IIT JAM 2026 Syllabus has been released on the official website. Candidates preparing for the exam, need to thoroughly check the topics mentioned in the syllabus. IIT Bombay is all set to conduct JAM 2026 exam on February 15, 2026 at 117 exam centres across the nation.
To get a better handle on the Biotechnology exam, interested candidates should analyze the official JAM 2026 Biotechnology syllabus released. While much of the material will be familiar for the candidates from their undergraduate/BSc studies, however, many topics may vary from what they’ve previously covered.
In order to have a generalised syllabus for everyone, the organizing institute has mentioned a list of topics under JAM 2026 syllabus that all candidates are expected to know, regardless of their specific undergraduate curriculum.
Therefore, candidates who wish to pursue MSc Biotechnology need to refer to the IIT JAM Biotechnology Syllabus released by the exam officials.
Also Read: How to fill IIT JAM Application Form
IIT JAM 2026 Exam Pattern: Biotechnology
JAM 2026 exam pattern mentions the type of questions asked to test a candidate’s domain knowledge. JAM 2026 exam will be conducted online/CBT mode in two shifts at various exam centres across the nation.
There will be 60 questions asked by the exam officials in the mixture of MCQ, MSQ and NAT. The maximum marks for the exam will be 100 marks. Check out the exam pattern from below:
| Section | Question Type | Details | Question Numbers |
| Section A | Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ) | Only one correct option out of four choices | Q.1 – Q.10, Q.11 – Q.30 |
| Section B | Multiple Select Questions (MSQ) | One or more correct choices | Q.31 – Q.40 |
| Section C | Numerical Answer Type (NAT) | Real number entered via virtual keyboard, no choices provided | Q.41 – Q.50, Q.51 – Q.60 |
| Section | Question Numbers | Marks per Question | Total Questions | Total Marks | Negative Marking |
| Section A | 1 – 10 | 1 | 10 | 10 | -1/3 for each wrong answer |
| 11 – 30 | 2 | 20 | 40 | -2/3 for each wrong answer | |
| Total: 30 | Total: 50 | ||||
| Section B | 31 – 40 | 2 | 10 | 20 | No negative marking |
| Section C | 41 – 50 | 1 | 10 | 10 | No negative marking |
| 51 – 60 | 2 | 10 | 20 | No negative marking | |
| Total: 20 | Total: 30 | ||||
Also Read: IIT JAM Biotechnology Seat Intake
IIT JAM Eligibility Criteria for Biotechnology
Candidates interested in pursuing MSc Biotechnology, can check out the participating institute and course wise educational requirement from here:
| Institute | Academic Programme (Code) | Essential subjects in Bachelor’s Degree along with minimum duration |
| IIT Bombay | 1204 : M.Sc. in Biotechnology | Any Branch/Subject. |
| IIT Bombay | 1213 : M.Sc.‐Ph.D.Dual Degree in Environmental Science and Engineering | Any one of Biology, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics for two years/four semesters, and any one of the other four subjects for at least one year/two semesters and Mathematics for at least one semester. |
| IIT Delhi | 1305 : M.Sc. in Biological Sciences | A Three or Four year Bachelor’s degree in any branch of STEM |
| IIT Dharwad | 3304 : M.Sc. in Molecular Medicine | A 3 or 4 years Bachelor’s degree in any branch of STEM. |
| IIT Indore | 2204 : M.Sc. in Biotechnology | Any Branch/Subject. |
| IIT Roorkee | 1806 : M.Sc. in Bioscience and Bioengineering | Bachelor’s Degree in any Branch/Subject |
Also Read: IIT JAM Eligibility Criteria
IIT JAM 2026 Biotechnology Syllabus
JAM 2026 Biotechnology syllabus is designed in such a way to test candidate’s domain understanding of key topics like General Biology, Microbial, Plant and Biotechnology, Biotechniques from Biology, branch of Science. Also candidates need to study the Chemistry, Physics and Mathematics syllabus of 10+2 level.
In order to perform well in the examination, candidates are advised to study from these topics and solve IIT JAM previous year question papers to know the depth of questions, exam difficulty and types of questions asked.
