IIT JAM 2025 Geology Syllabus: Topic Wise Syllabus, Exam Pattern & Important Books

Indian Institute of Technology Joint Admission Test for MSc 2025 ( IIT JAM )

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Exam On: 2 Feb '25

Manisha
Manisha Kumari
Associate Senior Executive
Updated on Jul 26, 2024 11:12 IST

Are you interested in pursuing MSc in Geology? The IIT JAM 2025 exam is then one of the golden opportunities for the candidates to study MSc Geology from the reputed IIT and NIT institutions. Read this Shiksha article to get the detailed syllabus for the IIT JAM MSc Geology course. Aspirants can also check the eligibility criteria and exam pattern for the same here.

IIT JAM Geology Syllabus; Know Complete Syllabus, Important Books, Exam Pattern & Other Details

IIT JAM 2025 syllabus for the JAM 2025 examination has been released by IIT Delhi on this official website in the form of subject-wise pdf. IIT JAM 2025 Geology syllabus contains the list of topics which the aspirants need to cover for appearing in the JAM 2025 examination

Candidates preparing for the MSc Geology course should advance their studies to get enrol in the prestigious IITs & NIT institutions. Before starting the preparation, the ideal strategy for a candidate should be to analyze the MSc Geology Syllabus and exam pattern for the 2025 session. The syllabus is designed to ensure that candidates have a strong understanding of the fundamental geological principles and concepts, as well as the ability to apply this knowledge to real-world problems. The exam also tests candidates' problem-solving skills, analytical skills, and critical thinking skills.

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The objective of the IIT JAM Geology Syllabus 2025 is to assess the candidates' knowledge and understanding of various aspects of geology. The exam aims to test candidates on their foundational concepts and their ability to apply these concepts to solve geological problems. The syllabus is divided into several sections, covering different subfields of geology, including Planet Earth, Geomorphology, Structural Geology, Paleontology, Stratigraphy, Mineralogy, Petrology, Economic Geology, Applied Geology etc.

IIT JAM 2025 Geology Exam Pattern

IIT JAM 2025 Geology exam pattern states that each test paper is of three hours duration. In the exam, candidates need to attempt 60 questions which were of 100 marks weightage. These 60 questions are divided into three sections – A, B, and C. All these sections are compulsory and candidates need to attempt questions from all the sections. The medium of instruction for JAM test papers is English. 

The detailed IIT JAM exam pattern 2025 is mentioned in the table below:

Section Type of Questions No of Question
A

Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)

Each question has four choices with one correct answer.

30
B

Multiple Select Questions (MSQs)

Each question has four choices with one or more correct answers.

10
C

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.

20
Total 60

Also Read: IIT JAM 2025 Exam Pattern: Exam Paper Pattern, Marking Scheme & Shift Timings 

IIT JAM 2025 Geology Syllabus

The IIT JAM 2025 Geology Syllabus is rigorous and comprehensive, but it is essential for students who are serious about pursuing a career in geology. A strong performance on the IIT JAM Geology exam can open up a wide range of opportunities for students, including admission to top postgraduate programs in geology, research opportunities, and jobs in the public and private sectors.

The Planet Earth: Origin of the Solar System and the Earth; Geosphere and the composition of the Earth; Shape and size of the Earth; Earth-Moon system; Dating rocks and age of the Earth;
Volcanism and volcanic landforms; Interior of the Earth; Earthquakes; Earth’s magnetism and gravity, Isostasy; Basic elements of Plate Tectonics; Orogenic cycles.
Geomorphology: Weathering and erosion; Soil formation; Transportation and deposition by wind, ice, river, sea and resulting landforms.
Structural Geology: Orientation of planes and lines in space – concept of dip, strike, rake and plunge. Contour lines; Rule of ‘V’s and outcrop patterns; Interpretation of geological maps and
cross-section construction; Classification and origin of folds, faults, joints, unconformities, foliations and lineations; Stereographic and equal-area projections of planes and lines; Numerical problems related to outcrop and bore-hole data.
Paleontology: Major steps in the evolution of life forms; Fossils, their mode of preservation and utility in age determination and paleoenvironmental interpretations; Morphology, major evolutionary trends and ages of important groups of animals – Brachiopoda, Mollusca, Trilobita, Graptolitoidea, Anthozoa, Echinodermata; Gondwana plant fossils; Elementary idea of vertebrate fossils in India.

