Conducted by IISER Aptitude Test Cell (on behalf of the IISERs)
IISER Aptitude Test (IAT): Syllabus, Pattern, Eligibility & Preparation Plan
Research-track preparation for IISER admission across all four subjects.
- Mode
- Computer-based test
- Duration
- 180 minutes
- Questions
- 60 — 15 each from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics
- Total marks
- 240
- Programme
- Five-year BS-MS dual degree across the IISERs
Overview
What IAT actually tests
The IISER Aptitude Test is the single entry route to the five-year BS-MS dual degree at the Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research. It is a research-track exam: the destination is a laboratory and a thesis, not a placement queue, and the paper is written accordingly.
IAT tests all four subjects — Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics — with equal weight, so it suits students who refused to give up one of them in Class 11. The questions are conceptual and often application-first, rewarding students who understand why a result holds rather than those who have memorised the result.
PrepKunj's IAT track runs alongside NEET or JEE preparation and adds the fourth subject plus the specific reasoning style IAT favours, so students keep both a mainstream and a research option open.
Official IAT portalSyllabus
IAT syllabus, subject by subject
Biology
15 questions · 60 marks- Cell biology, biomolecules and cell cycle
- Genetics, molecular basis of inheritance and evolution
- Plant and human physiology
- Ecology, biodiversity and biotechnology
Chemistry
15 questions · 60 marks- Atomic structure, bonding, periodicity and coordination chemistry
- Thermodynamics, equilibrium, kinetics and electrochemistry
- Organic mechanisms, stereochemistry and functional group chemistry
- Biomolecules and everyday chemistry
Mathematics
15 questions · 60 marks- Sets, relations, functions and complex numbers
- Sequences, series, permutations, combinations and binomial theorem
- Calculus: limits, continuity, differentiation, integration and differential equations
- Coordinate geometry, vectors, three-dimensional geometry, probability and statistics
Physics
15 questions · 60 marks- Mechanics, gravitation and properties of matter
- Thermodynamics, oscillations and waves
- Electrostatics, current electricity, magnetism and EMI
- Optics, modern physics and semiconductor basics
IAT follows the NCERT Class 11 and 12 syllabus for all four subjects. The difficulty is not exotic content but the way standard content is asked — often as a short reasoning chain rather than a direct formula application.
Eligibility
Who can appear for IAT
- Class 12 (or equivalent) in the science stream in the current or immediately preceding year.
- At least three of Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics studied in Class 12.
- Minimum aggregate as notified each cycle, typically 60% for General/OBC and 55% for SC/ST/PwD.
- Candidates must qualify the subject-combination requirement for the IISER they apply to.
- Indian nationals, plus OCI/PIO candidates under the seats notified in the brochure.
Exam pattern
IAT paper structure and marking
| Component | Details |
|---|---|
| Sections | Four — Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, Physics |
| Questions per section | 15 (all compulsory) |
| Question type | Single-correct multiple choice |
| Marks per correct answer | +4 |
| Negative marking | −1 per incorrect answer |
| Sectional cut-off | None — the total score decides the merit list |
Marking scheme
+4 for correct, −1 for incorrect, 0 for unattempted, across all four sections equally. Because there is no sectional cut-off, a student who is genuinely strong in three subjects can still convert while managing the fourth carefully.
Important dates
IAT calendar at a glance
- Application opensTypically April
- Application closesTypically late May
- Admit card releaseRoughly 1–2 weeks before the exam
- IAT examUsually late May or early June
- Answer key and challenge windowWithin days of the exam
- Result and merit listTypically June
- Counselling and seat allotment roundsJune–July
These are indicative windows based on recent cycles. Exact dates change every year — always confirm on the official IISER Aptitude Test Cell (on behalf of the IISERs) portal before planning around them.
Preparation strategy
How we plan an IAT year
- 1
Keep all four subjects alive
Class 11 and 12- If your main target is NEET, the missing piece is Mathematics; if it is JEE, it is Biology. Give that subject two fixed slots a week from the start.
- Read NCERT for the fourth subject rather than a heavy reference book — IAT stays close to it.
- Do not postpone the fourth subject to the last two months; it never gets done.
- 2
Concept-first practice
Class 12 first half- Practise questions that ask 'why' — assertion-reason and application sets suit the IAT style.
- Work on interpretation of graphs, data and short experimental descriptions.
- Build the habit of eliminating options logically rather than solving fully.
- 3
IAT-specific phase
After the boards, before the test- Four to six weeks of dedicated IAT preparation once boards finish.
- Full 60-question mocks in 180 minutes — the clock is generous, so accuracy matters more than speed.
- Complete the available previous year IAT papers and review every wrong answer conceptually.
- 4
Final revision
Final 10 days- One consolidated revision of NCERT for all four subjects.
- Target the weakest section to a floor score rather than chasing perfection in your strongest.
- Practise the computer-based interface so navigation costs nothing on exam day.
Who teaches at Prepkunj
Every mentor listed on our academic team page with qualification, institution and year of passing — so you can verify who will teach you before you pay.
- 44 mentors
- Verified academic team with public profiles
- 17 from IIT / AIIMS / NIT / BITS
- Institute-verified qualifications
- 9 doctorate-level faculty
- Ph.D holders teaching core subjects
- Up to 31 yrs teaching
- Experience measured from year of passing
Study material
What every IAT student gets
Four-subject NCERT notes
Compact notes for Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics and Physics written to IAT's conceptual depth, not to JEE Advanced depth.
IAT previous year papers
Past IAT papers with worked solutions and reasoning notes, plus our own PYQ resource pages.
Bridge modules
Mathematics for NEET students and Biology for JEE students, built to cover the fourth subject from scratch.
Recordings and doubt support
Every session recorded, with subject-wise doubt threads so the fourth subject never becomes an orphan.
Mock tests
IAT testing and analysis cycle
Sectional tests
Fifteen-question section drills to raise the floor in your weakest subject.
Full IAT mocks
Complete 60-question, 180-minute computer-based simulations.
Concept diagnostics
Short assertion-reason and application tests that mirror IAT's reasoning style.
Score projections
Section-wise breakdowns showing exactly which subject is holding your total down.
FAQs
IAT — frequently asked questions
- Can I prepare for IAT along with NEET or JEE?
- Yes — that is the normal path. Around 75% of the IAT syllabus already overlaps with your main target. The work is adding the fourth subject and practising IAT's reasoning style.
- Is IAT easier than JEE Advanced?
- The questions are less computational, but they are conceptual and spread across four subjects. It is a different kind of hard, not a lighter version of the same exam.
- What is a good IAT score?
- Qualifying scores vary by category and IISER campus each cycle. Broadly, a total comfortably above the 150 mark has been competitive for the more sought-after campuses in recent years; confirm against the current cycle's cut-offs.
- Is JEE Advanced or KVPY still a route into IISER?
- Admission is now through IAT. Always confirm the current channels in the official brochure for your cycle, as IISER admission policy has changed more than once.
- What happens after the BS-MS degree?
- Most students go on to PhD programmes in India or abroad; others move into research roles in industry, data science, or science communication and policy.
- Do I need Mathematics in Class 12 for IISER?
- You need at least three of the four science subjects, and specific programmes may require particular combinations, so check the subject requirement for your target campus before applying.