Check out the detailed IIT JAM Biotechnology Syllabus 2026 from the following section:
JAM Biotechnology Syllabus: Biology
Check out the list of topics that a candidate need to cover under Biology Domain:
| Section | Topic | Details |
| General Biology | Cell Biology | Structure of prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells, membrane structure and function, organelles, cell communication (signalling pathways, endocrine and paracrine signalling), extracellular matrix and apoptosis, cell cycle (mitosis and meiosis). |
| Biochemistry | Structure and function of biological macromolecules, enzymes (catalysis, regulation, Michaelis-Menten kinetics, inhibition), bioenergetics (free-energy change, high-energy compounds, redox reactions), metabolism (glycolysis, TCA cycle, oxidative phosphorylation, photosynthesis, nitrogen fixation, urea cycle). | |
| Genetics | Mendelian inheritance, exceptions to Mendelian laws, genetic interactions, linkage, recombination and chromosome mapping, chromosomal mutations, genetic disorders, population genetics. | |
| Molecular Biology | Landmark DNA experiments, DNA replication, proof-reading and repair, DNA recombination, transcription, RNA processing, translation, regulation of gene expression (operons). | |
| Evolution and Ecology | Darwinian view, speciation, phylogenetic classification, origin of life, climate patterns, terrestrial and aquatic biomes, environmental constraints, population density, community interactions, ecosystems, ecological remediation. | |
| Microbial, Plant and Animal Biotechnology | Microbiology | Microbial genetics (transformation, conjugation, transduction), structural features of microorganisms, pathogenic microbes, microbial metabolism, cultivation, growth kinetics, control and sterilization, microbial fermentation, bioreactors, downstream processing, effluent treatment. |
| Plant Biology | Tissues and organs, primary and secondary growth, morphogenesis, transport in vascular plants, plant nutrition, development of flowering plants, plant growth regulators, photobiology, plant tissue culture, transgenic plants, plant response to stress. | |
| Animal Biology | Digestive, circulatory, respiratory, excretory, nervous, reproductive and endocrine systems, basics of immunology, animal development, mammalian cell culture, animal cloning, transgenic animals. | |
| Biotechniques | Biochemical and Microscopy Techniques | Chromatography, centrifugation, electrophoresis, ELISA, Western blotting, immunostaining, principles of microscopy (light, fluorescence, electron). |
| Molecular Biology Techniques | DNA cloning (plasmid vectors, restriction enzymes), PCR, expression of cloned eukaryotic genes, hybridization techniques, DNA sequencing, recombinant DNA technology. | |
| Computational Biology | Bioinformatics, sequence and structure databases, DNA, RNA and protein sequence analysis, secondary and 3D structure prediction, biochemical databases. | |
| Instrumental Techniques – Spectroscopy | Fundamentals of molecular spectroscopy, UV-Vis, circular dichroism, FTIR and 1-D proton NMR spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, calorimetry, crystallography, flow cytometry. |
JAM Biotechnology Syllabus: Chemistry
Check out the list of topics that a candidate need to cover under Chemistry Domain:
| Section | Topic | Details |
| Chemistry | Structure and properties of Atoms | Bohr’s theory, periodicity in properties. |
| Bonding in molecules | Chemical bonding, complex formation, physical and chemical basis of molecular interactions. | |
| Chemical kinetics, thermodynamics, and equilibrium | Chemical equilibrium, chemical thermodynamics (first and second law), chemical kinetics (zero and first order reactions). | |
| Physical and chemical properties of compounds | Chemical catalysis, acid-base concepts, pH and buffer, conjugative and resonance effects, inductive effects, electromeric effects, photochemistry, and electrochemistry. | |
| Chemistry of organic compounds | Hydrocarbons, alkyl halides, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, carboxylic acids, amines and their derivatives, aromatic compounds, soaps and detergents, stereochemistry of carbon compounds. |
JAM Biotechnology Syllabus: Mathematics
Check out the list of topics that a candidate need to cover under Mathematics Domain:
| Section | Topic | Details |
| Mathematics | General mathematics | Sets, relations and functions, logarithms, complex numbers, linear and quadratic equations, sequences and series, trigonometry, Cartesian system, three dimensional geometry, permutations and combinations, binomial theorem, vectors, matrices and determinants, functions, limits and continuity, differentiation, ordinary differential equations, application of derivatives, integration. |
| Probability & Statistics | Mean, median, mode and standard deviation, random variables, Poisson, normal and binomial distributions, correlation and regression analysis. |
JAM Biotechnology Syllabus: Physics
Check out the list of topics that a candidate need to cover under Physics Domain:
| Section | Topic | Details |
| Physics | General physics | Units and measurements, motion, laws of motion, work and kinetic energy, conservation of energy, rotational motion, mechanical properties of solids and fluids, thermal properties of matter, laws of thermodynamics, kinetic theory of gases, electric charge and field, electric potential and capacitance, current and resistance, moving charges and magnetic field, magnetism and matter, electromagnetic induction and waves, alternating currents, optics (geometrical and wave), dual nature of radiation and matter, atoms, nuclei and nuclear physics, semiconductor materials and devices. |
IIT JAM 2026 Biotechnology Syllabus PDF
Candidates can also access the JAM 2026 biotechnology syllabus pdf which is released by the exam officials in this section below.
| IIT JAM 2026 Biotechnology Syllabus PDF | Download Here |
IIT JAM 2026 Biotechnology Books: Preparation Books
Candiates can check out the list of books that can consider while doing their JAM 2026 preparation.
