IIT JAM Preparation 2026: Tips, Strategy & Guide
Indian Institute of Technology Joint Admission Test for MSc 2026 ( IIT JAM )
Result - 20 Mar '26
IIT JAM 2026 preparation is a major factor in scoring good marks in the test. Students must plan IIT JAM 2026 preparation strategy based on exam syllabus and exam pattern. It is easy to score 70+ marks with propery strategy. Use the right resource, clear doubts, make notes, and practice past year questions for scoring IIT JAM 2026 highest marks. Last year minimum marks required for the GEN category for IIT JAM Maths, Chemistry and Physics were 19.90, 25.83, and 14.6,6 respectively.
Also Read: IIT JAM 2 months preparation tips
IIT JAM exam 2026 is scheduled on February 15, 2026. Students have just a week for the exam. They can utilise this time for revision. Check the article for IIT JAM 2026 preparation.
- Step-wise IIT JAM 2026 Preparation Plan
- How to Prepare for IIT JAM 2026?
- Books to Study for IIT JAM Preparation 2026
- Syllabus for IIT JAM 2026 Preparation
- 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
Commonly asked questions
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.
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.
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 exam was conducted for 100 marks. The question paper comprises 60 questions. Students need to obtain 75+ marks to qualify for the entrance test.
How to Prepare for IIT JAM 2026?
IIT JAM is a highly competitive test students need an action plan to score well in this science entrance exam. Here are some important factors students should generate when forming the IIT JAM prep strategy.
Familiarize Yourself with the IIT JAM 2026 Exam Pattern
IIT JAM is conducted for each of the subjects in individual question papers. Each of question papers will contain 60 questions which candidates should try to attempt in the time duration of 3 hours. The IIT JAM contains 3 sections A, B, and C overall the 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
To be successful in IIT JAM 2026, candidates must have an understanding of the exam syllabus. Candidates would be able to cover the necessary content, as well as decide what content to dig into in-depth versus have some lighter understanding of the material. Thus, if the candidates want to do well, it is very critical that they go through the IIT JAM syllabus and develop a study plan with the following in mind:
- 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, candidates should compile an inventory of books that they plan to read in order to do well in JAM 2026. A plethora of books are available commercially that are full of IIT JAM preparation concepts. It is advised that candidates purchase 2-3 preparation books for the IIT JAM pageant. Books for IIT JAM prep will prepare candidates for what topics they feel they should study and what you can expect it to look like, expectations of the subject matter of 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
Students can crack the IIT JAM exam 2026 on their first attempt by planning a proper preparation strategy. Follow IIT JAM exam syllabus to identify the important topics for the paper they are appearing for. Solving the previous year question paper will help to identify the most important topics and get familiar with the exam difficulty level. Students can practice the IIT JAM mock test for self-assessment.
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
IIT JAM exam syllabus 2026 is available online on the website, jam2026.iitb.ac.in. Students can know the important topics for exam preparation through JAM 2026 syllabus. Each test paper have different syllabus. Students must plan their preparation strategy as per the syllabus.
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.
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.
Syllabus for IIT JAM 2026 Preparation
IIT JAM 2026 syllabus is available online. Students can check the exam syllabus for IIT JAM 2026 is mentioned below.
| Subject | Topics |
| Biotechnology |
|
| Chemistry |
|
| Economics |
|
| Geology |
|
| Mathematics |
|
| Mathematics Statistics |
|
| Physics |
|
Commonly asked questions
Students can plan their preparation through the exam syllabus. Check the syllabus to know what the important topics are. Then gather the required resources like the best books, previous year question paper, and mock test. Students must solve the IIT JAM question paper after completing 70% of the syllabus to keep track of their preparation.
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
IIT JAM passing mark varies category wise for each test paper. Students need to check the JAM scorecard to know the minimum passing marks for the test. Candidates belonging to "GEN" category need to score 25+ marks to qualify in the Biotechnology paper and 27+ marks in Chemistry. The minimum passing marks for GEN category are mentioned below.
| Subject | Minimum Marks for GEN Category (Expected) |
| Physics | 15 |
| Mathematics | 20 |
| Chemistry | 27 |
| Biotechnology | 26 |
| Economics | 43 |
| Geology | 23 |
| Mathematics Statistics | 9 |
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
Yes, but not in IITs, NITs, or IISc. Central Universities offer admission to the MSc degree through CUET PG. Students must appear for the state level or university level entrance exam for admission to the MSc degree.
Below is a breakdown of some of the AIR holders, subject-wise:
Physics = Akshat Gupta
Chemistry = Suvon Ghosh
Mathematics = Vikas Choudhary
Biotechnology= Tanish Gupta
Economics = Aryan Chandra
There are no fixed rules. But you should typically study about 4 to 5 hours.
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