Stratigraphy: Principles of stratigraphy; Litho-, Chrono- and biostratigraphic classification; Stratigraphic correlation techniques; Archaean cratons of Peninsular India (Dharwar, Singhbhum
and Aravalli); Proterozoic mobile belts; Stratigraphy of Cuddapah and Vindhyan basins; Stratigraphy of Paleozoic – Mesozoic of Spiti and Kashmir, Gondwana Supergroup, Jurassic of
Kutch, Cretaceous of Trichinopoly, Tertiary and Quaternary sequences of Assam, Bengal and Siwaliks.
Mineralogy: Symmetry and forms in common crystal classes; Physical properties of minerals; Isomorphism, polymorphism, solid solution and exsolution; Classification of minerals; Structure
of silicates; Mineralogy of common rock-forming minerals; Elements of Optical Mineralogy, Optical properties of common rock-forming minerals.
Petrology: Definition and classification of rocks; Igneous rocks – forms of igneous bodies; Processes of evolution and diversification of magma; Classification, association, and genesis of
common igneous rocks. Sedimentary rocks – classification, texture, and structure; Petrology of sandstone and limestone; Elements of sedimentary environments and facies. Metamorphic rocks
– classification and texture; Types of metamorphism; Controls on metamorphism – pressure, temperature and fluids; Concept of projections – ACF, AKF and AFM diagrams; Phase Rule and its applications; Concepts of zones and facies, Characteristic mineral assemblages of pelites in the Barrovian zones and mafic rocks in common facies.
Economic Geology: Physical properties of common economic minerals; General processes of formation of mineral deposits; Mode of occurrence and distribution of metallic and non-metallic
mineral deposits in India; Fundamentals of reserve calculation; Elements of coal and hydrocarbon geology, Coal and hydrocarbon occurrences in India.
Applied Geology: Groundwater and hydrological cycle, Types of aquifers, porosity and permeability; Principles of engineering geology; Geological considerations in construction of dams and tunnels.

Candidates can check out the JAM 2025 syllabus fo other subjects from here:

JAM 2025 Biotechnology Syllabus  IIT JAM 2025 Economics Syllabus  JAM 2025 Mathematics Syllabus 
JAM 2025 Physics Syllabus  IIT JAM 2025 Chemistry Syllabus  IIT JAM 2025 Mathematical Statistics Syllabus 

Also Read: IIT JAM 2025 Chapter Wise Weightage; Know Important Topics 

Topics to study in IIT JAM Geology

Candidates can go through important topics that they should study to score well in the IIT JAM exam for Geology in the table mentioned below:

The Planet Earth

Geomorphology

Structural Geology

Paleontology

Stratigraphy

Mineralogy

Petrology

Economic Geology

Applied Geology

Also Read:

IIT JAM Geology Books to Read for The Planet Earth

Books that aspirants should consider reading for the topic, The Planet Earth, are as mentioned below:

Name of the Book

Author

Physical Geology

Mukherjee Geo-dynamic

Evolution of India

K S Valdiya

Basic concepts of Physical Geology

E.W. Spencer

Principles of Physical Geology

Arthur Holmes

Planet Earth, Cosmology, Geology and the Evolution of Life and Environment

Emiliani

Physical Geology

Don Leet, & Sheldon Judson

An Introduction to Physical Geology

Miller

IIT JAM Geology Books to Read for Geomorphology Preparation 2025

Books that aspirants should consider reading for the topic of geomorphology, are as mentioned below:

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Name of the Book

Author

Geomorphology

M.J. Selby

Introduction to Geomorphology

Kale, VS, and Gupta

A Remote Sensing Geology

R.P. Gupta

Remote Sensing and GIS

Bhatta B

Principles in Geomorphology

Thornbury

Geomorphology and Global Tectonics

Summerfield

Geomorphology: A Systematic Analysis of Late Cenozoic Landforms

A.L. Bloom

IIT JAM Geology Books to Read for Structural Geology Preparation 2025

Books that aspirants should consider reading for the topic, Structural Geology, are as mentioned below:

Name of the Book

Author

Structural Geology

Prof. Haakon Fossen

Structural Geology

S.K. Ghosh/Billings/Davis

IIT JAM Geology Books to Read for Paleontology Preparation 2025

Books that aspirants should consider reading for the topic, Paleontology, are as mentioned below:

Q:   Which are the best books for IIT JAM Biotechnology preparation 2025?

