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IIT JAM 2027 Exam Date, Syllabus, Registration, Organising Institute, Exam Pattern, Fee, Eligibility, Cut-off and Free JAM Mock Tests

IIT JAM — JAM 2027 in the organising institute’s own usage — is the entrance test for master’s and integrated programmes in the sciences at the IITs, IISc and a number of other participating institutions. It offers test papers in biotechnology, chemistry, economics, geology, mathematics, mathematical statistics and physics.

Its question structure mirrors GATE’s — multiple choice with negative marking, multiple select without, and numerical answer type without — which makes the same strategic point apply: two of the three question types cost nothing to attempt, and leaving them blank is a straightforward loss.

Take a Free IIT JAM MockIIT JAM Syllabus

IIT JAM · checked 19 September 2026

IIT JAM at a glance, from the official notices

The dates, vacancies and rules below are read on the conducting body’s own site and rewritten as each notice appears. The guide beneath carries the full pattern, syllabus, cut-offs and free mock tests.

Free IIT JAM mock testIIT JAM syllabusToday’s current affairs
12Oct 2026

Next deadline

IIT JAM: the facts that matter now

  1. 01

    Application portal (JOAPS) open 11 September – 12 October 2026; examination Sunday 14 February 2027 in two sessions; results 18 March 2027…

    2027 cycle

  2. 02

    ₹1,000 for one paper and ₹1,350 for two for women, SC, ST and PwD candidates; ₹2,000 and ₹2,700 for all others; the 2027 fee table is to be posted…

    Fee (2026 schedule)

  3. 03

    58,622 registered, 48,170 appeared and 15,814 qualified; cut-offs (Gen / OBC-EWS / SC-ST-PwD) BT 42.3 / 38.07 / 21.15, CY 18.65 / 16.78 / 9.32, EN…

    JAM 2026 (IIT Bombay)

  4. 04

    IIT Kharagpur for JAM 2027, on behalf of the IITs and IISc, for admission to about 3,000 seats in M.Sc., M.Sc. (Tech), M.S. (Research), joint…

    Conducted by

Notification

IIT JAM notification and key dates

Checked 15 September 2026 on jam.iitkgp.ac.in and jam2026.iitb.ac.in. IIT Kharagpur is organising JAM 2027: the application portal opened on 11 September 2026 and closes on 12 October 2026, the examination is on Sunday 14 February 2027 in two sessions, and the results are due on 18 March 2027. The 2027 eligibility, test-schedule and city pages are up; the 2027 fee table and information brochure follow on the same site.

JAM 2027 — the cycle.
EventDate
Application portal opens11 September 2026 — joaps.iitkgp.ac.in
Last date to apply12 October 2026
ExaminationSunday 14 February 2027 — forenoon 9:30–12:30 CY, GG, MA; afternoon 2:30–5:30 BT, EN, MS, PH
Results18 March 2027
Admission form and roundsTo be notified; in 2026 the admission lists ran from 25 May through July
JAM 2026 — the reference cycle, by IIT Bombay.
PaperRegistered / appeared / qualifiedCut-off Gen / OBC-EWS / SC-ST-PwDTop raw score
Biotechnology (BT)13,202 / 11,084 / 2,59342.3 / 38.07 / 21.1585.67
Chemistry (CY)12,961 / 11,021 / 3,24918.65 / 16.78 / 9.3279.67
Economics (EN)3,563 / 2,807 / 62940.63 / 36.56 / 20.3187.33
Geology (GG)2,043 / 1,813 / 62725.98 / 23.38 / 12.9973
Mathematics (MA)12,059 / 9,617 / 3,46312.65 / 11.38 / 6.3282.67
Mathematical Statistics (MS)3,675 / 2,705 / 75413.33 / 11.99 / 6.6676.33
Physics (PH)11,119 / 9,123 / 4,49912.04 / 10.83 / 6.0268.67
Total58,622 / 48,170 / 15,814——

Reading the 2026 numbers

The cut-offs differ by paper because they are set to the number of seats and the difficulty of each paper — 12 marks out of 100 qualified in Physics and Mathematics while Biotechnology and Economics needed over 40 — and the qualifying cut-off is far below the closing rank of the programmes candidates actually want; the opening and closing ranks of every programme in JAM 2026 are on the IIT Bombay site.

Overview

What IIT JAM is, and who it suits

JAM was created to give science graduates a common route into postgraduate programmes at the IITs, which historically ran their own separate entrances. It now also feeds programmes at IISc and at a set of other participating institutions, with admission made through a centralised process on the basis of rank.

Candidates choose a test paper corresponding to their intended field of study, and eligibility for particular programmes depends on both the paper taken and the subjects studied at bachelor’s level. As with CUET PG, the mapping between test paper and target programme is worth verifying before registering rather than after.

