the IIT JAM question paper. Go through the marking scheme of IIT JAM 2026 below:
| Section |
No of Questions |
Marks |
|---|---|---|
| A |
10 MCQs |
1 mark each |
| 20 MCQs |
2 marks each |
|
| B |
10 MSQs |
2 marks each |
| C |
10 NAT Questions |
1 mark each |
| 10 NAT Questions |
2 marks each |
Know the Syllabus for IIT JAM 2026
In order to perform well in IIT JAM 2026, aspirants need to be familiar with the syllabus for the examination. Candidates would be able to study the contents that are required and would know the sections where they should focus their time on details versus a superficial understanding of the topic. Therefore, if the aspirants desire to do well, it is important to go through the IIT JAM syllabus and build a strategy based on the following:
- Make a topic-wise list.
- Separate them for each subject, covering the easy and difficult sections (based on their experience).
- Create a list of topics with the maximum weightage as mentioned in the previous year's question papers.
Also Read:
- IIT JAM Biotechnology Syllabus
- IIT JAM Mathematics Syllabus
- IIT JAM Physics Syllabus
- IIT JAM Chemistry Syllabus
- IIT JAM Economics Syllabus
- IIT JAM Mathematical Statistics Syllabus
- IIT JAM Geology Syllabus
Go Through Good Prep Books
Next, aspirants need to make a list of books that they should read in order to perform well in JAM 2026. There are a lot of books available in the market that contain IIT JAM preparation tips. Candidates are advised to buy two to three preparation books for the IIT JAM exam. Books for IIT JAM prep help aspirants determine what topics to study, along with what to expect in the entrance exam.
Prepare a Time-Table
Creating a timetable is a crucial component of the IIT JAM preparation strategy. It is suggested that candidates create a prep plan for IIT JAM 2026 on a monthly, weekly, and then daily basis. When making a timetable for IIT JAM prep, candidates should keep in mind that the primary goal is to complete the syllabus and study all critical topics very well. Candidates should also create a timetable for IIT JAM 2026 preparation for the last month. Here, candidates should be focused on revising their syllabus and doing as many past years' question papers, sample papers, and mock tests as they can.
Refer to Past Years’ Question Papers
Students should solve the last years' IIT JAM question papers. This helps students understand the exam pattern and format of questions asked in the entrance exam. Also, solving past years’ question papers helps candidates identify important topics that would help aspirants score better in the exam.
Solve Sample Papers and Mock Tests
As soon as candidates finish studying any topic, the best way to gauge their subject knowledge is to solve as many sample papers and mock tests as they can find. Candidates can also determine the best strategy when they go about attempting the actual IIT JAM question paper by practicing sample papers. Sample papers also give candidates a better idea of their strengths and weaknesses.
IIT JAM mock tests and sample papers also help candidates in formulating a time management strategy for the exam. IIT JAM 2026 will be conducted as a computer-based test. So, mock tests for JAM 2026 will help candidates prepare and determine what to expect on the day of the entrance exam.
Commonly asked questions
To prepare for the IIT JAM 2026 preparation first begin by understanding the syllabus and exam pattern then create a time table for it. Evaluate your current level of knowledge, set realistic goals, use standard textbooks for the preparation, focus on your weak areas, solve the papers whether its previous year papers, question papers and mock tests.
NOTE: Be consistent be discilplined there is no motivation only your hard work. Don't take shortcuts.
It generally requires 6 months to 1 year for the preparation but nowadays because of the knowledge people have and the resources you can also prepare within 2 months for the exam.
Books to Study for IIT JAM Preparation 2026
Candidates can go through subject-wise as well as topic-wise books that they should read for IIT JAM prep. In the table mentioned below, aspirants can go through important books to read for JAM test papers like Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biotechnology, Geology, and Mathematical Statistics.
The best recommended books for your preparation, which can help you in scoring high marks:
Commonly asked questions
The key texts for the IIT JAM Mathematics exam are: Principles of Real Analysis by S. C. Malik for Real Analysis; Linear Algebra by H. Anton or by Seymour Lipschitz from the Schaum's outline series for Linear Algebra; Integral Calculus - F. Ayres, or GorakhPrasad's Textbooks for Integral Calculus; For Differential Equations, either M.D. Raisinghania will work, or for excellent, Modern Algebra by A. R. Vasishtha or by Joseph A. Gallian will work fine.
The Chemistry NCERT books are equally important for the JEE Mains aspirants. NCERT Books have chapters related to Physical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, and Inorganic Chemistry, and provide systematic explanations and illustrations.
IIT JAM Peparation 2026: Mock test
Candidates who have begun JAM 2026 exam preparation must also attempt the JAM Mocktest 2026 in order to gain an additional advantage for improving scores on the exam. The IIT JAM Mock test will also be beneficial for candidates to understand the JAM exam pattern 2026, exam difficulty level and learn about the process of appearing for a computer-based exam.
Elements of IIT JAM Mock Test 2026
Candidates will be able to view the different sections that are present in the IIT JAM Online Mock Test, an online calculator, and a table indicating the number of questions answered. Candidates can also view a timer indicating the time spent solving the mock test. Additionally, IIT JAM online mock test features include:
- Name of paper/subject
- Exam section (A, B, or C)
- Type of question (MCQ, MSQ, or NAT)
- Marking scheme for each question
- Timer
- Scientific Calculator
- Zoom in or zoom out tool
Commonly asked questions
No, the IIT JAM is not entirely based on MCQ based, it includes 3 types of questions: MCQs, MSQs and NAT questions.
The opportunities section of SWOT analysis includes topics through which the candidates can score more. Candidate should separate the very difficult topics and hard learn into Treats section. So utilizing SWOT analysis for IIT JAM syllabus, candidates will crack the JAM without coaching.
IIT JAM Topper Interviews and Preparation Strategy
These toppers' interviews from different years can give you a broader perspective on how you can do IIT JAM 2026 preparation:
Commonly asked questions
Below is a breakdown of some of the AIR holders, subject-wise:
Physics (PH) = Akshat Gupta
Chemistry (CH) = Suvon Ghosh
Mathematics (MA) = Vikas Choudhary
Biotechnology (BT) = Tanish Gupta
Economics (EN) = Aryan Chandra
There are no fixed rules. But you should typically study about 4 to 5 hours.
IIT JAM Exam
Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?65 Institutes accepting IIT JAM
IIM Amritsar - Indian Institute of Management
Amritsar • Public
IIT Bombay - Indian Institute of Technology
Powai, Mumbai • Public
4.3Vadodara • Private
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- 2 years
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