Overview
About IIT JAM
JAM, the Joint Admission Test for Masters, is a national entrance examination for admission to postgraduate science programmes in India, conducted since 2004. The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore, run it jointly on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. One of these participating institutes organises the test each year on a rotational basis, under a Joint Admission Committee.
A JAM score is the route into M.Sc., Joint M.Sc.-Ph.D., M.Sc.-Ph.D. dual degree and other postgraduate science programmes at the IITs. IISc accepts it too, and so do the NITs, IISERs and other centrally funded institutes through the Centralised Counselling for M.Sc./M.Sc. (Tech.) (CCMN). The exam is open to candidates of all nationalities, with no age limit. You need a bachelor's degree, or to be in its final year, and admission stays subject to each institute's own minimum educational qualifications.
The test runs in seven papers: Biotechnology, Chemistry, Economics, Geology, Mathematical Statistics, Mathematics, and Physics. It is a computer-based test held in English.
Sources: JAM (GATE/JAM Office, IIT Madras) - official portal · Joint Admission Test for Masters - Wikipedia
At a glance
IIT JAM highlights
Every figure traces to an official source.
| Full name | Joint Admission Test for Masters (JAM) |
| Conducting body | Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), on a rotational basis; jointly with IISc |
| Level | PG |
| Mode of exam | Computer-Based Test (online) |
| Frequency | 1 per year |
| Scope | National |
| Sections | Three sections: Section A (MCQs), Section B (Multiple Select Questions), Section C (Numerical Answer Type) |
| Marking scheme | Negative marking in Section A (MCQs) only; no negative marking in Sections B and C |
Deep dives
Everything you need to know
Eligibility
- ·Open to all nationalities with no age limit; candidates must hold (or be in the final year of) a bachelor's degree, with admission subject to each institute's minimum educational qualifications.
Exam pattern
- ·Sections: Three sections: Section A (MCQs), Section B (Multiple Select Questions), Section C (Numerical Answer Type)
- ·60 questions
- ·100 total marks
- ·180 minutes
- ·Marking: Negative marking in Section A (MCQs) only; no negative marking in Sections B and C
Syllabus
- ·Subject-specific syllabi across seven test papers: Biotechnology, Chemistry, Economics, Geology, Mathematical Statistics, Mathematics, and Physics.
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