The IISER Aptitude Test is unusual among Indian science entrances: four subjects, equal weight, only 60 questions. That combination means the syllabus is wide but the depth demanded per topic is moderate. Planning for it well is mostly a question of coverage discipline.
IISER publishes the applicable syllabus in each year's brochure. Check yours on the official IISER admissions website before locking a plan; everything below reflects the NCERT Class 11–12 basis that recent papers have used.
The shape of the paper
| Subject | Questions | Marks | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| Physics | 15 | 60 | 25% |
| Chemistry | 15 | 60 | 25% |
| Mathematics | 15 | 60 | 25% |
| Biology | 15 | 60 | 25% |
Marking has recently been +4 for a correct answer and −1 for an incorrect one across 180 minutes. Full details are in our IAT exam pattern guide.
Because each subject is only 15 questions, the syllabus is sampled thinly. That has a counter-intuitive consequence: obscure sub-topics are unlikely to appear, but the core chapters appear almost every year. Broad coverage plus deep core is the right shape.
Physics
Class 11: units and measurement, kinematics, laws of motion, work-energy-power, rotational motion, gravitation, properties of solids and liquids, thermodynamics, kinetic theory, oscillations and waves.
Class 12: electrostatics, current electricity, magnetic effects of current and magnetism, electromagnetic induction and alternating current, electromagnetic waves, optics, dual nature of matter and radiation, atoms and nuclei, semiconductor electronics.
Priorities. Mechanics and electromagnetism together account for the largest share of Physics questions in most years. Optics, modern physics and thermodynamics appear regularly with one or two questions each.
How to study it. IAT Physics leans towards concept application: identifying the right principle quickly, then a short calculation — not a five-step algebraic grind. Practise at roughly JEE Main level but prioritise recognising standard cases. Graph-based questions and dimensional reasoning appear often and are quick marks once practised.
Chemistry
Physical chemistry: mole concept and stoichiometry, atomic structure, chemical bonding, states of matter, thermodynamics, equilibrium, redox, electrochemistry, chemical kinetics, solutions and colligative properties, surface chemistry.
Inorganic chemistry: classification of elements and periodicity, hydrogen, s-block, p-block, d- and f-block elements, coordination compounds, metallurgy basics.
Organic chemistry: basic principles and techniques, hydrocarbons, haloalkanes and haloarenes, alcohols, phenols and ethers, aldehydes, ketones and carboxylic acids, amines, biomolecules, polymers.
Priorities. Physical chemistry numericals (mole concept, equilibrium, electrochemistry, kinetics) and organic reasoning (stability, reaction outcome, distinguishing tests) recur most. Inorganic questions tend to be NCERT-direct, which makes them the highest-return revision per hour spent.
How to study it. Read NCERT inorganic line by line and convert each chapter into a one-page recall sheet. For organic, learn mechanisms rather than product lists, since IAT often asks which product forms and why. For physical, solve numericals daily — this is the one part of IAT Chemistry where speed genuinely matters.
Mathematics
Class 11: sets, relations and functions, trigonometry, complex numbers, quadratic equations, sequences and series, permutations and combinations, binomial theorem, straight lines, conic sections, limits, statistics, probability basics.
Class 12: matrices and determinants, inverse trigonometric functions, continuity and differentiability, applications of derivatives, integrals and their applications, differential equations, vectors, three-dimensional geometry, probability.
Priorities. Calculus (limits, differentiation, integration) and algebra (quadratics, sequences, matrices and determinants) dominate, followed by coordinate geometry, vectors and 3D, and probability.
How to study it. Mathematics is where NEET-track students lose IAT marks, and where they can gain the most. You do not need Advanced-level problems; you need reliability on standard forms. Build a formula sheet per chapter, and practise 15-question timed sets so that section pacing becomes familiar.
Biology
Class 11: diversity of living organisms, structural organisation in plants and animals, cell structure and function, plant physiology, human physiology.
