IIT JAM

The Joint Admission Test for M.Sc. (JAM) is an admission test conducted every year for admission into Master of Science (M.Sc.) and other post-graduate science programs at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Indian Institute of Science (IISc, Bangalore), Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs), National Institute of Science Education and Research (NISER, Bhubaneswar), National Institutes of Technology (NITs) etc.

IIT JAM (Chemical Sciences) Previous Year Question Papers with Answer Key

IIT JAM 2021 IMPORTANT DATES

IIT JAM: CHEMISTRY (CY) NEW SYLLABUS

PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

• • Basic Mathematical Concepts: Functions; maxima and minima; integrals; ordinary differential equations; vectors and matrices; determinants; elementary statistics and probability theory.

  • Atomic and Molecular Structure: Fundamental particles; Bohr’s theory of hydrogen-like atom; wave- particle duality; uncertainty principle; Schrödinger’s wave equation; quantum numbers; shapes of orbitals; Hund’s rule and Pauli’s exclusion principle; electronic configuration of simple homonuclear diatomic molecules.

  • Theory of Gases: Equation of state for ideal and non-ideal (van der Waals) gases; Kinetic theory of gases; Maxwell-Boltzmann distribution law; equipartition of energy.

  • Solid State: Crystals and crystal systems; X-rays; NaCl and KCl structures; close packing; atomic and ionic radii; radius ratio rules; lattice energy; Born-Haber cycle; isomorphism; heat capacity of solids.

  • Chemical Thermodynamics: Reversible and irreversible processes; first law and its application to ideal and nonideal gases; thermochemistry; second law; entropy and free energy; criteria for spontaneity.

  • Chemical and Phase Equilibria: Law of mass action; Kp, Kc, Kx and Kn; effect of temperature on K; ionic equilibria in solutions; pH and buffer solutions; hydrolysis; solubility product; phase equilibria– phase rule and its application to one-component and two-component systems; colligative properties.

  • Electrochemistry: Conductance and its applications; transport number; galvanic cells; EMF and free energy; concentration cells with and without transport; polarography; concentration cells with and without transport; Debey-Huckel-Onsager theory of strong electrolytes.

  • Chemical Kinetics: Reactions of various order; Arrhenius equation; collision theory; transition state theory; chain reactions – normal and branched; enzyme kinetics; photochemical processes; catalysis.

  • Adsorption: Gibbs adsorption equation; adsorption isotherm; types of adsorption; surface area of adsorbents; surface films on liquids.

  • Spectroscopy: Beer-Lambert law; fundamental concepts of rotational, vibrational, electronic and magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

ORGANIC CHEMISTRY

• • Basic Concepts in Organic Chemistry and Stereochemistry: Electronic effects (resonance, inductive, hyperconjugation) and steric effects and its applications (acid/base property); optical isomerism in compounds with and without any stereocenters (allenes, biphenyls); conformation of acyclic systems (substituted ethane/n-propane/n-butane) and cyclic systems (mono- and di-substituted cyclohexanes).

  • Organic Reaction Mechanism and Synthetic Applications: Chemistry of reactive intermediates (carbocations, carbanions, free radicals, carbenes, nitrenes, benzynes etc…); Hofmann-Curtius-Lossen rearrangement, Wolff rearrangement, Simmons-Smith reaction, Reimer-Tiemann reaction, Michael reaction, Darzens reaction, Wittig reaction and McMurry reaction; Pinacol-pinacolone, Favorskii, benzilic acid rearrangement, dienone-phenol rearrangement, Baeyer-Villeger reaction; oxidation and reduction reactions in organic chemistry; organometallic reagents in organic synthesis (Grignard, organolithium and organocopper); Diels-Alder, electrocyclic and sigmatropic reactions; functional group inter-conversions and structural problems using chemical reactions.

  • Qualitative Organic Analysis: Identification of functional groups by chemical tests; elementary UV, IR and 1H NMR spectroscopic techniques as tools for structural elucidation.

  • Natural Products Chemistry: Chemistry of alkaloids, steroids, terpenes, carbohydrates, amino acids, peptides and nucleic acids.

