IIT JAM 2026 notification has been released by IIT Bombay, the exam organizing institute. Candidates who wish to do their masters degree from IITs, IISc, NITs and other participating institutes need to meet the IIT JAM eligibility criteria 2026 mentioned by the exam officials.
JAM 2026 eligibility criteria has been published by the officials in the information brochure, mentioned on the official website. It outlines the minimum requirements that a candidate needs to satisfy like age limit, subject wise qualification and nationality. Candidates are advised to meticulously check out the eligibility criteria prior filling the IIT JAM 2026 application form.
Candidates providing any wrong details against the IIT JAM 2026 eligibility criteria will lead to the disqualification of their candidature. Any national (Indian/Foreign) who has completed their graduation is eligible for IIT JAM 2026.
Read this SciAstra article to get complete insight on subject-wise IIT JAM eligibility criteria and other important details here:
IIT JAM 2026 Dates
JAM 2026 exam will be held on February 15, 2026 in CBT mode for the duration of three hours in two IIT JAM shifts. Candidates can check out the important dates on IIT JAM 2026 from here:
| Event | Tentative Date |
| IIT JAM 2026 Notification Release Date | July 26, 2025 |
| JAM 2026 Application Form Start Date (JOAPS Portal) | September 5, 2025 |
| IIT JAM 2026 Application Form Last Date | October 12, 2025 |
| Last Date to Change Examination Cities, Candidate Name, Category, or Gender | November 10, 2025 |
| Availability of JAM Admit Cards (Download and Printing) | January 5, 2026 |
| Date of Examination | February 15, 2026 |
| Announcement of Results | March 20, 2026 |
Also Read: IIT JAM 2026 Documents Required
IIT JAM Eligibility Criteria 2026
IIT JAM 2026 exam is conducted every year by one of the IITs on a rotational basis. The exam is held to provide admissions to the masters and integrated degree programmes like MSC, MS, MSc-MTech and Integrated PhD programmes.
Candidates interested in these programmes need to match the JAM 2026 eligibility for the subjects in Mathematics, Biotechnology, Physics, Chemistry, Economics, Geology and Mathematical Statistics. Along with fulfilling the educational requirements, candidates need to meet the age limit and national criteria for the same. Check out the detailed eligibility criteria from here:
IIT JAM 2026 Age Limit: Eligibility Criteria
Any candidate who has completed their graduation degree, irrespective of the year in which one has appeared, gets eligible to appear for the exam.
Note: There are no age limit restrictions for the candidates appearing for the IIT JAM 2026.
IIT JAM Eligibility Criteria 2026: Nationality
For the IIT JAM 2026 examination, the eligibility on the basis of nationality is simple: the examination is available to all nationals, both Indian and foreign. Foreign nationals who hold an Indian degree are also eligible to apply, with the specific admission policy of the admitting institute they apply to.
They also have to meet any other requirements that the institutes may stipulate, including having a current passport and visa, and submitting official academic records.
JAM 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Educational Requirements
- The undergraduate programme should have been completed before the date of admission of the respective Admitting Institute.
- Proof of having passed the qualifying degree with required eligibility, as specified by the Admitting Institute, should be submitted within the timeline provided by the respective Admitting Institute.
Note:
Until the year 2021, the eligibility conditions for IIT JAM were such that candidates must achieve a minimum 55 per cent aggregate or 5.5 CGPA/CPI out of 10 for General/OBC (NCL)/EWS category candidates and 50 per cent aggregate or 5.0 CGPA/CPI for the reserved category candidates. But from 2022 onwards, this condition was made easier. Now, candidates will need to obtain a bachelor’s degree in the relevant subject, and no eligibility cut-off exists.
