The IIT JAM 2026 Syllabus covers the topics from which questions are drawn for the Joint Admission Test for Masters conducted by IIT Bombay. The official syllabus is published separately for each of the 7 test papers – Physics (PH), Chemistry (CY), Mathematics (MA), Biotechnology (BT), Geology (GG), Economics (EN), and Mathematical Statistics (MS) – and is based on the undergraduate B.Sc. science curriculum. By understanding the scope, you can prepare effectively for the IIT JAM 2026 question paper across Section A (MCQ), B (MSQ), and C (NAT), focus on high-weightage topics, and improve your All India Rank for admission to 23 IITs, IISc Bangalore, and other CCMN institutes. The detailed syllabus PDFs for all 7 papers are available at jam2026.iitb.ac.in/Syllabus.html.
Latest: – IIT JAM 2026 Syllabus is available at jam2026.iitb.ac.in/Syllabus.html for all 7 test papers. Exam was conducted Feb 15, result declared Mar 19, and scorecard released Mar 26, 2026.
IIT JAM 2026 Syllabus
Why is the syllabus important and how do you use it?
The syllabus of the Joint Admission Test for Masters is the foundation of your CBT preparation strategy. By knowing the scope, you can: (1) plan a topic-wise revision schedule across all sections of your chosen test paper; (2) focus on high-weightage topics first; (3) reference standard B.Sc. textbooks for each subject; and (4) practise previous year question papers to understand the typical MCQ, MSQ, and NAT question style. IIT Bombay publishes the official subject-wise syllabus on jam2026.iitb.ac.in/Syllabus.html.
Direct Download Link – You can refer to the official subject-wise syllabus for each test paper at jam2026.iitb.ac.in/Syllabus.html.
IIT JAM 2026 Syllabus – Paper-Wise Coverage
The CBT paper has 60 MCQs / MSQs / NAT questions for 100 marks. Candidates choose one or two test papers (in non-overlapping sessions). The paper-wise key topics are summarised below.
| Test Paper (Code) | Key Topics |
|---|---|
| Physics (PH) | Mathematical Methods, Mechanics & General Properties of Matter, Oscillations, Waves & Optics, Electricity & Magnetism, Kinetic Theory & Thermodynamics, Modern Physics, Solid State Physics, Devices & Electronics, Simple Oscilloscope. |
| Chemistry (CY) | Physical Chemistry (Basic Mathematical Concepts, Atomic & Molecular Structure, Theory of Gases, Solid State, Chemical Thermodynamics, Chemical & Phase Equilibria, Electrochemistry, Chemical Kinetics, Adsorption, Spectroscopy); Organic Chemistry (Basic Concepts, Stereochemistry, Reaction Mechanism, Organic Synthesis, Natural Products, Heterocyclic, Biomolecules, Spectroscopy); Inorganic Chemistry (Periodic Table, Chemical Bonding, Main Group Elements, Transition Metals, Bioinorganic, Instrumental Methods, Analytical Chemistry). |
| Mathematics (MA) | Real Analysis (Sequences & Series of Real Numbers, Functions of One Real Variable), Multivariable Calculus & Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus, Differential Equations, Vector Calculus, Group Theory, Linear Algebra, Real Analysis (Sequences & Series of Functions). |
| Biotechnology (BT) | Biology (General Biology, Biochemistry & Physiology, Basic Biotechnology, Molecular Biology, Cell Biology, Microbiology); Chemistry (10+2+3 level); Physics (10+2 level); Mathematics (10+2 level). |
| Geology (GG) | The Planet Earth, Geomorphology, Structural Geology, Palaeontology, Stratigraphy, Mineralogy, Petrology, Economic Geology, Applied Geology (Groundwater, Mineral Exploration, Engineering Geology, Remote Sensing). |
| Economics (EN) | Microeconomics, Macroeconomics, Statistics for Economics, Indian Economy, Mathematics for Economics. |
| Mathematical Statistics (MS) | The MS paper comprises Mathematics (40% weightage) – Sequences and Series, Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus, Matrices; and Statistics (60% weightage) – Probability, Random Variables, Standard Distributions, Joint Distributions, Sampling Distributions, Limit Theorems, Estimation, Testing of Hypotheses. |
IIT JAM 2026 Exam Pattern
Along with the syllabus, the exam pattern is the second most important reference for preparation. The features are summarised below.
