What is Joint Admission Test (JAM)?

What is Jam?

Joint Admission Test (JAM), is a national level entrance exam, conducted jointly by the Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) and Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore on behalf of the Ministry of Human Resources Development.

This test enables a candidate to get admission into M.Sc programme, joint PhD dual degree, and other post B.Sc programmes at various IIT institutions.

The first JAM was conducted in 2004. The seven IITs and IISc conduct the exam on a rotational basis.

Eligibility criteria

• Students from India and foreign countries can take up the exam.
• Foreign students are required to satisfy the rules and regulations meant for foreign students.

Age limit

• There is no age restriction.

Educational qualification

• Different academic programmes have different educational criteria, which are prescribed by respective institutes.
• A candidate will have to fulfill the educational criteria to apply for the academic programme.
• Usually the candidates who have appeared, and are due to appear for degree exams are eligible to write JAM.
• The candidate should have minimum of 55% to appear for the exam.

When is the Exam?

• Exam usually held in the month of February

Click here for IIT JAM 2016 Exam Time-Table.

Application procedure

• Applications are available online for JAM IIT exam.
• Candidates should register their names and fill in the form and submit it online.
• Payment of the application has to be done through the chalan, which is provided or can also be done through Net banking.
• After filling the form print-out of the JAM IIT application form has to be taken and submitted to the organizing chairman within the specified date.

Admission procedure

• Only those candidates, who clears JAM are eligible to take admission to the programmes offered by IITs and IISC.
• Once the JAM results are declared, the qualified candidate will have to apply online using the application form of the organizing institute.
• A candidate can refer to the official website of JAM for further admission details.

Exam pattern: IIT JAM

• JAM IIT question papers are descriptive or objective in nature based on the subjects one chooses.
• IIT JAM comprises eight subjects: Mathematical Statistics, Mathematics, Chemistry, Geophysics. Geology, Physics, Biotechnology, Computer Applications.
• A candidate can opt to appear for either one or two of the above mentioned papers.
• While Biotechnology and Computer Applications are objective in nature, the other subjects are descriptive in nature.
• The objective papers comprise 100 questions for 100 marks and each question will carry one mark.
• A negative mark of 1/3rd is applicable for every wrong answer.
• The descriptive papers are divided into two parts Part I and Part II.
• Part I comprises 60 percent marks and contains one-mark and two-mark multiple choice questions.
• A negative marking of 1/3rd is applicable for wrong answer of one mark each and a negative marking of 2/3rd is applicable for a wrong answer of two marks each.
• Part II comprises of 40 percent marks and is subjective in nature. There is no negative marking in this section.

Validity of JAM IIT score: One year

Programmes candidates can opt for after clearing JAM are as follows:

1 Institute: IIT Bombay

Programme: Two-year Master of Science (M.Sc.) programmes in:
Applied Statistics and Informatics
Applied Geology
Applied Geophysics
Biotechnology
Chemistry
Mathematics and physics

2 Institute : IIT Delhi

Programme: Two-year Master of Science (M.Sc.) programmes in:
Mathematics
Physics
Chemistry

3 Institute: IIT Guwahati

Programme:
Mathematics and Physics
Computing

4 Institute : IIT Kanpur

Programme:
Two-year Master of Science (M.Sc.) programmes in:
Mathematics and Physics
Statistics
Chemistry
M.Sc. - Ph.D. Dual Degree programme in Physics

5 Institute: IIT Kahargpur

Programme
M.Sc. - Ph.D. Dual Degree programmes in:
Chemistry
Geological Sciences
Geophysics
Mathematics
Physics

6 Institute : IIT Madras

Programme:
Two-year Master of Science (M.Sc.) programmes in:
Chemistry
Mathematics
Physics

7 Institute : IIT Roorkee

Programme:
Two-year Master of Science (M.Sc.) programmes in:
Applied Geology
Applied Mathematics
Biotechnology
Chemistry
Industrial Mathematics and Informatics
Physics

Master of Technology (MTech.) programme in:

Geophysical Technology
Geological Technology
Three-year Interdisciplinary Master of Computer Applications (MCA) Programme