IIT JAM 2026 Eligibility, Syllabus & Preparation Strategy

Those who are appearing for IIT JAM 2026 should fulfil the eligibility criteria of IIT JAM specified by the organising IIT. These criteria primarily include the academic qualification for IIT JAM, which is that an applicant must hold a bachelor's degree in science or related stream with aggregate marks required for each of the streams, nationality and minimum marks obtained. Candidates must ensure that they fulfil the eligibility criteria for IIT JAM at the time of the counselling process and get verified for admission.

Here are the eligibility criteria for IIT JAM  2026.

There are seven subjects offered for the examination of the candidate in IIT JAM 2026. The IIT JAM 2026 syllabus includes core topics from the undergraduate science courses. Each subject has its own details syllabus, some of the common topics are:

Success in any exam is the result of concentrated preparation. To apply to IIT JAM, a candidate must have an in-depth knowledge of undergraduate-level subjects and have a proper time management structure. It is one of the most crucial parts of the preparation.

Steps to Prepare for IIT JAM 2025

1. Learn the Syllabus & Exam Pattern

• Start by understanding the syllabus of your chosen subject.
• Properly understand the three distinct  sections of the exam, which are:

1. Sec. A: MCQs
2. Sec. B: MSQs
3. Sec. C: NATs

• Understand the mark distribution and rules for the negative marking.

2. Appropriate Study Material

• Standard textbooks from your undergraduate-level core subjects.
• IIT JAM guidebooks, notes, and mock test books.
• For Mathematics, Statistics, and Economics, NCERTs and standard books work best.

3. Plan Your Studies

• Give at least 4-6 hours of consistent study according to your daily schedule.
• Make provisions for theory revision, numerical practices, and mock tests.
• Depending upon your present state of proficiency, stick for about 3 to 6 months for study.

4. Practice Previous Year's Papers

• By solving IIT JAM exams of the last 5-10 years, the candidate gets a feel of the question trend.
• Analyse solutions and inculcate lessons from errors.

5. Mock Tests

• Join an online/offline test series to keep on checking your learning on a regular basis.
• Do justice to yourself and create a real exam atmosphere. 

6. Conceptual Clarity

• JAM is more of an application-based exam, so rote learning is not profitable for this.
• For conceptual clarification, always keep revising formulas and derivations.

7. Time Management & Revision

• For the last-minute revision, you should always prefer the short notes and flashcards.
• Revise it thoroughly before appearing for the exam.

Recommended Resources

Here are the recommended sources.