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode of Exam | Computer Based Test (CBT) Online |
| Duration | 3 hours (180 minutes) |
| Total Questions | 60 Questions |
| Total Marks | 100 |
| Medium of Exam | English |
| Sessions | 2 (Morning & Afternoon) |
| Section A – MCQ | 30 questions (10 of 1 mark + 20 of 2 marks); –1/3 for 1-mark, –2/3 for 2-mark wrong answers |
| Section B – MSQ | 10 questions of 2 marks each (Multiple Select); no negative marking |
| Section C – NAT | 20 questions (10 of 1 mark + 10 of 2 marks); no negative marking |
| Test Papers | Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biotechnology, Geology, Economics, Mathematical Statistics |
| Frequency | Annual (once a year) |
| Exam Date (2026) | February 15, 2026 |
How to Access the Syllabus
- Visit the official website at jam2026.iitb.ac.in/Syllabus.html.
- Click on your chosen test paper (PH / CY / MA / BT / GG / EN / MS) to view the official subject-wise syllabus.
- Each paper’s syllabus is organised section-wise with all units and sub-topics listed.
- Download / print the PDF for offline reference during preparation.
- Cross-reference with previous year question papers to understand actual difficulty level, weightage, and question types.
A consolidated reference and key topic list is also available on aglasem.com for quick study.
Preparation Tips and Recommended Books
- Physics (PH): Griffiths (Electrodynamics & Quantum Mechanics), Resnick-Halliday-Walker (Fundamentals), H.C. Verma (Concepts), D.J. Griffiths (Electrodynamics), Charles Kittel (Solid State).
- Chemistry (CY): OP Tandon (Organic, Inorganic & Physical), J.D. Lee (Inorganic), Atkins (Physical), Morrison & Boyd (Organic), Skoog (Analytical), Banwell (Spectroscopy).
- Mathematics (MA): Krishna Series, Schaum’s Outlines, Shanti Narayan (Real Analysis), Erwin Kreyszig (Advanced Engineering Mathematics), Hoffman & Kunze (Linear Algebra), Joseph Gallian (Group Theory).
- Biotechnology (BT): Lehninger (Biochemistry), Lewin (Genes / Molecular Biology), Karp (Cell & Molecular Biology), Prescott (Microbiology), Pranav Kumar (Life Sciences for CSIR / JAM).
- Geology (GG): Reed Wicander (Historical Geology), Billings (Structural Geology), Compton (Field Geology), R. Krishnan (Indian Mineralogy).
- Economics (EN): Mankiw (Microeconomics & Macroeconomics), H.L. Ahuja, T.R. Jain, Indian Economic Survey, Hal Varian (Intermediate Microeconomics).
- Mathematical Statistics (MS): Hogg & Craig (Mathematical Statistics), Rohatgi & Saleh (Probability & Statistics), Robert V. Hogg (Probability), Sheldon Ross.
- Solve previous year question papers (2017-2025) to understand the actual MCQ / MSQ / NAT pattern.
- Practise full-length 3-hour CBT mock tests at jam2026.iitb.ac.in/mockTest.html to build speed and accuracy.
- Use the negative marking intelligently – attempt only those MCQs where you can apply confident reasoning, since wrong answers cost –1/3 or –2/3.
IIT JAM 2026
The IIT JAM is the National-level Joint Admission Test for Masters conducted annually by an IIT on rotation (IIT Bombay in 2026). It is a National-level Science entrance exam for admission to M.Sc., Joint M.Sc.–Ph.D., and other PG science programmes at 23 IITs, IISc Bangalore, and other CCMN-participating institutes (NITs, IIEST Shibpur, SLIET, DIAT).
