IIT JAM 2026 Physics Syllabus released by the exam officials in the information brochure and also on the official website. Interested candidates will be able to access the JAM 2026 Physics syllabus pdf by visiting the official website, i.e., jam2026.iitb.ac.in.Candidates must know that the IIT JAM 2026 application form has been released and will be able to register for the exam till October 12, 2026. In order to ace the physics subject in the exam, candidates must adhere to the IIT JAM 2026 syllabus released. The syllabus will contain the topics which the candidates have already studied in their BSc/UG degree. In pursuance to have a same IIT JAM Physics syllabus to all the candidates, the exam conducting body releases a common syllabus for all the candidates. IIT JAM 2026 exam is all set to be conducted on February 12, 2025 at 117 exam centres across the nation. To prepare well in the exam, candidates can read this SciAstra article to check the JAM 2026 Physics syllabus, preparation tips, books and eligibility criteria here.Latest Update:
IIT JAM 2026 Physics Exam Pattern
As per the IIT JAM 2026 exam pattern, the exam will be held in online mode for the duration of three hours in two shifts. The exam officials will test the candidate’s understanding of the concepts in the relevant subjects opted in the form of MCQ, MSQ and NAT type of questions.There will be 60 questions asked and 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 | ||||
IIT JAM 2026 Physics Eligibility Criteria
Candidates interested in pursuing MSc Physics, can check out the JAM 2026 participating institute and course wise educational requirement from here: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. |
Check out the complete JAM 2026 Physics Eligibility Criteria here.
IIT JAM 2026 Physics Syllabus
JAM 2026 Physics syllabus is designed by the exam officials to test candidate's domain understanding of key topics like Mechanics, Wave, Optics, Properties of Matter, Electricity, Magnetism and other important topics. 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 JAM 2026 Physics syllabus from below:
Section 1: Mathematical MethodsCalculus of single and multiple variables, Partial derivatives, Jacobian, imperfect and perfect differentials, Taylor expansion, Fourier series, Vector algebra, Vector Calculus, Multiple integrals, Divergence theorem, Green’s theorem, Stokes’ theorem. First order equations and linear second-order differential equations with constant coefficients. Matrices and determinants, Complex numbers, Error analysis of Experimental Data: Significant digits and rounding of numbers, Types of errors, mean, median, standard deviation.
Section 2: Mechanics and General Properties of MatterNewton’s laws of motion and applications, Velocity and acceleration in Cartesian, polar and cylindrical coordinate systems, uniformly rotating frame, centrifugal and Coriolis forces, Motion under a central force, Kepler’s laws, Gravitational Law and field, Conservative and non-conservative forces. System of particles, Center of mass, equation of motion of the CM, conservation of linear and angular momentum, conservation of energy, variable mass systems. Elastic and inelastic collisions. Rigid body motion, fixed axis rotations, rotation and translation, moments of Inertia and products of Inertia, parallel and perpendicular axes theorem, Principal moments and axes. Kinematics of moving fluids, equation of continuity, Euler’s equation, Bernoulli’s theorem.
Section 3: Oscillations, Waves and OpticsDifferential equation for simple harmonic oscillator and its general solution. Superposition of two or more simple harmonic oscillators. Lissajous figures. Damped and forced oscillations, resonance. Wave equation, traveling and standing waves in one dimension. Energy density and energy transmission in waves. Group velocity and phase velocity. Sound waves in media. Doppler Effect. Fermat’s Principle. General theory of image formation. Interference of light, optical path retardation. Fraunhofer diffraction. Rayleigh criterion and resolving power. Diffraction gratings. Polarization: linear, circular and elliptic polarization. Double refraction and optical rotation.
Section 4: Electricity and MagnetismCoulomb’s law, Electric field and potential, Gauss’s law, Electrostatic boundary conditions, Solution of Laplace’s equation for simple cases – upto two dimensions. Conductors, capacitors, Linear dielectrics, dielectric polarization, volume and surface bound charges, electrostatic energy. Biot-Savart law, Ampere’s law, Faraday’s law of electromagnetic induction, Self and mutual inductance. Alternating currents. Simple DC and AC circuits with R, L and C components. Displacement current, Maxwell’s equations and plane electromagnetic waves, Poynting vector, Poynting’s theorem, Energy of Electromagnetic fields. Reflection and refraction at a dielectric interface, transmission and reflection coefficients (normal incidence only). Lorentz Force and motion of charged particles in electric and magnetic fields.
