For students preparing for IIT JAM Physics, looking at previous question papers can be more useful than relying on a generic chapter-wise list. The 2024, 2025 and 2026 Physics papers show how questions were distributed across the major areas of the syllabus, with some subjects appearing consistently and others seeing noticeable variation from one year to another.
This analysis is based on the actual IIT JAM Physics question papers for 2024, 2025 and 2026 provided for review. Each paper had 60 questions carrying 100 marks, with the marks varying according to the section and question number. The 2024 paper, for instance, includes questions ranging from crystal structure and vector calculus to quantum mechanics, optics, thermodynamics, electronics and nuclear physics. The 2026 paper follows the same broad 60-question structure, beginning with topics such as optics, semiconductor physics, electromagnetic waves, Boolean logic and quantum mechanics.
The figures below represent a past-paper analysis, not a prediction of the IIT JAM 2027 paper.
1. Mechanics
Mechanics remained one of the most consistently represented areas across the three papers.
2024: 9 questions carrying 15 marks
2025: 9 questions carrying 16 marks
2026: 9 questions carrying 18 marks
Three-year total: 27 questions carrying 49 marks
The questions covered a fairly broad range, including particle motion, collisions, rotational motion, torque, gravitation, orbital motion, springs, oscillations and motion in rotating frames.
The 2025 paper, for example, included questions on particle collisions, gravitational motion, coupled masses and springs, a variable-mass chain and orbital mechanics. The 2026 paper also included questions on circular motion, springs, rotating frames, energy and planetary orbits.
Past-paper takeaway: Mechanics appeared in all three years with a similar number of questions, although the marks attached to those questions varied.
2. Quantum and Modern Physics
Quantum and Modern Physics showed considerable variation across the three papers and had a particularly large presence in 2026.
2024: 9 questions carrying 16 marks
2025: 8 questions carrying 11 marks
2026: 13 questions carrying 21 marks
Three-year total: 30 questions carrying 48 marks
The questions included quantum mechanics, wavefunctions, particle-in-a-box problems, relativistic mechanics, Compton scattering, nuclear physics, radioactive decay, photoelectric effect and atomic physics.
The 2026 paper included several questions from quantum mechanics and modern physics, including wavefunctions, harmonic oscillator states, uncertainty principle, relativistic events, photoelectric emission and particle-in-a-box problems.
Past-paper takeaway: This area was heavily represented across the three years, with the 2026 paper having the largest number of questions in this broad category.
3. Electromagnetism
Electromagnetism also occupied a substantial portion of the papers, with 2025 having the largest question count in this area.
2024: 7 questions carrying 11 marks
2025: 11 questions carrying 18 marks
2026: 8 questions carrying 15 marks
Three-year total: 26 questions carrying 44 marks
Questions covered electrostatics, electric fields and potential, dielectrics, Gauss's law, magnetic fields, electromagnetic induction, Maxwell's equations, AC circuits and electromagnetic waves.
The 2024 paper included questions on electromagnetic waves, electrostatic fields, dielectric interfaces, LCR circuits and induced electric fields.
The 2025 paper also had several questions involving electric fields, dielectric media, displacement current, magnetic fields and Maxwell-related concepts.
Past-paper takeaway: Electromagnetism was one of the most frequently tested broad areas, particularly in the 2025 paper.
4. Optics
Optics maintained a fairly stable presence in all three papers.
2024: 7 questions carrying 12 marks
2025: 7 questions carrying 12 marks
2026: 8 questions carrying 12 marks
Three-year total: 22 questions carrying 36 marks
The papers covered interference, diffraction, polarization, refraction, lenses, optical instruments, thin films, lasers and electromagnetic-wave properties.
The 2024 paper included Brewster angle, Newton's rings, polarization, laser intensity, diffraction and a thick-lens problem.
The 2025 paper included refraction through multiple media, Fraunhofer diffraction, lens-related questions, polarization and thin-film interference.
In 2026, optics questions included optical activity, multilayered media, coherent waves, angular resolution, laser beams, Michelson interferometry and thin-film interference.
Past-paper takeaway: Optics was one of the more stable areas in terms of question count across the three years.
5. Mathematical Physics
Mathematical Physics was another recurring component of the paper.
2024: 9 questions carrying 13 marks
2025: 7 questions carrying 12 marks
2026: 7 questions carrying 11 marks
Three-year total: 23 questions carrying 36 marks
The questions covered vector calculus, matrices, complex numbers, differential equations, Jacobians, Taylor series, Fourier series and related mathematical techniques.
The 2024 paper, for example, included questions on binary numbers, matrices, divergence, line integrals, complex roots, Jacobians, vector areas and Taylor expansion.