Class 12: reproduction, genetics and evolution, biology in human welfare, biotechnology and its applications, ecology and environment.
Priorities. Genetics, human physiology, ecology, cell biology and biotechnology appear most consistently. Plant physiology and the diversity chapters supply fact-recall questions.
How to study it. NCERT is the whole game here. Read with a pencil and mark tables, diagram labels, examples and exceptions, because those are the exact lines that become questions. JEE-track students should not be intimidated: IAT Biology is NCERT-level and, with a disciplined two-pass reading plus chapter tests, 60 marks are very reachable in a few months.
A coverage plan that works
| Phase | Duration | What you do |
|---|---|---|
| Gap-fill | Weeks 1–8 | Cover the subject you never studied, chapter by chapter, NCERT-first |
| Core depth | Weeks 9–18 | High-priority chapters in all four subjects + chapter tests |
| Full coverage | Weeks 19–26 | Remaining chapters at basic depth; nothing left untouched |
| Mocks | Weeks 27–34 | Full-length IAT-style papers + error analysis |
| Revision | Final 4 weeks | Short notes, recall sheets, re-tests only |
Do one chapter from at least three subjects every week. Sequential subject-by-subject study leaves your first subject cold by exam day.
Free material to work through this with
Prepkunj's IISER IAT Self Study section is free and gives you, for each chapter: revision notes, formulas, common mistakes and a 30-question chapter test with a question-level result. A workable loop is: read the notes, take the test, note every wrong answer, revise those concepts, retake the test in a week.
Pair that with the official brochure for the syllabus of record, and NCERT for the actual reading.
Where to go next
- The IAT 2027 preparation guide turns this syllabus into a month-by-month plan, with city-specific practicalities.
- The IAT exam pattern guide covers marking, timing and attempt strategy.
- If you want live teaching across all four subjects, see the Prepkunj IISER/IAT programme.
Cover all four subjects, go deep on the recurring chapters, and test at chapter level before you test at paper level. That is essentially the whole strategy for a 60-question exam.
Related guides
Frequently asked questions
- What is the syllabus for the IISER Aptitude Test?
- The IAT syllabus is drawn from the NCERT Class 11 and 12 curriculum in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Biology. IISER publishes the applicable syllabus in each year's information brochure, which is the version you should check before finalising a study plan.
- Is the IAT syllabus the same as NEET and JEE Main?
- It overlaps heavily. Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics largely match JEE Main topics at a slightly lower computational depth, and Biology largely matches NEET topics at NCERT level, so most of your existing preparation carries over.
- Do I need to study all four subjects for IAT?
- Yes. Each subject contributes 15 questions and 60 marks out of 240, so leaving one out costs a quarter of the paper before the exam starts.
- Which chapters are most important for IAT?
- Across recent papers, mechanics and electromagnetism in Physics, physical chemistry numericals and organic reasoning in Chemistry, calculus and algebra in Mathematics, and genetics, physiology and ecology in Biology recur most often. Cover the full syllabus at basic depth and go deeper on these.
- Is NCERT enough for the IAT syllabus?
- NCERT is sufficient for Biology and much of Chemistry, but for Physics and Mathematics you also need a problem source at roughly JEE Main level, because IAT expects concept application rather than only recall.
- Where can I get free IAT study material?
- Prepkunj's Self Study section for IISER IAT is free and gives chapter-wise revision notes and a 30-question chapter test with result analysis across all four subjects.
- How long does it take to cover the IAT syllabus?
- If you are already preparing for JEE or NEET, adding the missing subject and IAT-style practice typically takes three to four focused months. Starting from scratch after Class 12, a full four-subject cycle with revision realistically needs eight to ten months.
Sources
About the author
Prepkunj Academic Team · Physics, Chemistry, Biology and Mathematics faculty
The Prepkunj Academic Team prepares and maintains every Learning Hub resource using live classroom experience with NEET, JEE, BITSAT, IAT and CBSE students.