Everything a first-time IAT candidate needs in one place — the full IAT syllabus, how the paper is built, how to prepare each subject, and where to practise for free. All exam facts here should be confirmed against the official IISER admissions notice.
| Sections | Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics |
|---|---|
| Questions | 60 in total — 15 per subject |
| Total marks | 240 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Marking | +4 for a correct answer, −1 for an incorrect answer |
| Mode | Computer-based test (CBT) |
How admission actually works after the exam — the programme, eligibility, counselling and campuses. Confirm every detail against the current year's official notice.
| Programme | 5-year BS-MS (dual degree) at the IISERs; IISc Bangalore also uses IAT scores for its BS (Research) programme |
|---|---|
| Eligibility | Class 12 (or equivalent) with science subjects; candidates from the current and previous year are typically eligible — confirm the year's notice |
| Admission channel | IAT score only — the IISER admission portal (iiseradmission.in) runs a single centralised counselling process |
| Counselling | Online rounds with campus and seat preferences; offers depend on your rank, category and the preferences you fill |
| Campuses | IISER Berhampur, Bhopal, Kolkata, Mohali, Pune, Thiruvananthapuram and Tirupati |
| Reservation | Government of India category reservation (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwD) applies as per the official notice |
What a score out of 240 has typically been worth in recent cycles, compiled from publicly reported candidate data. IISER does not publish official closing marks.
| IAT marks (out of 240) | What it has typically meant |
|---|---|
| 180 – 240 | Top ranks; IISER Pune, Mohali or Kolkata realistic in early rounds |
| 150 – 179 | Strong rank; top-3 campuses possible depending on category and round |
| 120 – 149 | Comfortable admission zone; Bhopal, Thiruvananthapuram, Tirupati, Berhampur realistic |
| 95 – 119 | Admission likely in later rounds or with category reservation |
| 70 – 94 | Borderline; depends heavily on category, preferences and round movement |
Counselling offers are made by rank, not marks. Approximate rank bands at the recent candidate scale:
| IAT marks | Approx. rank band |
|---|---|
| 180+ | ≈ top 500 |
| 160 – 179 | ≈ 500 – 1,500 |
| 140 – 159 | ≈ 1,500 – 3,500 |
| 120 – 139 | ≈ 3,500 – 7,000 |
| 100 – 119 | ≈ 7,000 – 12,000 |
IAT draws on the NCERT Class 11 and 12 syllabus. The chapters below are the high-return areas seen in past papers — an observed trend, not an official weightage list.
IAT Physics rewards reasoning over long calculation. Most questions give you a graph, a small data set or a modified setup and ask what must follow.
Physical Chemistry questions are short and numerical, Inorganic is memory-plus-trend based, and Organic is dominated by mechanism reasoning.
Expect familiar ideas placed in unfamiliar settings. Accuracy in algebra and calculus matters more than speed tricks.
Biology is the highest-return section for most candidates because it is close to NCERT text, with experiment-interpretation questions layered on top.
Cover one chapter per subject per week from NCERT, make a one-page summary, then attempt the 30-question chapter test on Prepkunj.
Move to reasoning practice: graph reading, data tables, experiment design. Add one timed 60-question mixed set every Saturday.
Solve past IAT papers under a strict 3-hour timer. Log every wrong answer by cause — concept gap, misread, or silly slip.
Revise only your own summaries and error log. No new topics. Two full-length attempts, then rest before the exam.
IAT is the entrance test used for admission to the five-year BS-MS programme at the IISERs. Announcements, eligibility rules and dates are published by IISER on iiseradmission.in — always confirm details there before you plan.
The syllabus is based on NCERT Class 11 and 12 Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics, so the content overlaps heavily with NEET and JEE. The difference is the question style: IAT leans on interpretation and reasoning rather than long calculation.
Yes. Most candidates use their NEET or JEE preparation as the base and add IAT-specific reasoning practice plus past IAT papers in the final two to three months.
As per the pattern published in the official IISER admissions notice, the paper has 60 questions across four subjects for 240 marks in three hours, with +4 for a correct answer and −1 for an incorrect one. Verify the current year's notice, since the authority can revise the pattern.
Prepkunj's self-study section has chapter-wise notes and a 30-question test for every IAT chapter across all four subjects, free to use with instant analysis.
If your Class 11 and 12 basics are in place, a focused 12-week block of 12–15 hours a week is a workable plan. Starting from scratch takes longer and should follow a full-syllabus schedule.
Based on publicly reported candidate data from recent cycles, scores around 150 and above out of 240 have historically been comfortable for the top campuses, and scores around 120 and above have generally secured admission to at least one IISER in the general category. IISER does not publish official closing marks, so treat these as planning ranges, not guarantees.
No. IISER counselling works on rank and category, and the admission portal does not publish an official marks-to-rank mapping. The tables on this page are compiled from publicly reported candidate data and are meant for setting a target score, not for predicting a specific rank.
Counselling is centralised on iiseradmission.in. You fill campus preferences online, and offers are made in multiple rounds based on your rank, category and preferences. Filling all seven campuses in your preference list maximises your chance of an offer in later rounds.
Exam pattern, eligibility and schedule are decided by IISER. Always confirm the current year's details in the official admissions notice at iiseradmission.in before making decisions.