IIT JAM 2026 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 |
IIT JAM 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Chemistry
Candidates interested in pursuing MSc Chemistry, 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 Bhilai | 2801 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT Bhubaneswar | 1901 : Joint M.Sc.‐ Ph.D. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT Bombay | 1205 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters and Mathematics for one year/two semesters. |
| IIT Bombay | 1212 : M.Sc.‐Ph.D.Dual Degree in Energy Science and Engineering | B.Sc. or equivalent of minimum three years duration, with any one of Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics for two years/four semesters and any one of the remaining two subjects for at least one year/two semesters. |
| 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 Delhi | 1301 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT (ISM) Dhanbad | 2601 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT Dharwad | 3301 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | No Restrictions (candidate to qualify in JAM Chemistry Paper) |
| IIT Gandhinagar | 2001 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | No Restrictions. |
| IIT Guwahati | 1401 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT Hyderabad | 2101 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT Indore | 2201 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT Jammu | 3201 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT Jodhpur | 2401 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT Jodhpur | 2406 : M.Sc.‐ M.Tech. Dual Degree in Chemistry and Materials Engineering | B.Sc./B.S. degree with Chemistry for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Kanpur | 1501 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT Kharagpur | 1601 : Joint M.Sc.‐ Ph.D. in Chemistry | B.Sc./B.S. degree with at least six Chemistry subjects for six semesters / three years. |
| IIT Madras | 1701 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | B.Sc./B.S. degree with Chemistry for at least six semesters/three years, along with mathematics for two semesters/one year. |
| IIT Mandi | 3101 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT Palakkad | 2901 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | JAM (Joint Admission test for Masters) qualified in Chemistry (CY) Bachelor’s degree |
| IIT Patna | 2504 : Integrated M.Sc. PhD (Chemistry) | Chemistry for three years / six semester |
| IIT Patna | 2501 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT Roorkee | 1802 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Ropar | 2302 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT Tirupati | 3002 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT (BHU)Varanasi | 2701 : M.Sc. in Chemistry | Chemistry for three years/six semesters. |
IIT JAM 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Mathematics
Candidates interested in pursuing MSc Mathematics, 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 Bhilai | 2802 : M.Sc. in Mathematics & Computing | Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters. |
| IIT Bhubaneswar | 1905 : Joint M.Sc.‐ Ph.D. in Atmosphere & Ocean Sciences | Mathematics and Physics at UG Level. |
| IIT Bhubaneswar | 1902 : Joint M.Sc.‐ Ph.D. in Mathematics | Mathematics/ Statistics as a subject for at least two years/four semesters. |
| IIT Bombay | 1206 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | No Restrictions. |
| IIT Bombay | 1214 : M.Sc. in Operations Research | No Restrictions. |
| IIT Bombay | 1212 : M.Sc.‐Ph.D.Dual Degree in Energy Science and Engineering | B.Sc. or equivalent of minimum three years duration, with any one of Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics for two years/four semesters and any one of the remaining two subjects for at least one year/two semesters. |
| 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 | 1302 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | B.Sc./B.S. degrees, Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT (ISM) Dhanbad | 2602 : M.Sc. in Mathematics & Computing | Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters. |
| IIT Dharwad | 3302 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters in B.Sc./BS degree. B.Tech./BE degree in any branch of engineering will be considered. |
| IIT Gandhinagar | 2002 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | No Restrictions. |
| IIT Guwahati | 1404 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters. |
| IIT Guwahati | 1402 : M.Sc. in Mathematics & Computing | Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters. |
| IIT Hyderabad | 2102 : M.Sc. in Mathematics/ Mathematics & Computing | Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Indore | 2203 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters. |
| IIT Jodhpur | 2402 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters. |
| IIT Jodhpur | 2404 : M.Sc.‐ M.Tech. Dual Degree in Mathematics‐Data & Computational Sciences | Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters. |
| IIT Kanpur | 1502 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | No Restrictions. |
| IIT Kharagpur | 1603 : Joint M.Sc.‐ Ph.D. in Mathematics | Mathematics/Statistics subjects for six semesters / three years. |
| IIT Madras | 1702 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters. |
| IIT Mandi | 3102 : M.Sc. in Applied Mathematics | Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters. |
| IIT Palakkad | 2902 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | JAM qualified in Mathematics (MA) or Mathematical Statistics (MS) Bachelor’s degree (with at least 3 Mathematics courses as part of the Bachelor’s degree program) |
| IIT Patna | 2505 : Integrated M.Sc. PhD in Mathematics | Mathematics for at least two years / four semester |
| IIT Patna | 2502 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters. |
| IIT Roorkee | 1804 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Ropar | 2301 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | Mathematics for at least two years/four semesters. |
| IIT Tirupati | 3004 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | Bachelor’s degree with at least three(3) mathematics courses. |
| IIT Tirupati | 3001 : M.Sc. in Mathematics & Statistics | No Restrictions. |
IIT JAM 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Physics
Candidates interested in pursuing MSc Physics, 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 Bhilai | 2803 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree with Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Bhubaneswar | 1905 : Joint M.Sc.‐ Ph.D. in Atmosphere & Ocean Sciences | Mathematics and Physics at UG Level. |
