IIT JAM 2023 Exam Analysis (Out) Live: Student Reaction, Answer Key & Expected cutoff

It is expected that IIT Guwahati will release the IIT JAM 2023 answer key will be declared by the end of this week. 

Majority of the students appeared for the Physics paper followed by Mathematical Statistics. There were few candidates for Economics and Biotechnology papers. Let us take a look at the IIT JAM 2023 Slot 2 student reactions and analysis.

Prashant: I appeared for the Mathematical Statistics paper. The overall difficulty level of the exam was easy to moderate. The questions were from the expected lines, and the topics included Probability Theory, Statistical Theory, and Numericals, among others.

Rahul: I appeared for the Physics paper. The difficulty level was medium. The topics were on Oscillations, Electronics, etc. I am from Physics background and the syllabus was similar to that of the bachelor’s level, hence I did not face any difficulty. As compared to the last year’s paper, the topics were slightly different and easier in difficulty level.

Sonu: I took the IIT JAM Physics paper and the difficulty level was neither too tough nor too easy. The topics from which questions were asked were Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Mathematical Physics, etc.

Tushan: I appeared for the Physics paper. For me, the difficulty level of the exam was tough. The questions were more on the conceptual side and lesser on the numerical side, for example, Thermostats. Some questions were very easy. The high weightage on concepts was a surprise element for me.

Soniya: I took the Economics exam of IITJAM. The level of difficulty was easy to moderate. The topics covered were Macro Economics, Micro Economics, Statistics and Mathematics.

Srishti: I had opted for the Biotechnology subject. I found the paper to be of moderate difficulty level. Few questions were really easy to answer while some required theoretical knowledge. Molecular Biology and Cell Biology had the maximum number of questions.

Take a look at the reactions of IIT JAM 2023 Slot 1 candidates:

Vishesh: I attempted 40 questions. It was very time consuming and I am not completely sure about my accuracy level. Hoping to clear the cutoff.

Akash: The overall paper was easy to moderate. Around four to six MCQs were direct in nature.

Rajdeep: Around 10 questions in the MCQ category were very easy and could be completed in 40 minutes. Some of the NAT questions were tricky in nature."

Sarthak: Most of the Organic Chemistry questions were tough and difficult to comprehend. MCQs were very tough. Overall I felt the paper to be very tough.

Reva: There were very few questions asked from the Analytical Equilibrium. Only five to six questions were asked.

The Economics paper had an easy to moderate level of difficulty. The topics were Macro Economics, Micro Economics, Statistics and Mathematics.

IIT JAM 2023 Physics Paper Analysis is given in the table below.

IIT JAM 2023 Mathematical Statistics (MS) Paper Analysis is as follows:

The IIT JAM Biotechnology subject-wise weightage is as follows:

IIT JAM 2023 result will be released on March 22. Candidates can check their results and download IIT JAM 2023 scorecards by logging in using their enrolment ID or email ID along with the password. The last date to download the IIT JAM scorecard is likely to be July 2023. Candidates can check their obtained scores and All India Ranks (AIR) in the entrance examination through the result of IIT JAM 2023. 

IIT JAM 2023 answer key (provisional) will be released within a week of conducting the exam. Candidates will be able to submit challenges against the provisional answer keys within the stipulated deadline by paying a fee of INR 500 per question. In case the challenges are found to be valid, the fee would be refunded to the candidates. 

According to experts, the difficulty level of the exam was easier than last year. Hence, the IIT JAM 2023 cutoff is likely to be higher than that of last year. As per an expert, the cutoff score for IIT JAM 2023 is expected to range from 27 to 29.

After the conclusion of IIT JAM 2023 Slot 2, candidates are of the opinion that the exam was moderately difficult. Most of the candidates appeared for the Physics paper followed by Mathematical Statistics. There were fewer takers of Biotechnology and Economics. In Physics, majority of the topics were Electromagnetics, Electrostatics, and Thermodynamics. For Mathematical Statistics, the topics were on Probability Theory, Statistical Theory, and Numericals, among others.

Candidates start coming out of the exam hall after the conclusion of the exam. While some are happy and confident with their performance, others seem to be a little dissatisfied. Overall, there is a sense of relief that the exam is over.

The afternoon session or the Slot 2 of IIT JAM 2023 is over now. Candidates need to ensure that they have submitted the test properly on the system and the rough sheets to the invigilators. They should not leave the centre unless instructed by invigilators. 

There are 10 minutes to go for the exam to end. Candidates should have completed the questions they have planned to attempt and revised their responses thoroughly. This is the time to revisit the marked-for-review questions and check for any headway to those. In case they still can't figure out the solution, it is time to leave those and submit. 