A:

Aspirants can go through important books that they should consider studying from when they are preparing for the IIT JAM Biotechnology exam.

Books for IIT JAM Biotechnology

Biochemistry

Donald Voet & Judith G Voet

Biochemistry

AL Lehninger

Analytical Biochemistry 

Holme

Biochemistry

Zubay

Principles of Biochemistry 

Lehninger

Cell and Molecular Biology -Concepts and Experiments

John Wiley & Sons, Inc., USA

Note: The information is sourced from the official body and may vary.

Name of the Book

Author

Paleontology: Ecosystems, Environments and Evolution

Brenchley, P.J. and Harper, D.A.T.

Introduction to Paleontology

Arnold

Bringing fossils to life – An Introduction to Palaeobiology

D.R. Prothero, D.R

Invertebrate Palaeontology and Evolution

E.N.K. Clarkson

Principles of Invertebrate Palaeontology

Shrock and Twenhofel

The Evolution of Plants

Willis, K.J. & McElwain

Basic Palaeontology: An Introductory Text

Michael Benton and David Harper

Also Read: Important Topics and Best Books for IIT JAM Geology Preparation 2025

CUET PG 2025 Geology: Eligibility Criteria

Candidates can check the minimal eligibility criteria for enrolling in MSc Geology course from below:

Test Paper Code Academic Programmes Institutes Minimal Educational Qulaifucation for Admissions
Geology (GG) MSc Geology IIT Bhubaneswar Geology as a subject for three years/ six semesters and any two subjects among Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.

MSc Applied Geology

IIT Bombay Geology for three years/six semesters and any two subjects among Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biological Sciences

MSc Applied Geology

IIT Dhanbad B.Sc. degree (03 years) with Geology as a subject for three years/six semesters along with Mathematics as one subject, and any one subject out of Physics and Chemistry.

MSc Geology

IIT Kharagpur B.Sc./B.S. degree including Geology subjects for 6 semesters / 3 years,
and any one of the following combinations.
a) 2 Physics subjects + 2 Mathematics subjects.
b) 2 Physics subjects + 2 Chemistry subjects.
c) 2 Chemistry subjects + 2 Mathematics subjects.

Joint MSc- PhD

IIT Kharagpur B.Sc. degree together with either of the following, with minimum
number of subjects in respective domains.
(i) Geology subjects for 6 semesters or 3 years, and 2 Physics subjects +
2 Mathematics subjects.
(ii) Physics subjects for 6 semesters or 3 years, and 2 Mathematics.
 

MSc Applied Geology

IIT Roorkee Geology for three years/six semesters and any two subjects among
Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and Biological Science.
No restrictions for engineering degrees.

IIT JAM 2025 Student Reactions

The JAM 2025 exam will be held on February 2, 2025, at various exam centres across the country. For better preparation and knowledge of the JAM exam difficulty level candidates appearing for the IIT JAM 2025 exam can check out the previous year's (2024) student reaction video from here:

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Preparation Tips For IIT JAM 2025 MSc Geology Exam

Here are some tips that aspirants can refer to while preparing for MSc Biotechnology exam:

  • Understand the syllabus and exam pattern: The first step is to thoroughly understand the syllabus and exam pattern for the MSc Biotechnology exam. This will help you to focus your studies and identify the topics that you need to cover in more detail.
  • Make a study plan: Once you understand the syllabus and exam pattern, you can create a study plan. This plan should be realistic and achievable, and it should break down the syllabus into manageable chunks.
  • Use good study materials: There are many books and online resources available to help you prepare for the MSc Biotechnology exam. Choose study materials that are comprehensive and up-to-date.
  • Take notes:  As you study, take notes on the important concepts and ideas. This will help you to remember the information more easily.
  • Practice solving MCQs: The IIT JAM MSc Biotechnology exam is a multiple-choice exam, so it is important to practice solving MCQs on various topics in the syllabus. This will help you to get familiar with the format of the exam and to identify your strengths and weaknesses.

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About the Author
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Manisha Kumari
Associate Senior Executive

Being a post-graduate and BEd degree holder, I'm an innovative, task-driven and immensely motivated science enthusiast, making me a passionate content writer. I love providing meaningful and constructive articles in... Read Full Bio

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