The paper structure

  • Section A — multiple choice questions — four options, one correct, with negative marking. The largest section by question count.
  • Section B — multiple select questions — more than one option may be correct, no partial credit, and no negative marking.
  • Section C — numerical answer type questions — a value is entered rather than selected, with no negative marking.
  • The strategic consequence — Sections B and C carry no penalty, so nothing in them should be left unanswered.

Check programme eligibility against your degree subjects

Admission to a particular programme depends not only on your JAM paper and rank but on the subjects you studied at bachelor’s level, with participating institutions specifying minimum educational qualifications for each programme. Verify these before you register, since a strong rank in the wrong paper — or with the wrong subject background — does not open the programme you want.

Eligibility

Who can apply for IIT JAM

JAM eligibility, from the JAM 2027 eligibility page at IIT Kharagpur. The test is open to graduates and final-year students; the admitting institutes apply their own minimum educational qualifications (MEQ) — the subjects at the Bachelor’s level and, at some institutes, minimum marks — at admission.

Who may apply.
ItemRequirement
QualificationA completed undergraduate degree, or appearing in the final examination of the qualifying degree in 2027
At admissionThe degree must be complete before the admitting institute’s admission date, with proof submitted in the prescribed timeline; the programme-wise MEQ in the admission brochure applies
Age and attemptsNo age limit; no restriction on attempts
NationalityIndian and foreign nationals; no international examination centres
PapersOne paper, or two from different sessions (one forenoon, one afternoon), with the two-paper fee

Also from the brochure

  • Reservation — central reservation for OBC-NCL, EWS, SC, ST and PwD in the seat matrix; certificates in the prescribed format at admission.
  • Programme MEQ — for example Mathematics as a subject at the Bachelor’s level for most M.Sc. Mathematics and Physics programmes; check before choosing preferences.
  • Documents — photograph, signature, ID and category or PwD certificates uploaded at application; the degree or final-year certificate at admission.

Selection process

How IIT JAM selection works

Each stage in order, and what it actually tests.

Stages change between cycles. Confirm the structure in the notification for the cycle you are sitting.
StageFormatWhat it involves
JAM — the computer-based test3 hours, 60 questions, 100 marks, one paper per sessionSection A: 30 multiple-choice questions (10 of one mark, 20 of two) with −1/3 and −2/3 for wrong answers; Section B: 10 multiple-select questions of two marks with no deduction and no partial credit; Section C: 20 numerical-answer questions (10 of one mark, 10 of two) with no deduction.
Answer key, result and rankMaster papers and keys with a challenge window; result on 18 March 2027Category-wise cut-offs are set per paper — in 2026 from 12.04 in Physics to 42.3 in Biotechnology for General candidates — and qualified candidates receive an All India Rank in each paper; the scorecard is used for the admission form and by the NITs through CCMN.
Admission through the JOAPS admission form and CCMNChoice filling on JOAPS, then offer rounds; separate CCMN counselling for NITs and CFTIsQualified candidates fill an admission form on JOAPS with programme preferences across the IITs and IISc, in order; the organising institute issues offers in rounds from late May with accept, retain-and-upgrade and withdrawal options and a seat-booking fee; document verification and the degree result follow at the admitting institute; IISc has its own conditions and the NITs run CCMN on the JAM score.

Application to admission

How IIT JAM runs, from JOAPS registration to the February test, the scorecard and the admission rounds

The steps follow the JAM 2027 pages at IIT Kharagpur and the JAM 2026 admission process at IIT Bombay.

The JAM process

  1. Register on JOAPS On joaps.iitkgp.ac.in from 11 September 2026: enrol with e-mail and mobile, fill the personal, category and degree details, choose one paper or two from different sessions and three examination cities, and upload the photograph, signature, ID and certificates.
  2. Pay the fee Online by 12 October 2026; the 2026 schedule was ₹1,000 or ₹1,350 for women, SC, ST and PwD candidates and ₹2,000 or ₹2,700 for others for one or two papers, with ₹300 for later changes; the 2027 table is on the fee page when posted.
  3. Admit card Downloaded from JOAPS in January; the examination is in Indian cities only.
  4. Examination Sunday 14 February 2027, 3 hours per paper on the computer-based interface with the on-screen calculator: 30 MCQ, 10 MSQ and 20 NAT.
  5. Keys, result and scorecard Master question papers and answer keys with a challenge window; results on 18 March 2027 with paper-wise All India Ranks and category cut-offs; the scorecard downloadable from JOAPS.
  6. Admission form and rounds Qualified candidates fill programme preferences across the IITs and IISc on JOAPS in the admission window, pay the processing fee, and receive offers in rounds from about late May with accept, retain-and-upgrade and withdrawal options and a seat-booking fee; the NITs and CFTIs run CCMN separately on the JAM score; document verification and the degree result at the admitting institute.

