It is a common question of most students about which competitive exam to go for after Class 12th or graduation. If you are wondering whether to give IIT JAM or IIT JEE exam, this comprehensive article on IIT JAM vs IIT JEE with tables, eligibility, syllabus, preparation tips, and career scope will surely help you make the right choice.
Also read IIT JAM 2026 Notification
IIT JAM vs IIT JEE: A Comparison
IIT JAM is a competitive exam for admission to various postgraduate science courses (M.Sc, M.Sc.-Ph.D dual degree), while IIT JEE is an entrance exam for admission to undergraduate courses in engineering and architecture (B.Tech, B.Arch). JAM can be attempted by candidates with a bachelor’s degree, while JEE is for those who have passed or are appearing for Class 12th. JEE is considered to be more difficult in comparison to JAM because of the wider syllabus and the two-tier system. JAM, on the other hand, has a more narrow and deeper syllabus covering only the topics included under the paper.
The IIT JAM vs IIT JEE choice also depends on the level of education students are in and their academic interests. Let us understand IIT JAM and IIT JEE in detail in the following section.
Also read IIT JAM 2026 Application Form
What is IIT JEE?
IIT Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) is a national level exam for admission to undergraduate programs in engineering (B.Tech, B.E.), integrated M.Tech courses at IITs, NITs, IIITs, and other institutes.
Conducting Authority: National Testing Agency (NTA)
Levels: JEE Main and JEE Advanced
Eligibility: Class 12th passed students
What is IIT JAM?
IIT Joint Admission Test for Masters (JAM) is an entrance examination for admission to M.Sc., Joint M.Sc.-Ph.D., M.Sc.-M.Tech, and Ph.D. programs in IITs, Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore and other institutes.
Conducting Body: IITs (on rotational basis)
Eligibility: Bachelor’s degree in any stream
As evident from the above table, IIT JAM vs IIT JEE are both conducted by IITs on a rotational basis but are meant for different levels of academic qualifications.
Also read IIT JAM 2026 Eligibility Criteria
IIT JAM vs IIT JEE: Eligibility Criteria
IIT JEE Eligibility Criteria
Candidates who have passed Class 12th (or is appearing for final exam of class 12th) with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as subjects
No minimum percentage of marks is required to be eligible for JEE Main exam. However, a higher cut-off is required to qualify for JEE Advanced exam.
Candidates can attempt both the exams maximum of 3 times for JEE Main and 2 times for JEE Advanced.
IIT JAM Eligibility Criteria
Candidates who have passed their bachelor’s degree in Science, Mathematics, Statistics, or Engineering as main subject
No age limit is prescribed to appear for JAM exam
Candidates are required to check the eligibility criteria and qualification of the concerned subject combination for the M.Sc. program they have applied for.
The eligibility criteria for IIT JAM vs IIT JEE show that JEE is an undergraduate-level exam, while JAM is a postgraduate-level entrance test.
Also read IIT JAM PYQs
IIT JAM vs IIT JEE: Syllabus Comparison
IIT JEE Syllabus
The JEE syllabus is designed to test the concepts of Class 11th and 12th (in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics) from the authorized NCERT textbooks.
This exam tests problem-solving skills, aptitude, and speed of the students.
IIT JAM Syllabus
The JAM syllabus varies for the different subjects in which a candidate has applied to take the exam (Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, Biotechnology, etc.). However, in general, the syllabus for JAM includes topics like:
Graduation level advanced concepts of Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics
Ability to apply analytical and reasoning skills
In-depth subject knowledge
From the syllabus of IIT JAM vs IIT JEE, it is clear that the exams are of different knowledge levels.
IIT JEE exam tests the understanding of Class 11th and 12th concepts, while IIT JAM exam tests the in-depth knowledge of graduation-level topics.
IIT JAM vs IIT JEE: Exam Pattern
IIT JEE Exam Pattern
The JEE exam pattern is as follows:
JEE Main exam is a computer-based test (CBT) in which MCQs (multiple choice questions) along with questions that require the students to write numerical values, are asked.