The 2026 paper similarly included differential equations, matrices, Fourier series, Taylor series, eigenvalues and vector calculus.
Past-paper takeaway: Mathematical Physics was present throughout the three papers and was often integrated directly into Physics-based problems.
6. Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics
Thermodynamics and Statistical Physics contributed a relatively consistent number of questions.
2024: 6 questions carrying 10 marks
2025: 6 questions carrying 11 marks
2026: 6 questions carrying 9 marks
Three-year total: 18 questions carrying 30 marks
The questions covered ideal gases, entropy, specific heats, thermodynamic cycles, kinetic theory, Maxwell relations, phase transitions and statistical distributions.
The 2024 paper included questions on ideal-gas collisions, degrees of freedom, thermodynamic cycles, ideal-gas processes and entropy.
The 2026 paper also included questions on Carnot cycles, entropy, ideal gases, phase transitions and thermodynamic equilibrium.
Past-paper takeaway: The number of questions stayed exactly at six in each of the three papers, although the marks varied slightly because of the placement of questions across sections.
7. Electronics and Semiconductor Physics
Electronics and semiconductor-related questions appeared regularly, although their overall share was smaller than Mechanics, Modern Physics or Electromagnetism.
2024: 6 questions carrying 10 marks
2025: 5 questions carrying 8 marks
2026: 5 questions carrying 8 marks
Three-year total: 16 questions carrying 26 marks
The papers included p-n junctions, transistors, Zener diodes, operational amplifiers, logic gates and semiconductor concepts.
The 2024 paper included questions on logic circuits, operational amplifiers, p-n junctions, Zener diodes and transistor circuits.
The 2026 paper also included Boolean logic, transistor circuits, operational amplifiers and Zener diode problems.
Past-paper takeaway: Electronics was not the largest section, but it appeared consistently and usually involved direct application of standard concepts and circuit relations.
8. Solid State Physics
Solid State Physics had a smaller but consistent presence.
2024: 4 questions carrying 7 marks
2025: 5 questions carrying 8 marks
2026: 3 questions carrying 4 marks
Three-year total: 12 questions carrying 19 marks
Questions included crystal structures, unit cells, Miller indices, lattice planes, packing fraction, Bragg diffraction and crystallography.
The 2024 paper opened with a question on the number of ions in a NaCl unit cell and later included Miller indices, HCP structure and X-ray diffraction.
The 2026 paper included questions on BCC packing fraction and Bragg diffraction from a simple cubic structure.
Past-paper takeaway: Solid State Physics was tested every year, but its question count fluctuated more than that of Mechanics or Thermodynamics.
9. Waves and Oscillations
Waves and Oscillations had the smallest share among the broad categories used in this analysis.
2024: 3 questions carrying 6 marks
2025: 2 questions carrying 4 marks
2026: 1 question carrying 2 marks
Three-year total: 6 questions carrying 12 marks
Questions included superposition of waves, standing waves, dispersion, simple harmonic motion and wave propagation.
The 2024 paper included questions on superposition of travelling waves and dispersive media. The 2025 paper included questions on simple harmonic motion and travelling waves. The 2026 paper included a standing-wave question involving a vibrating string.
Past-paper takeaway: The number of questions from this broad category was comparatively low in these three papers. However, this should not be interpreted as an indication that the topic can be ignored.
Looking at the three papers together, the broad distribution was:
Mechanics: 27 questions, 49 marks
Quantum & Modern Physics: 30 questions, 48 marks
Electromagnetism: 26 questions, 44 marks
Mathematical Physics: 23 questions, 36 marks
Optics: 22 questions, 36 marks
Thermodynamics & Statistical Physics: 18 questions, 30 marks
Electronics & Semiconductor Physics: 16 questions, 26 marks
Solid State Physics: 12 questions, 19 marks
Waves & Oscillations: 6 questions, 12 marks
These totals cover 180 questions and 300 marks across the three papers. The classification is based on the dominant concept tested in each question; some questions naturally overlap more than one area.
Students using the 2024, 2025 and 2026 papers for preparation can use this analysis to organise their revision around the major areas of the syllabus. The papers show repeated testing of concepts through numerical problems, conceptual questions, graphs, mathematical methods and application-based questions.
Rather than preparing only the chapters that appeared more frequently in one particular year, candidates can use the three-year papers to identify recurring concepts and then solve the questions directly from each year's paper.
Source: IIT JAM Physics 2024, 2025 and 2026 question papers and answer keys provided for this analysis. The 2025 paper includes 60 Physics questions, with the answer key listing questions 1–60 and their respective marks.