Aspirants can go through the detailed IIT JAM Statistics syllabus here. The JAM test paper comprises the below-mentioned topics:

• Mathematical Methods

• Mechanics and General Properties of Matter

• Oscillations, Waves and Optics

• Electricity and Magnetism

• Kinetic theory, Thermodynamics

• Modern Physics.

• Solid State Physics, Devices, and System.

Aspirants can go through the detailed IIT JAM Mathematical Statistics syllabus here. The JAM test paper comprises the below-mentioned topics:

• Probability

• Random Variables

• Standard Distributions

• Joint Distributions

• Sampling Distributions

• Limit Theorems

• Estimation

• Testing of Hypotheses

Aspirants can go through the detailed IIT JAM Economics syllabus here. The IIT JAM test paper for Economics comprises the below-mentioned topics:

• Microeconomics

• Macroeconomics

• Statistics for Economics

• Indian Economy

• Mathematics for Economics

The JAM test paper for Biotechnology consists of four subjects - Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics. The standard of questions asked in IIT JAM 2023 for Biology subject is of 10 2 3 level. Topics that candidates need to study to perform well in the IIT JAM Biology section of the Biotechnology test paper are listed below.

IIT JAM 2023 Biotechnology Syllabus

• General Biology

• Biochemistry and Physiology

• Basic Biotechnology 

• Molecular Biology

• Cell Biology 

• Microbiology

• Mathematics upto level class 12

• Graduation level Chemistry

• Physics upto level class 12

Half time for the IIT JAM 2023 Slot 2 is over now. Candidates have another 90 minutes to complete the exam.  

The IIT JAM exam centres are distributed in eight zones across India which are managed by different participating institutes. The zone-wise cities are given below.

IIT JAM, the postgraduate Science entrance exam is being conducted in approximately 100 cities across India in eight zones across the country.

Exam commences for Slot 2 of IIT JAM 2023. The four papers or subjects which are being tested in this session are as follows:

• Biotechnology
• Physics
• Mathematical Statistics
• Economics

The detailed timings of IIT JAM 2023 afternoon session or Slot 2 are given below.

The Geology subject was also of easy to moderate difficulty level. The questions were on the topics of Planet Earth, Paleontology, Structural Geology, and Geomorphology among others. The cutoff is expected to be a bit higher than last year.

The entry gates of the IIT JAM  exam centres have been closed. All the test takers have entered the premises. No more entry is allowed. The IIT JAM 2023 session 2 exam will start soon.

The Chemistry section has been termed as easy to moderate. Some of the topics included Molar Conductivity, Magnetic Moments, Titration, Bonds, etc. As per some candidates, the MCQ questions were tougher than the MSQs and NAT questions. Let us take a look at some of the student reactions.

Sarthak said, "Most of the Organic Chemistry questions were tough and difficult to comprehend. MCQs were very tough. Overall I felt the paper to be very tough."

Reva stated, "There were very few questions asked from the Analytical Equilibrium. Only five to six questions were asked." 

IIT JAM 2023 after arriving at the examination centre looks forward to the seating arrangement sheet which is provided by centre to cross-verify their roll numbers at the examination centre along with the location of the floor number and laboratory number. 

According to the students and experts of IIT JAM, Slot 1 of the exam was of moderate to tough difficulty level. Majority of the students appeared for Mathematics and Chemistry papers. There were a few takers of the Geology paper. 

Mathematics: Most of the students found the exam to be on the tougher side. Well-prepared students found the Mathematics paper to be moderate. Vishesh, a test-taker stated, "I attempted 40 questions. It was very time consuming and I am not completely sure about my accuracy level. Hoping to clear the cutoff. Akash, another candidate shared, "The overall paper was easy to moderate. Around four to six MCQs were direct in nature." Rajdeep, another candidate stated, "Around 10 questions in the MCQ category were very easy and could be completed in 40 minutes. Some of the NAT questions were tricky in nature."

Candidates who are coming from different locations (than their allotted test centres) have started reporting to the exam centre from 1 PM onwards. The exam centre officials have not begun entry inside the examination hall yet. Only seating arrangements are available at the test centre location, no instructions provided by the exam centre officials yet.

Exam timings for IIT JAM 2023 session 2 are from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM. Session 2 will be concluded in the following subjects:

• Economics (EN)

• Biotechnology (BT)

• Physics (PH)

• Mathematical Statistics (MS)

IIT JAM 2023 exam session 2 will start at 2:30 PM, therefore candidates must report 90 minutes before the scheduled time for the test commencement at the exam centre. This means that candidates can the test centre as early as 1:00  PM, and last entry to be allowed by the exam centre officials is 2:00 PM. However, candidates must try reaching the tets centres at least 1 hour before the exam timings. This will be helpful in getting timely details of seat allotment, and completing formalities like frisking by test centre officials. 