| IIT Bhubaneswar | 1903 : Joint M.Sc.‐ Ph.D. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree with Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for Engineering degrees. |
| IIT Bombay | 1202 : M.Sc. in Applied Geophysics | Physics and Mathematics/ Mathematical Physics for two years/four semesters and at least one of them as subject for three years/six semesters. |
| IIT Bombay | 1207 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree with Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Bombay | 1212 : M.Sc.‐Ph.D.Dual Degree in Energy Science and Engineering | B.Sc. or equivalent of minimum three years duration, with any one of Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics for two years/four semesters and any one of the remaining two subjects for at least one year/two semesters. |
| 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 | 1303 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree, Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT (ISM) Dhanbad | 2603 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree with Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT (ISM) Dhanbad | 2605 : M.Sc.(Tech.) in Applied Geophysics | B.Sc. Degree with physics for three years/six semesters. Mathematics with two semesters/one year and any one subject among Chemistry, Electronics, Statistics, Geology, and Computer Science with two semesters/one year. |
| IIT Dharwad | 3303 : M.Sc. in Physics | Bachelor’s degree in Science with at least 2 years (4 semesters) of study in Physics, and 1 year (2 semesters) of study in Mathematics. B.Tech./BE degree in any branch of engineering will be considered. |
| IIT Gandhinagar | 2003 : M.Sc. in Physics | No Restrictions. |
| IIT Guwahati | 1403 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree with Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Hyderabad | 2103 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree, physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Indore | 2205 : M.Sc. in Astronomy | B. Sc in Physics / Mathematics / Statistics / Electronics / Computer Science. Or Bachelor’s of Engineering/ Technology in any branch AND Courses in Physics for at least 6 credits or 2 semesters and Mathematics for at least 6 credits or two semesters. |
| IIT Indore | 2202 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree with Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Jammu | 3202 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree with Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Jodhpur | 2403 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree with Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Jodhpur | 2405 : M.Sc.‐ M.Tech. Dual Degree in Physics and Materials Engineering | B.Sc./B.S. degree with Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Kanpur | 1503 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree, Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Kanpur | 1505 : M.Sc.‐Ph.D.Dual Degree in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree, Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Kharagpur | 1605 : Joint M.Sc.‐ Ph.D. in Geophysics | 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 subjects. |
| IIT Kharagpur | 1604 : Joint M.Sc.‐ Ph.D. in Physics | B.Sc. degree with at least 4 Physics subjects and 2 Mathematics subjects. |
| IIT Madras | 1703 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree, Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Mandi | 3104 : Integrated‐ Ph.D in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree, Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Mandi | 3103 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree, Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Palakkad | 2903 : M.Sc. in Physics | JAM (Joint Admission test for Masters) qualified in Physics (PH) Bachelor’s degree |
| IIT Patna | 2506 : Integrated M.Sc. PhD in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree, Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematic for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for Engineering Degree. |
| IIT Patna | 2503 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree, Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Roorkee | 1805 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degrees, Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Ropar | 2303 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree with Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT Tirupati | 3003 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree with Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
| IIT (BHU)Varanasi | 2702 : M.Sc. in Physics | B.Sc./B.S. degree with Physics for at least two years/four semesters and Mathematics for at least one year/two semesters. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
IIT JAM 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Economics
Candidates interested in pursuing MSc Economics, 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 Delhi | 1304 : M.Sc. in Economics | B.A. /B.Sc. /B.Com. / B.Stat. /B.Math. /B.Tech /B.E. or equivalent with minimum of three years of education after completing higher secondary schooling (10+2) or equivalent |
| IIT Roorkee | 1803 : M.Sc. in Economics | B.Sc. (Economics)/B.A. (Economics)/B.Sc. (Statistics)/ BCA and B.Sc./B.A./B.Com. with Mathematics as one of the subjects. No restrictions for engineering degrees. |
IIT JAM 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Mathematical Statistics
Candidates interested in pursuing MSc Mathematics Statistics, 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 | 1214 : M.Sc. in Operations Research | No Restrictions. |
| IIT Bombay | 1203 : M.Sc. in Statistics | No Restrictions. |
| IIT Kanpur | 1504 : M.Sc. in Statistics | No Restrictions. |
| IIT Palakkad | 2902 : M.Sc. in Mathematics | JAM qualified in Mathematics (MA) or Mathematical Statistics (MS) Bachelor’s degree (with at least 3 Mathematics courses as part of the Bachelor’s degree program) |
| IIT Tirupati | 3001 : M.Sc. in Mathematics & Statistics | No Restrictions. |
Conclusion
IIT JAM Eligibility Criteria plays a vital role for the test takers to take admissions to their desired courses in the IITs, NITs, IISc, IISER and other particiapting institutes. Candidates must check out the parameters of the eligibility criteria like age limit, nationality and minimal educationla qualifications to have hassle free admission process.
There are around 3000 seats in postgraduate programmes at 22 IITs for the academic year 2026-27. JAM Scores will be used to admit the candidates subject to meeting the Eligibility Requirements (ERs), Minimum Educational Qualifications (MEQs) and any other necessary requirements, without any additional interview or written test.
Read More: JAM Participating Institutes 2026