IIT JAM 2026 Syllabus – An Overview
The key facts about this syllabus are summarised below.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Name of Exam | IIT JAM 2026 |
| Full Form | Joint Admission Test for Masters |
| Official Body (2026) | IIT Bombay |
| Standard of Syllabus | Undergraduate (B.Sc.) level |
| Test Papers | Physics (PH), Chemistry (CY), Mathematics (MA), Biotechnology (BT), Geology (GG), Economics (EN), Mathematical Statistics (MS) |
| Total Papers | 7 |
| Total Questions Per Paper | 60 (100 marks) |
| Mode of Exam | Computer Based Test (CBT) Online |
| Duration | 180 minutes (3 hours) |
| Sections Per Paper | A (MCQ), B (MSQ), C (NAT) |
| Marking Scheme | +1 / +2 for correct; –1/3 / –2/3 for wrong MCQ; no negative on MSQ & NAT |
| Recommended Books | Griffiths, OP Tandon, Krishna Series, Lehninger, Mankiw, Hogg & Craig (paper-specific) |
| Official Source | jam2026.iitb.ac.in/Syllabus.html |
FAQs – IIT JAM 2026 Syllabus
The IIT JAM 2026 Syllabus is based on the undergraduate B.Sc. science curriculum. IIT Bombay publishes the official syllabus separately for each of the 7 test papers – Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Biotechnology, Geology, Economics, and Mathematical Statistics – at jam2026.iitb.ac.in/Syllabus.html. Each paper’s syllabus is organised section-wise with all units and sub-topics listed.
IIT JAM has 7 test papers, each with its own dedicated syllabus. Physics (PH) covers Mathematical Methods, Mechanics, EM, Modern Physics, and Solid State. Chemistry (CY) covers Physical, Organic, and Inorganic Chemistry. Mathematics (MA) covers Real Analysis, Calculus, Linear Algebra, and Differential Equations. Biotechnology (BT) covers Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. Geology (GG), Economics (EN), and Mathematical Statistics (MS) have their own dedicated syllabi.
Recommended books depend on the test paper: Physics – Griffiths, Resnick-Halliday-Walker, H.C. Verma, Kittel; Chemistry – OP Tandon, J.D. Lee, Atkins, Morrison & Boyd; Mathematics – Krishna Series, Schaum’s, Hoffman & Kunze, Shanti Narayan; Biotechnology – Lehninger, Lewin, Karp, Pranav Kumar; Geology – Reed Wicander, Billings, Compton; Economics – Mankiw, H.L. Ahuja, Hal Varian; Mathematical Statistics – Hogg & Craig, Rohatgi & Saleh.
Yes, IIT JAM has negative marking but only in Section A (MCQs). For 1-mark MCQs: +1 for correct and -1/3 for wrong. For 2-mark MCQs: +2 for correct and -2/3 for wrong. Section B (10 MSQs of 2 marks each) and Section C (20 NAT questions of 1 or 2 marks each) have no negative marking. Unattempted questions get zero. Total is 100 marks for 60 questions over 180 minutes.
The official IIT JAM 2026 syllabus is available on the conducting body’s website at jam2026.iitb.ac.in/Syllabus.html. Click your chosen test paper (PH / CY / MA / BT / GG / EN / MS) to view the dedicated subject-wise syllabus. Each paper’s syllabus is organised section-wise with all units and sub-topics listed. A consolidated reference is also available on aglasem.com.
Ideally, dedicated IIT JAM preparation should start 8 to 12 months before the February exam to cover the wide undergraduate B.Sc. curriculum. Spend 4-6 months on thorough first revision of each section’s topics, followed by 2-3 months on focused MCQ / MSQ / NAT practice and previous year papers, and the final 6-8 weeks on full-length CBT mock tests at jam2026.iitb.ac.in/mockTest.html with timed practice.
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