Section 5: Kinetic Theory, ThermodynamicsElements of Kinetic theory of gases. Velocity distribution and Equipartition of energy. Specific heat of Mono-, di- and tri-atomic gases. Ideal gas, van-der-Waals gas and equation of state. Mean free path. Laws of thermodynamics. Zeroth law and concept of thermal equilibrium. First law and its consequences. Isothermal and adiabatic processes. Reversible, irreversible and quasi-static processes. Second law and entropy. Carnot cycle.Maxwell’s thermodynamic relations and simple applications. Thermodynamic potentials and their applications. Phase transitions and Clausius-Clapeyron equation. Ideas of ensembles, Maxwell- Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein distributions.
Section 6: Modern PhysicsInertial frames and Galilean invariance. Postulates of special relativity. Lorentz transformations. Length contraction, time dilation. Relativistic velocity addition theorem, mass energy equivalence. Blackbody radiation, photoelectric effect, Compton effect, Bohr’s atomic model, X-rays. Wave-particle duality, Uncertainty principle, the superposition principle, calculation of expectation values, Schr¨odinger equation and its solution for one, two and three dimensional boxes. Solution of Schr¨odinger equation for the one dimensional harmonic oscillator. Reflection and transmission at a step potential, Pauli exclusion principle. Structure of atomic nucleus, mass and binding energy. Radioactivity and its applications. Laws of radioactive decay.
Section 7: Solid State Physics, Devices and ElectronicsCrystal structure, Bravais lattices and basis. Miller indices. X-ray diffraction and Bragg’s law; Intrinsic and extrinsic semiconductors, variation of resistivity with temperature. Fermi level. p-n junction diode, I-V characteristics, Zener diode and its applications, BJT: characteristics in CB, CE, CC modes. Single stage amplifier, two stage R-C coupled amplifiers.Simple Oscillators: Barkhausen condition, sinusoidal oscillators. OPAMP and applications: Inverting and non-inverting amplifier. Boolean algebra: Binary number systems; conversion from one system to another system; binary addition and subtraction. Logic Gates AND, OR, NOT, NAND, NOR exclusive OR; Truth tables; combination of gates; de Morgan’s theorem.
IIT JAM 2026 Physics Syllabus PDF
Candidates can also access the JAM 2026 Physics syllabus pdf which is released by the exam officials in this section below.
IIT JAM 2026 Physics Syllabus PDF |
IIT JAM 2026 Preparation Books for Physics
Here is the list of assorted books for IIT JAM 2026 Physics syllabus.
Subject / Topic | Book Title | Author(s) / Publisher |
Mathematical Methods | Mathematical Methods for Physicists | Arfken & Weber |
Mathematical Physics | H.K. Dass | |
Mechanics & General Properties of Matter | Classical Mechanics | H. Goldstein |
Mechanics | D.S. Mathur | |
Introduction to Classical Mechanics | R.G. Takwale & P.S. Puranik | |
Oscillations, Waves & Optics | Vibrations and Waves | A.P. French |
Optics | Ajoy Ghatak | |
Optics | N. Subrahmanyam & Brijlal | |
Electricity & Magnetism | Introduction to Electrodynamics | David J. Griffiths |
Electricity and Magnetism | D.C. Tayal | |
Kinetic Theory, Thermodynamics & Statistical Physics | Heat and Thermodynamics | M.W. Zemansky |
Statistical Mechanics | R.K. Pathria | |
Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics | Satya Prakash | |
Modern Physics & Quantum Mechanics | Concepts of Modern Physics | Arthur Beiser |
Quantum Mechanics: Concepts and Applications | Nouredine Zettili | |
Quantum Physics of Atoms, Molecules, Solids, Nuclei, and Particles | Eisberg & Resnick | |
Solid State Physics, Devices & Electronics | Solid State Physics | S.O. Pillai |
Solid State Physics | Charles Kittel | |
Electronic Devices and Circuit Theory | Robert L. Boylestad | |
Nuclear Physics | Nuclear Physics: Principles and Applications | John Lilley |
Nuclear Physics | D.C. Tayal |
IIT JAM 2026 Physics Preparation Tips
Check out the following section for the best effective preparation strategy for JAM 2026 Physics exam.
Know Exam Pattern and Syllabus: Candidates must be aware of the exam pattern and JAM 2026 Physics syllabus. The exam pattern will determine the type of questions asked, marking scheme and depthness of the topics asked. JAM 2026 syllabus will illustrate the candidates about the topics which are mandatory for them to study.
Prepare a Study Plan: Having a well structured study plan will behave as the backbone of one’s preparation.
Prioritize High-Weightage Topics
Solve JAM previous year question paper:
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.
Focus on 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: 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
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