Exam pattern

IIT JAM exam pattern and marking

The IIT JAM exam pattern below is the scheme used in JAM 2026 and carried into JAM 2027: a 3-hour computer-based paper of 60 questions for 100 marks in three sections, with a deduction only on wrong multiple-choice answers.

JAM paper. 3 hours, 60 questions, 100 marks.
SectionQuestionsMarksMarking
A — Multiple Choice (MCQ)30: 10 of 1 mark, 20 of 2 marks50−1/3 on a 1-mark and −2/3 on a 2-mark wrong answer
B — Multiple Select (MSQ)10 of 2 marks20Full marks only when all correct options are chosen; no deduction, no partial marks
C — Numerical Answer (NAT)20: 10 of 1 mark, 10 of 2 marks30Number typed on the virtual keypad; no deduction
Total60100On-screen calculator provided; no physical calculator
The seven papers and sessions on 14 February 2027.
SessionPapers
Forenoon 9:30 – 12:30Chemistry (CY), Geology (GG), Mathematics (MA)
Afternoon 2:30 – 5:30Biotechnology (BT), Economics (EN), Mathematical Statistics (MS), Physics (PH)

Where the marks are

Half the paper is MSQ and NAT with no deduction, so every one of those 30 questions should carry an answer; the MCQ section is where the deduction lives and the 2026 minimum raw scores of −11 to −14 show what blind guessing does. The Physics and Mathematics cut-offs of about 12 marks reflect long, calculation-heavy papers; the Biotechnology cut-off of 42 reflects a shorter, recall-based one.

Study plan

How to prepare for IIT JAM

JAM tests the Bachelor’s syllabus of one subject at depth in a 3-hour computer-based paper, and the seats that matter close far above the qualifying cut-off. The preparation is the official syllabus PDF topic by topic, the previous papers from the master question papers, and mocks on the interface with the on-screen calculator; registration closes on 12 October.

Sixteen-week plan for JAM 2027 (14 February 2027).
WeeksWorkOutput
1–6The syllabus from the 2027 PDF with standard undergraduate texts; the previous eight years of questions sorted by topicNotes and derivations per topic
7–11Topic tests; NAT practice with the on-screen calculator; MSQ sets — the all-or-nothing rule needs certainty on every optionWeak topics re-done
12–15Full 3-hour mocks twice a week with the official marking; the 2026 and 2025 papers in the real session timeAttempt rule: all NAT and MSQ answered; MCQs above a confidence threshold
16Formula sheet and previous mistakes; one mock; admit card and centreReady for 14 February

What the top-10 rankers do

  • They answer every NAT and MSQ — no deduction, 50 marks.
  • They know the closing rank they need — from the JAM 2026 opening and closing ranks, not the cut-off.
  • They use two papers wisely — a second paper in the other session (MA with MS, CY with PH) widens the admission list without a second day.
  • They check the MEQ before the preferences — a programme that requires a subject at the Bachelor’s level is out of reach whatever the rank.

Practice on this site

IIT JAM syllabus IIT JAM previous year papers IIT JAM mock tests IIT JAM study material GATE guide

Sources

Official notifications and sources

Checked 15 September 2026 against the JAM 2027 pages at IIT Kharagpur and the JAM 2026 statistical report and pages at IIT Bombay.

Official documents

JAM 2027 — IIT Kharagpur JAM 2027 test schedule JAM 2027 eligibility criteria JOAPS — JAM 2027 application portal JAM 2026 statistical and performance report (PDF) JAM 2026 application fees JAM 2026 important dates JAM 2026 — IIT Bombay

Exam resources

Everything for IIT JAM

Six resource pages, each kept in step with the latest official notification.

IIT JAM SyllabusIIT JAM syllabus — the seven test papers and the degree-level content each covers.IIT JAM Exam PatternIIT JAM exam pattern 2027 — 60 questions for 100 marks in 3 hours: 30 MCQ with −1/3 and −2/3, 10 MSQ and 20 NAT with no deduction; seven papers; 2026 cut-offs.IIT JAM Previous PapersIIT JAM previous year papers — calibrating degree-level depth and practising the multiple select format.IIT JAM Mock TestsIIT JAM mock tests — three-hour practice with section-specific marking and precision on numerical answers.IIT JAM PreparationIIT JAM preparation — degree-level revision, question-type practice and verifying programme eligibility.IIT JAM Study MaterialIIT JAM study material — degree textbooks for the subject, with science notes for consolidation.