  • Aromatic and Heterocyclic Chemistry: Monocyclic, bicyclic and tricyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, and monocyclic compounds with one hetero atom: synthesis, reactivity and properties.

INORGANIC CHEMISTRY

• • Periodic Table: Periodic classification of elements and periodicity in properties; general methods of isolation and purification of elements.

  • Chemical Bonding and Shapes of Compounds: Types of bonding; VSEPR theory and shapes of molecules; hybridization; dipole moment; ionic solids; structure of NaCl, CsCl, diamond and graphite; lattice energy.

  • Main Group Elements (s and p blocks): General concepts on group relationships and gradation in properties; structure of electron deficient compounds involving main group elements.

  • Transition Metals (d block): Characteristics of 3d elements; oxide, hydroxide and salts of first row metals; coordination complexes: structure, isomerism, reaction mechanism and electronic spectra; VB, MO and Crystal Field theoretical approaches for structure, color and magnetic properties of metal complexes; organometallic compounds having ligands with back bonding capabilities such as metal carbonyls, carbenes, nitrosyls and metallocenes; homogenous catalysis.

  • Bioinorganic Chemistry: Essentials and trace elements of life; basic reactions in the biological systems and the role of metal ions, especially Fe2+, Fe3+, Cu2+ and Zn2+; structure and function of hemoglobin and myoglobin and carbonic anhydrase.

  • Instrumental Methods of Analysis: Basic principles; instrumentations and simple applications of conductometry, potentiometry and UV-vis spectrophotometry; analysis of water, air and soil samples.

  • Analytical Chemistry: Principles of qualitative and quantitative analysis; acid-base, oxidation- reduction and complexometric titrations using EDTA; precipitation reactions; use of indicators; use of organic reagents in inorganic analysis; radioactivity; nuclear reactions; applications of isotopes.

IIT JAM EXAM PATTERN

The JAM 2021 Examination for all the seven test papers will be carried out as ONLINE Computer Based Test (CBT) where the candidates will be shown the questions in a random sequence on a computer screen. For all the seven test papers, the duration of the examination will be of 3 hours. The medium for all the test papers will be English only. There will be a total of 60 questions carrying a total of 100 marks. The entire paper will be divided into three sections, A, B and C. All sections are compulsory. Questions in each section will be of different types as given below:

• •  Section–A contains a total of 30 Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) involving 10 questions of one mark each and 20 questions of two marks each. Each MCQ has four choices out of which only one choice is the correct answer. Candidates can mark the answer by clicking the choice.

  •  Section–B contains a total of 10 Multiple Select Questions (MSQs) carrying two marks each. Each MSQ is similar to MCQ but with the difference that MSQ may have one or more than one correct choice(s) out of the four given choices. The candidate gets full credit only if he/she selects all the correct answer(s) only and no wrong answers. Candidates can mark the answer(s) by clicking the choice(s).

  •  Section–C contains a total of 20 Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions involving 10 questions of one mark each and 10 questions of two marks each. For these NAT type questions, the answer is a signed real number, which needs to be entered using the virtual numeric keypad on the monitor. No choices will be shown for NAT questions.

Pattern of questions and their respective weightage

• • In all sections, questions not attempted will result in zero marks. In Section-A (MCQ), wrong answer will result in negative marks. For each wrong answer to 1 mark questions, 1/3 mark will be deducted, and similarly, for each wrong answer to 2 marks questions, 2/3 mark will be deducted. In Section-B (MSQ), there are no negative and no partial marking provisions. There is no negative marking in Section-C (NAT) as well.

  • There is a provision for using an online virtual calculator. The candidates, therefore, should not bring any calculator with them.

  • Mobile phones and any other electronic devices are strictly prohibited inside the examination hall. Charts, graph sheets, and tables are also NOT allowed inside the examination hall.

  • A scribble pad will be provided for rough work, and this has to be returned at the end of the examination.

  • The candidates are required to select the answer for MCQ and MSQ type questions using the mouse. The answer for NAT questions can be entered using a virtual numeric keypad (the keyboard of the computer will be disabled).

  • At the end of 3 hours, the computer will automatically end the examination. The candidates have to be careful and submit their answers before the end of the examination.