6 Major Difference Between IIT JAM and GATE Exam - Must Know

IIT JAM and GATE Exam both are national-level entrance exams conducted for post-graduation courses to get admission in IITs, NITs, and IISc Bangalore.

IIT JAM is a common entrance test to get admission for master’s courses such as MSc, Integrated Ph.D., Joint MSc-PhD, MSc-PhD Dual Degree. While the GATE is a national level exam that provides admissions in the master of technology such as ME, MTech, Ph.D. courses.

Now you must be thinking, if both exams are conducted for masters then how are they different from each other?

We are sharing 6 major differences between the IIT JAM and GATE Exam in terms of Subjects, Eligibility, Exam Pattern, Syllabus, etc. to clear your confusion to select the best suitable exam for you.

 

What is IIT JAM?

GATE Exam?

Differences Between IIT JAM & GATE Exam

Total Number of Subjects Under JAM Exam & GATE Exam

Differences in Eligibility Criteria

Syllabus IIT JAM and GATE Exam

Differences in Exam Pattern

Validity of Scorecard

Test Schedule of IIT JAM and GATE

Similarities Between JAM Exam and GATE Exam

 

 

Get Free IIT JAM Sample Theory, Syllabus PDFs, previous years' question papers with a solution - Download Here.

 

What is IIT JAM? 

 

IIT JAM stands for Joint Admission Test for Masters conducted by participating IITs for science graduates. It allows you to take admission in renowned Indian colleges like IITs, NITs, and IISc for the following courses:

M.Sc.

Joint M.Sc.-Ph.D.

M.Sc.-M.Tech.

M.Sc.-Ph.D

 

As per the latest update, IIT Roorkee will conduct the the IIT JAM 2022 Exam.

 

What is the GATE Exam? 

 

GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is an entrance exam conducted by 7 IITs and IISc on a rotational basis. It is organized primarily to test candidates' knowledge in engineering & technology.

It is expected that the exam for the upcoming session 2022 will be conducted by IIT Kharagpur.

 

Differences Between IIT JAM and GATE

 

Both the exams are conducted at the same level but these exams are quite different in terms of subjects, pattern, validity, and eligibility.

Below, we have provided the differences between IIT JAM and GATE to clear your confusion:

 

 

 

Number of Subjects in IIT JAM and GATE Exam

 

IIT JAM Exam is conducted for 7 subjects, and the GATE Exam is conducted into 27 subjects.

You can apply for any two subjects in IIT JAM (If both subjects have different sessions) but you have to choose only one subject to appear in the GATE Exam.

Below you can check the list of total subjects for the IIT JAM and GATE Exam.

 

 

IIT JAM Subjects

 

Physics (PH)

Chemistry (CY)

Mathematics (MA)

Geology (GG)

Mathematical Statistics (MS)

Biotechnology (BT)

Economics (EN)

 

 

GATE Exam Subjects

 

Aerospace Engineering (AE)

Agricultural Engineering (AG)

Architecture and Planning (AR)

Biomedical Engineering (BM)

Biotechnology (BT)

Civil Engineering (CE)

Chemical Engineering (CH)

Computer Science and Information Technology (CS)

Chemistry (CY)

Electronics and Communication Engineering (EC)

Electrical Engineering (EE)

Ecology and Evolution (EY)

Geology and Geophysics (GG)

Instrumentation Engineering (IN)

Mathematics (MA)

Mechanical Engineering (ME)

Mining Engineering (MN)

Metallurgical Engineering (MT)

Petroleum Engineering (PE)

Physics (PH)

Production and Industrial Engineering (PI)

Textile Engineering and Fiber Science (TF)

Engineering Sciences (XE*)

Life Sciences (XL**)

Statistics (ST)

Environmental Science & Engineering (ES)

Humanities and Social Science (XH**)

 

 

Download IIT JAM Previous Years' Question Papers Free PDF

 

Eligibility Criteria for IIT JAM and GATE Exam

 

You are able to appear in the Joint Admission Test or GATE Exam only after completing the eligibility criteria. You need to satisfy the minimum qualification and age limit to apply for both exams.

You can check the complete details of eligibility for IIT JAM and GATE exam below:

 

 

IIT JAM Eligibility Criteria

 

3 years bachelor’s degree in science (Physics/ Chemistry/ Biology/ Mathematics) from a recognized University.

Aggregate 55% marks are needed for General/ OBC/EWS and 50% marks are required for SC/ ST/ PwD Category in undergraduate.

If you have appeared or due to appear in the final year examination of bachelor’s degree.

There are no age limit criteria.

 

Note:

The qualified percentage may be different for different IITs, so you should be aware of the eligibility criteria for all the participating organizations.

Engineering candidates can also apply for (IIT JAM)  but they have to follow the eligibility of the engineering branch in which they have completed their graduation.