The IIT JAM Geology section-wise difficulty is as follows:

The IIT JAM Mathematics subject-wise weightage and difficulty level are as follows:

The IIT JAM chemistry subject-wise weightage and difficulty level are as follows:

The IIT JAM session 1 has concluded at 12.30 PM as per the schedule. Candidates have to do the final submission of the test and log out of the system. They must not leave the exam hall unless instructed to do so. They will have to submit the rough sheets before leaving the centre and must ensure to carry their personal belongings that they had deposited during the entry.

15 minutes are left for the first session of IIT JAM 2023 to get over. By this time candidates must have answered the question which they know well. Candidates should by now wind up their test and revise the answers to the questions and revisit the marked for review questions.

The IIT JAM 2023 forenoon session will conclude at 12:30 PM. So, candidates are now left with 30 minutes on their clock to complete the paper. They must focus on completing the exam on time. 

The IIT JAM 2023 paper is being conducted in a computer-based mode, so there will be no hard copies of the question paper booklet that the candidate can take away. However, IIT JAM officials will release the question paper along with the answer keys for IIT JAM 2023. It can be downloaded through the admission portal using one’s user id and password.

During the examination, a virtual scientific calculator will be available on the computer screen. Candidates will be able to utilise it for the numerical questions. 

The total duration of the IIT JAM exam is three hours. Eligible PwD candidates may be given one-hour of compensatory time and the assistance of a scribe for the examination as per the guidelines of the Government of India. 

IIT JAM 2023 cut off marks will be released along with the IIT JAM 2023 scorecard on 22 March. Candidates can go through IIT JAM 2022 cut off marks for reference:

There are three types of questions asked in IIT JAM. The question types and their descriptions are given below:

• Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): Each question has four choices with one correct answer

• Multiple Select Questions (MSQs): Each question has four choices with one or more correct answers
• Numerical Answer Type (NAT): The answer for each question is a signed real number that needs to be entered using the virtual numeric keypad on the monitor. No choices will be shown for these questions.

One and half hour of the IIT JAM 2023 session 1 is over. The exam is underway at about 100 test centres. By now, candidates must have completed half of their examination.

Test-takers can seek the help of invigilators assigned to their hall whenever they face any difficulty or challenge. It may be due to a wrong question or answer option, technical glitch, health issues or anything else. In situations like this, they will have to stand up and raise their hands to fetch the attention of invigilators and should not make any noise while doing so.

Candidates will be provided sheets of paper to carry out their rough work. They will have to submit the rough sheets to the invigilator after the conclusion of the exam. They must write their IIT JAM 2023 Roll Number on top of each page but should not write their names on it.

Aspirants can go through the detailed IIT JAM Geology syllabus here. The JAM test paper for Geology comprises the below-mentioned topics:

• The Planet Earth

• Geomorphology

• Structural Geology

• Palaeontology

• Stratography

• Mineralogy

• Petrology

• Economic Geology

• Applied Geology

Test-takers can go through the detailed IIT JAM Mathematics syllabus here. The JAM test paper for Mathematics comprises the below-mentioned topics:

• Sequences and Series of Real Numbers

• Functions of One Real Variable

• Functions of Two or Three Real Variables

• Integral Calculus

• Differential Equations

• Vector Calculus

• Group Theory

• Linear Algebra

• Real Analysis

The JAM test paper for Chemistry consists of three subjects which are Physical Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Inorganic Chemistry. Aspirants can go through the detailed IIT JAM Chemistry syllabus below:

IIT JAM 2023 Physical Chemistry Syllabus

• Basic Mathematical Concepts

• Atomic and Molecular Structure

• Theory of Gases

• Solid State

• Chemical Thermodynamics

• Chemical and Phase Equilibria

• Electrochemistry

• Chemical Kinetics

IIT JAM 2023 Organic Chemistry Syllabus

• Basic Concepts in Organic Chemistry and Stereochemistry

• Organic Reaction Mechanism and Synthetic Applications

• Qualitative Organic Analysis

• Natural Products Chemistry

• Aromatic and Heterocyclic Chemistry

IIT JAM 2023 Inorganic Chemistry Syllabus

• Periodic Table

• Chemical Bonding and Shapes of Compounds

• Main Group Elements (s and p blocks)

• Transition Metals (d block)

• Bioinorganic Chemistry

• Instrumental Methods of Analysis

• Analytical Chemistry

While candidates are taking their respective examinations, the exam invigilators will come to the candidate's seat and will mark their attendance by making them sign in the attendance sheet. 

There will not be any sectional time limit for IIT JAM 2023. There will be three sections of three hours duration. Candidates can attempt any section at any time, also they can shift to any question of different sections any time they want.

Candidates taking IIT JAM 2023 must know how to answer the questions which are asked in the examination. While answering the questions, candidates can see multiple options displayed on the screen. If they know the answer they can mark the answer and move forward to another question. If they are confused with the answer they can mark it as Marked for the Review or else they can skip the skip if they don’t know the answer. 