Related

More PG Research preparation

All PG Research examsEvery exam in this categoryPrevious-year papersPast papers with solutionsCurrent affairsDaily, weekly and monthlyExam updatesNotifications and results

Questions

IIT JAM — FAQs

What is the IIT JAM 2027 exam date, and when does registration close?

The examination is on Sunday 14 February 2027 — Chemistry, Geology and Mathematics from 9:30 to 12:30 and Biotechnology, Economics, Mathematical Statistics and Physics from 2:30 to 5:30 — with results on 18 March 2027. IIT Kharagpur’s application portal, JOAPS, opened on 11 September 2026 and closes on 12 October 2026.

What is the IIT JAM exam pattern?

A 3-hour computer-based paper of 60 questions for 100 marks in three sections: Section A has 30 multiple-choice questions (10 of one mark and 20 of two) with a deduction of one-third and two-thirds of a mark for wrong answers; Section B has 10 multiple-select questions of two marks with no deduction and no partial credit; Section C has 20 numerical-answer questions (10 of one mark and 10 of two) with no deduction. An on-screen calculator is provided.

Which IIT is conducting JAM 2027?

IIT Kharagpur is the organising institute for JAM 2027, on behalf of the IITs and IISc, and runs the application portal, the examination and the result at jam.iitkgp.ac.in; JAM 2026 was organised by IIT Bombay and JAM 2025 by IIT Delhi. The organising institute rotates each year, but the paper structure, the seven test papers and the admission process through JOAPS are common, and the admitting institutes — not the organiser — make the offers.

What is the IIT JAM 2027 syllabus?

A separate syllabus for each of the seven test papers, published on jam.iitkgp.ac.in: Biotechnology draws on biology, chemistry, mathematics and physics from the 10+2 to the graduate level; Chemistry covers physical, organic and inorganic chemistry; Economics spans microeconomics, macroeconomics, statistics, mathematics and the Indian economy; Geology, Mathematics, Mathematical Statistics and Physics follow the bachelor’s curriculum of each subject. The 2027 syllabi carry forward the 2026 scope, and the topic-wise lists are on the IIT JAM syllabus page here; read the PDF for your paper before choosing a second one.

Which subjects can I take in IIT JAM 2027?

Seven papers: Biotechnology, Chemistry, Economics, Geology, Mathematics, Mathematical Statistics and Physics. A candidate may appear in one paper or in two, provided they fall in different sessions — one from the forenoon group (CY, GG, MA) and one from the afternoon group (BT, EN, MS, PH) — on the same day, with the two-paper fee.

What were the IIT JAM 2026 cut-offs?

For General, OBC-NCL/EWS and SC/ST/PwD candidates: Biotechnology 42.3 / 38.07 / 21.15, Chemistry 18.65 / 16.78 / 9.32, Economics 40.63 / 36.56 / 20.31, Geology 25.98 / 23.38 / 12.99, Mathematics 12.65 / 11.38 / 6.32, Mathematical Statistics 13.33 / 11.99 / 6.66 and Physics 12.04 / 10.83 / 6.02, from IIT Bombay’s statistical report. 15,814 of the 48,170 who appeared qualified; the top raw scores ranged from 68.67 in Physics to 87.33 in Economics.

Who is eligible for IIT JAM 2027?

Anyone who has completed an undergraduate degree or is appearing in the final examination of the qualifying degree in 2027, with no age limit and no limit on attempts. The degree must be complete before the admitting institute’s admission date, and each programme’s minimum educational qualifications — the subjects required at the Bachelor’s level — apply at admission.

What is the IIT JAM application fee?

The 2027 fee table is to be posted on jam.iitkgp.ac.in; in JAM 2026 it was ₹1,000 for one paper and ₹1,350 for two for women, SC, ST and PwD candidates, and ₹2,000 and ₹2,700 for all other candidates, paid online and non-refundable, with ₹300 for a later change of city, paper, category, gender or date of birth plus any fee difference.

Does qualifying in JAM guarantee admission?

No. Qualifying gives a rank and the right to fill the admission form; offers go by rank against the seat matrix and each programme’s minimum educational qualifications, and the closing ranks of the sought-after programmes are far above the qualifying cut-off — a Physics candidate at the 12-mark cut-off, for instance, is unlikely to receive an IIT offer. The NITs and CFTIs admit separately through CCMN on the same score.

Are there free IIT JAM mock tests?

Yes. The free IIT JAM mock tests here follow the 2027 pattern — 30 MCQ, 10 MSQ and 20 NAT for 100 marks in 3 hours with the MCQ-only deduction — for the seven papers, and report the score against the 2026 cut-offs. Use them with the master question papers and answer keys and the official mock-test links on the JAM sites.

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