JEE Advanced exam is of two papers (A and B) in which multiple questions to check the candidates’ understanding, application of concepts, reasoning, and problem-solving ability are asked.
IIT JAM Exam Pattern
JAM exam pattern is as follows:
The exam is a computer-based test (CBT) in which a total of 60 questions are asked. The questions are a mix of MCQs (multiple choice questions), MSQs (multiple select questions), and NAT (numerical answer type) questions.
Total marks are 100 and duration of the exam is 3 hours.
The IIT JAM vs IIT JEE exam pattern is also not the same as the former is a computer-based exam with a mix of MCQ, MSQ, and NAT types of questions for testing the candidates’ conceptual and analytical skills, while JEE exam has MCQs (in multiple subjects) for assessing speed and accuracy.
Also read IIT Jam 2026 Syllabus
Career Opportunities in IIT JAM vs IIT JEE
Career Opportunities After IIT JEE
Students who clear JEE are eligible to join B.Tech courses in IITs, NITs, IIITs, and other colleges. After completing the undergraduate degree, they can choose to do the following:
Join jobs in top companies in engineering, IT, R&D
Apply for higher studies (M.Tech, MBA, MS programs abroad)
Apply for Government sector entrance exams
Career Opportunities After IIT JAM
Candidates who qualify for JAM are eligible for admission to M.Sc., M.Sc.-Ph.D. (Integrated) programs in IITs, IISc Bangalore, and other institutes. The career opportunities after clearing IIT JAM include:
Research and Ph.D. in various fields of science and technology
Teaching and academic positions
Jobs in PSUs, R&D labs, etc.
Career in data science, biotechnology, and other applied sciences
Career prospects is also different for IIT JAM vs IIT JEE as JEE is undergraduate-level entrance and JAM is postgraduate-level.
IIT JAM vs IIT JEE: Which One to Choose?
Based on the above discussion on IIT JAM vs IIT JEE, students can choose between the two on the basis of their academic levels:
Class 12th students can give JEE for admission to B.Tech courses.
Graduates can give JAM for admission to M.Sc. courses.
It can be concluded that both JAM and JEE are good competitive exams but are for different stages of education.
IIT JAM vs IIT JEE: Preparation Tips
Tips to Prepare for IIT JEE
IIT JEE is an exam for Class 12th passed candidates who are interested in engineering. Therefore, the preparation should start from an early stage by strengthening the concepts of Class 11th and 12th and regularly solving sample papers and previous years’ question papers to improve speed and accuracy. One can also take test series to assess their preparation level and get a clear idea of the competition and exam pattern.
Tips to Prepare for IIT JAM
The IIT JAM exam preparation is different as it is for candidates who have completed graduation and are interested in higher studies. It is advisable to refer to books of good standard such as Griffiths’ or QP for Physics, Morrison & Boyd or CPC for Chemistry, etc., and attempt mock tests as well as previous years’ papers to test the preparation level.
The decision of which exam to go for in IIT JAM vs IIT JEE will ultimately depend on the academic level and stream a student is in.
Conclusion
It can be concluded that IIT JAM and IIT JEE are both different entrance exams conducted by IITs on a rotational basis for admission to various undergraduate and postgraduate courses in different fields. The table on IIT JAM vs IIT JEE comparison shows the differences in their eligibility criteria, syllabus, exam pattern, and career opportunities.
The student has to choose between IIT JAM and IIT JEE depending on his or her academic qualifications and interest in the field of study.
FAQs on IIT JAM vs IIT JEE
Is IIT JAM or IIT JEE more difficult to crack?
Both the exams are quite difficult and only the topper students manage to get through them.
Which one has better career scope: IIT JAM or IIT JEE?
Both IIT JEE and IIT JAM have great career scopes. The careers for JEE students are mostly in the field of engineering, while the careers for JAM are mostly related to science and technology.
I want to prepare for both IIT JAM and IIT JEE. Can I do that?
No, you cannot because their syllabus and level of knowledge required is different.
Which one has more competition: IIT JAM or IIT JEE?
JEE has more competition as lakhs of students appear for this exam every year.