The number of questions and the corresponding marks allotted to them is as listed in the table below: 

The detailed IIT JAM exam pattern 2023 and structure is mentioned in the table below:

The Slot 1 or the forenoon session exam for IIT JAM 2023 begins at 9.30 AM for three subjects/papers, Chemistry, Geology and Mathematics. The exam will conclude at 12.30 PM and candidates are not allowed to take any break during the exam.

IIT JAM is conducted by one of the IITs in a rotational manner. This year, IIT Guwahati is the conducting authority of the exam. Last year, IIT Kanpur conducted IIT JAM.

Test-takers are expected to follow the below instructions or COVID-19 guidelines inside the exam hall:

• Candidates should carry their face mask, hand sanitiser and personal transparent water bottle

• They must adhere to the social distancing norms

• They must ensure to keep wearing the face mask and cover their face and nose while coughing or sneezing.

The detailed events timings of the IIT JAM 2023 exam Slot 1 or the forenoon session are given below.

After reaching their allotted labs, candidates will go through the registration process with the invigilators seating at the computer screen. They will check the candidates' names and date of birth and then the digital image and thumb biometrics will be done by them. On the success of the above-mentioned process, candidates will be allotted the desktop numbers and they are supposed to seat there and log in with their credentials.

All the candidates for shift 1 have entered the premises. Candidates can carry only the admit card and photo ID inside the exam centres. Parents and guardians have to wait for their wards outside. After entering the centre, they have to undergo registration, photo and biometric capture before they take their assigned seats. They are not allowed to touch the computer systems yet.

The entry gates have been opened at the IIT JAM 2023 exam centres for candidates as per the schedule. Prior to the entry, candidates' admit cards and photo identity cards are verified properly. Any candidate without these mandatory documents are deferred from taking the test. 

Candidates have now been allowed to log in to their assigned computer systems and check the instructions carefully. Invigilators also guide candidates in case they face any difficulty in the process. 

After the admit card and valid photo identity verification candidates will go under mandatory frisking where male and female candidates' security checking would be conducted. This step is taken to ensure that no malpractice is being followed. In case any barred item is found from candidates, they would not be allowed entry to the centre. After the checking, the candidates will go to their allotted laboratory number at the examination centre for IIT JAM 2023. 

Candidates must carry the following documents and items to the exam centre:

• A coloured or laser printout of the IIT JAM 2023 admit card in A4 size paper.
• A valid photo identity card issued by the Government of India such as PAN Card, Voter ID Card, Aadhaar Card, Passport, Driving License, etc.
• Pen and pencil.
• Transparent water bottle.
• Pocket-sized hand sanitiser (50 ml).
• Face mask which has to be worn by the candidate throughout the time spent at the exam centre.

The following items are barred from carrying to the exam centre:

• Books, copies or papers of any kind.
• Mobile phones, calculators, watches or any other electronic or digital devices.
• Bags or wallets.

The exam authorities have also mentioned that there would not be any place to keep candidates’ personal belongings, hence candidates should ideally not carry any personal belongings, except the permitted items inside the exam hall. Candidates are required to deposit them at the examination centre or submit those to their parents/guardians accompanying them.

The exam authority has not mandated any dress code for IIT JAM candidates, and they can appear in any dress - formal or casual as they like. Only scarves, gloves, sunglasses, and caps will not be allowed inside the examination hall. Candidates must ensure to follow the instructions as provided on the admit card and by the test centre officials before the exam begins. 

As per the instructions given by the IIT JAM exam authorities, candidates have to report to the exam centre 90 minutes prior to the exam schedule. As per that instruction, test-takers can be seen reaching their respective exam centres. Some candidates reached their centres around two hours before the first slot exam timing to avoid last-minute hassle. Candidates can be found to be checking the seating arrangements and instructions provided by the centre authorities.

IIT JAM 2023 admit card and a valid photo identity card are mandatory documents to be carried at the exam centre for candidate verification. The identity card should be the same that candidates had selected and provided the details for while filling the application form. No candidate will be permitted to appear in JAM 2023 examination without a valid
Admit Card, and a valid and original Photo ID. The Admit Card should be presented for verification.

The following table brings the slot-wise and test-paper-wise timings for IIT JAM 2023:

There are six subjects tested in the IIT JAM 2023 exam, which are as follows:

• Chemistry
• Physics
• Geology
• Mathematics
• Mathematical Statistics
• Biotechnology
• Economics

The IIT JAM 2023 will be conducted in two slots for a duration of three hours. While the first or the forenoon slot will be conducted from 9.30 AM to 12.30 PM, the second or the afternoon slot will be conducted from 2.30 PM to 5.30 PM. 

 IIT JAM 2023 is scheduled to be conducted today, February 12 in two sessions. The mode of the exam is online, or computer-based test (CBT).