If you have ever decided upon pursuing higher education in Statistics, you ought to have heard about JAM MS. It is the de facto standard examination of Statistics proficiency at the undergraduate level. Almost every Statistics undergraduate student takes the JAM MS exam immediately upon / before graduation.
In many cases, they drop a year preparing for / repeating this exam. Such is the scope this exam provides.
All of the information below should also be accessible via JAM's latest official portals.
Examination Format
The exam pattern (and syllabus) sometimes varies based on the year and thus the organizing institute (some IIT, IISER, or IISc), but information about the same is conveyed via circulars beforehand.
Here are some details of the 2025 version.
- 3 hour examination, held in CBT format in generally TCS buildings
- 60 questions in 3 sections, carrying 100 marks altogether. All compulsory.
- A1: 10 MCQ single-correct questions: +1 (correct answer) / 0 (unattended) / -1/3 (wrong answer)
- A2: 20 MCQ single-correct questions: +2 / 0 / -2/3
- B: 10 MSQ multiple-correct questions: +2 / 0 marks
- 10 NAT numerical-entry questions: +2 / 0 marks
- In-computer scientific calculator will be provided
- Rough work to be done in hall-provisioned scribble pads
- Examination fee: Rs. 1800 (single-exam. Some people take multiple; Maths also, for example.)
Admitting Institutes
The cutoff JAM MS scores are extremely tight for entry into reputed institutes. This is because both the number of Statistics students and the number of Statistics based courses in the country are quite less compared to other sciences.
Below are some admitting institutes and their closing GEN ranks, as of 2025, Round 4 (possibly final, before emergency rounds) of admission:
- Through IIT JAM Portal:
- IIT Bombay - MSc Statistics: 33
- IIT Bombay - MSc Operation Research: 56
- IIT Kanpur - MSc Statistics: 50
- IIT Tirupati - MSc Mathematics and Statistics: 58
- IIT Palakkad - MSc Mathematics: 63
- Through CCMN Portal:
- NIT Trichy - MSc Computer Science
- DIAT Pune - MSc Data Science
- IIIT Lucknow - MSc AI and ML
- Through institute portals:
- IISER Pune - MSc in Quantum Technology
Studies and Preparation
- Solve all PYQs: This is an indispensable step to securing good marks, more importantly a good rank. Every question of every question paper in at least the last 10-year window should be solved and fully understood.
- In case you are stuck, refer to online resources
- Some famously effective coaching institutes
- Don't leave your doubts to rot: If you're stalled with a question, do not let it sit for any more than a day. Studies at the Masters' level are voluminous. Procedural understanding must not compromise fast progress.
- Solve everything you can, whenever you can
- Read, understand, and keep in mind questions that you cannot yet solve, so that you can subconsciously keep looking for hints in other texts you come across
- Consult online solutions: Look at YouTube videos or any study material with problem solutions you can find online. Materials for JAM MS preparation is indeed scanty, but you have to manage.