 

 

Eligibility for GATE

 

You should  have a 4 years B.E./ B.Tech/ degree (after 10+2) or a 3-years diploma in Engineering/ Technology/Architecture/Commerce/Arts.

Candidates who have completed a 5 years degree program in B.Arch. can also apply for the GATE Exam.

The organizing IIT also allows other degrees such as Integrated degree in B.S./ M.S./ MSc or MSC/ M.Tech.

 

 

Download IIT JAM Model Test Papers Free PDF

 

Exam Pattern for IIT JAM and GATE Exam

 

As you know, the GATE exam is conducted for technology and engineering, while the JAM is conducted for pure science. So, it is possible that both exams have a different paper pattern.

The exam pattern is different in the number of sections, questions, and marking scheme.

Check the complete exam pattern for both exams from the following table:

 

 

IIT JAM Paper Pattern 

 

Sections	Total Number of Questions	Types of Questions	Negative Marking
Section A	30	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)	For 1 mark ques - 1/3 marks will be deducted. For 2 marks ques - 2/3 marks will be deducted.
Section B	10	Multiple Select Questions (MSQ)	No negative marking
Section C	20	Numerical Answer Type (NAT)	No negative marking
Total Questions	60
Total Marks	100

 

 

GATE 2022 Exam Pattern 

 

Total Number of Questions	65
Total Marks	100
Type of Questions	Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ)
	Numerical Answer Type (NAT) Questions
Sections	General Aptitude
	Engineering Mathematics (for XL papers it is Chemistry)
	Subject – Specific section
Marking Scheme	For 1 mark ques - 1/3 marks will be deducted. For 2 marks ques - 2/3 marks will be deducted.
	No negative marking will be done for Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions.

 

Check the complete details about the GATE Exam Pattern and JAM Pattern here.

 

 

Get IIT JAM Last 5 years' question papers with solution - Download Here

 

Syllabus of  IIT JAM Exam and GATE Exam 

 

The syllabus of the IIT JAM Exam and GATE Exam is different on the basis of their subjects. If you have applied for any of these subjects, you should check the complete syllabus & important topics.

Below, we have provided the link to the complete IIT JAM and GATE exam syllabus:

IIT JAM Syllabus for All 7 Subjects

GATE Exam Syllabus for All 27 Subjects

 

If you are appearing for the IIT JAM Exam,  then you’ll need to prepare with more focus & dedication. For this, you need to understand the syllabus with the best study material and expert advice which you can get from Educnle.

 

You can get the free study kit for the Joint Admission Test from the table given below: -

 

 

Validity of Score Card

 

The validity of the JAM Score Card is 1 year while the GATE Exam scores are valid for 3 years from the date of announcement of the result.

 

Note:

GATE scores are valid for postgraduate admissions and not for PSU recruitment.

 

Test Schedule for JAM and GATE Exam 

 

The Joint Admission Test for Masters is organized in two sessions while the GATE Exam is conducted for eight sessions.

You can check the exam schedule for both the exams in the table below:

 

 

Test Schedule of IIT JAM

 

 

 

Join Eduncle Exclusive IIT JAM Channel!

 

 

GATE Exam Schedule 2022

 

 

 

Get IIT JAM Syllabus PDFs for All Subjects and boost your exam preparation - Download Here.

 

Similarities Between IIT JAM and GATE 

 

 

The GATE and JAM Exams have some common factors. They are similar in terms of their duration, mode of conduct, career opportunities, and fees structure.

Following are some common factors among both exams:

 

Both exams allow admission in IITs for a Master's degree.

The time duration for both the exams is the same i.e. 3 hours.

Both exams are conducted online.

 

 

Same Career Opportunities

 

The career opportunities under both exams are similar. Below we have mentioned the list of career scopes in the Joint Admission Test and GATE

 

Research or Scientist Job

Officer Jobs

Government Sector

Assistant Professor

Defense Job

Teaching Field

 

 

Similar Fees Structures 

 

The Registration fees for both exams are the same but they may be varied if you apply for 2 subjects in IIT JAM. (check details once again)

 

Category	JAM Exam	GATE Exam
Female/SC/ST/PwD Candidates	Rs 750 (for one paper), Rs 1050 (for two papers)	750 INR
General/ OBC Candidates	Rs 1500 (for one paper), Rs 2100 (for two papers)	1500 INR

 

In this blog, we have covered all the differences between the IIT JAM and the GATE Exam. This will help you choose which exam you should take for your master’s.

If you find the above information is useful, then share it with other aspirants too.

If you have any doubts regarding the individual exam, you can ask your queries through the comment box below. We will definitely solve your queries as soon as possible.

You can also join India’s No.1 Learning Community for the Joint Admission Test, where you will get doubt solutions for all your exam-related queries with the guidance of experts from all over India. To join the community, you can download the Eduncle App now.

 

Thank You!