Biology Preparation Books
| Topic | Book Title | Author |
| Biochemistry | Lehninger Principles of Biochemistry | David L. Nelson & Michael M. Cox |
| Biochemistry | Biochemistry | Stryer, Berg & Tymoczko |
| Cell Biology | Molecular Biology of the Cell | Bruce Alberts et al. |
| Molecular Biology | Molecular Biology of the Gene | Watson et al. |
| Microbiology | Prescott’s Microbiology | Joanne Willey, Linda Sherwood, & Christopher Woolverton |
| Microbiology | Microbiology | Michael Pelczar Jr. |
| Immunology | Kuby Immunology | Thomas J Kindt, Barbara A Osborne, & Richard Goldsby |
| Immunology | Basic Immunology | Abbas & Litchmann |
| Genetics | Principles of Genetics | Gardner, Simmons, & Snustad |
| General Biology | Campbell Biology | Lisa A. Urry et al. |
Chemistry Preparation Books
| Topic | Book Title | Author |
| Organic Chemistry | A Guidebook to Mechanism in Organic Chemistry | Peter Sykes |
| Organic Chemistry | Organic Chemistry | R. T. Morrison & R. N. Boyd |
| Organic Chemistry | Organic Chemistry | Solomon & Fryhle |
| Physical Chemistry | Physical Chemistry | Lewis |
| Inorganic Chemistry | Concise Inorganic Chemistry | J. D. Lee |
Physics and Mathematics Preparation Books
| Subject | Book Title | Author |
| Physics | Concepts of Physics | H. C. Verma |
| Physics | Fundamentals of Physics | Halliday, Resnick & Walker |
| Physics | Concepts of Modern Physics | A. Beiser |
| Mathematics | Mathematics | R. D. Sharma |
| Mathematics | Elementary Linear Algebra | H. Anton |
| Mathematics | An Introduction to Probability and Statistics | Rohatgi, V. K. & Saleh |
IIT JAM 2026 Biotechnology Preparation Tips
If you are reading this article, then you must be preparing for the JAM 2026 Biotechnology exam. For a candidate short listing the right strategy and resources can help them to get admissions to the MSc programmes at IIT JAM 2026 participating institutes.
This comprehensive guide will walk you through an effective preparation strategy:
- Know Exam Pattern and Syllabus:
At first the candidate must be aware of the exam pattern and JAM 2026 biotechnology syllabus. The exam pattern will help them in understanding the type of questions asked, marking scheme and depthness of the topics asked. Likewise, JAM 2026 syllabus will illustrate the candidates about the topics which are mandatory for them to study.
Candidates must know that the JAM Biotechnology syllabus is a blend of four core subjects, Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics. While the Biology section carries the highest weightage (approximately 44%), a good score requires a solid command of all four subjects.
- Craft Your Winning Study Plan
Having a well structured study plan will behave as the backbone of one’s preparation.
- Prioritize High-Weightage Topics: Candidates are advised to start their preparation by focusing on high-scoring topics. Biology will have high weightage questions and one needs to dedicate more time to Biochemistry, Molecular Biology, and Genetics.
- Solve JAM previous year question paper: By regularly solving the previous year’s papers will help them in identifying the frequently asked questions and high-weightage concepts.
- Allocate Time Wisely: Candidates should focus on having a study schedule for around 4-6 hours per day. When the exam approaches, one needs to increase their dedicated study time.
- Balance Theory and Practice: Students are advised not to just read the syllabus mentioned, also practice questions for each section once they completed the chapter. Don’t just read the concepts; practice them. Candidates need to develop a habit of creating a good balance of conceptual clarity and problem-solving is essential.
- Revision is Key: Make a habit of revising the topics studied at the end of the week.
- Essential Study Resources and Books: Mere knowing the syllabus released by the officials, won’t suffice the preparation. Selection of the best and standard books will significantly impact your performance.
- Practice and Self-Assessment: Your Path to Perfection
One of the most effective ways to gauge your preparation is solving previous year’s question papers and taking mock tests.
- Previous Year Papers (PYQs)
- Mock Tests
- Analyze Your Performance
Conclusion
It is not wrong to say that acing the JAM 2026 Biotechnology exam purely depends on the strategic approach. Although JAM 2026 biotechnology syllabus plays the most important tool as one can not prepare without the syllabus. With the proper utilization of the syllabus, one can prioritize key subjects Cell Biology, Biochemistry, and Molecular Biology, ensuring your study time is as effective as possible.
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