Hello everyone, and welcome back. During this module, I’ll be talking about the Top 10 Toughest Exams in India in 2023. After reading this module, you’ll know about the toughest examinations to pass in India. So, let’s proceed to discuss them.
Top 10 Toughest Exams in India
There are many competitive exams conducted in India every year to test the logical and problem-solving skills, and time management of the candidate giving the exam. No matter if you’re going to a university or studying abroad or a job, examinations are one of the most important factors in the selection of a candidate. Some exams are easy, while others are considered difficult to pass. This article discusses the top 10 toughest exams in India.
List of Top 10 Toughest Exams in India in 2023
- UPSC Civil Services Exam
- IIT-JEE Examination
- GATE
- CAT or Common Admission Test
- NDA
- National Institute of Design Entrance Exam
- National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test
- UGC-NET Exam
- CLAT
- Chartered Accountant (CA) Exam
1. UPSC Civil Services Exam (IAS)
UPSC Civil Services Exam (IAS) is one of the number one Toughest Exams in India, the UPSC IAS exam is one of the most difficult and competitive exams to be passed. The UPSC (Union Public Service Commission). is responsible for conducting the examination. It contains three different rounds or levels: Preliminary exam (Prelims), Mains Exam, and Interview or personality test. Indian History, Indian Geography, and Human Rights Laws are regarded as essential subjects for aspirants.
Nearly 8-10 lakh students are expected to take the exam. The applicants who pass all three levels are then offered IAS, IPS, and IFS positions based on their performance.
| Conducted By | Union Public Service Commission |
| UPSC Prelims 2023 Exam Date | May 28, 2023 |
| Official Website | www.upsc.gov.in |
| Exam Type | Post Graduate |
| Exam Level | All India Level |
2. IIT-JEE Examination (Indian Institute of Technology-Joint Entrance Exam)
The IIT-JEE Examination (Indian Institute of Technology-Joint Entrance Exam) is one of the 2nd Toughest Exams in India. The JEE exam is an engineering entrance exam that is conducted every year for all the students who want to take admissions to top IITs, NITs, and other engineering colleges or institutes. The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the JEE examination. The exam includes two phases or levels: JEE-Mains & JEE-Advanced. Candidates must pass both levels to get admission to IIT. Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics are the three subjects related to which questions are asked in the exam.
| Conducted By | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| IIT JEE Mains 2023 Exam Date | 1st phase – January 24, 25, 27, 28, 29, 30, and 31
2nd phase – April 06, 08, 10, 11 and 12 |
| Official Website | jeemain.nta.nic.in |
| Exam Type | Under Graduate |
| Exam Level | All India Level |
| Eligibility | 75% aggregate marks in class 12 |
3. GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)
GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is one of the 3rd Toughest Exams in India. The GATE is an entrance exam that is conducted for students to get admission to IITs (Indian Institute of Technology), NITs (National Institute of Technology), and many other institutions for pursuing Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Engineering, Architecture, and Science. It is conducted every year by the Indian Institute of Science. When a GATE score is obtained, it is valid for a maximum of 3 years.
The syllabus comprises technical subjects that you have studied during your undergraduate course, Engineering mathematics, and general aptitude.
| Conducted By | Indian Institute of Science |
| GATE 2023 Exam Date | 4, 5, 11, 12 Feb 2023 |
| Official Website | gate.iitkgp.ac.in |
| Exam Type | Post Graduate |
| Exam Level | All India Level |
| Eligibility | Graduation in Science or Engineering |
4. CAT or Common Admission Test
CAT or Common Admission Test is one of the 4th Toughest Exams in India. The common Admission Test is an entrance test for students who want to get admission to business and management courses. The CAT scores are accepted by IIMs (Indian Institute of Management) and other institutes that offer MBA courses.
Every year, over 2 lakh applicants sit for the test, and only 1500 are chosen to move on to the next stage. The syllabus for CAT comprises Logical Reasoning, Verbal ability skills, and Mathematics.
| Conducted By | Indian Institute of Management |
| CAT 2023 Exam Date | November 26, 2023 |
| Official Website | iimcat.ac.in |
| Exam Type | Post Graduate |
| Exam Level | All India Level |
5. NDA (National Defence Academy)
NDA (National Defence Academy) Test is one of the 5th Toughest Exams in India. The NDA exam is conducted every year by the UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) for selecting candidates for the Air force, Army & Navy. The candidates are selected based on the written examination which includes objective questions on Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT), a psychological test, intelligence test, personality test, and an interview.
The interview is conducted by the Services Selection Board (SSB), which is part of the Ministry of Defence. Each year, there are two exams conducted for the recruitment of candidates.
| Conducted By | UPSC |
| NDA 2023 Exam Date | 1st NDA – 16th April 2023
2nd NDA – 3rd September 2023 |
| Official Website | upsc.gov.in |
| Exam Type | Under Graduate |
| Exam Level | All India Level |
| Mode of Exam | Offline |
6. National Institute of Design (NID) Entrance Exam
The National Institute of Design (NID) Test is one of the 6th Toughest Exams in India. The NID test is a design aptitude test conducted by the National Institute of Design Admission Committee to select candidates for Bachelor of Design (B.Des) and Master of Design (M.Des) courses. The exam consists of two stages or levels: NID DAT Prelims & NID DAT Main.
Preliminary NID DAT is a pen and paper test and DAT is divided into two parts: the studio test and the interview. The main focus of the exam is to test the creativity of the students in designing.
| Conducted By | National Institute of Design |
| NID 2023 Exam Date | January 8, 2023 |
| Official Website | admissions.nid.edu |
| Exam Type | Under Graduate & Post Graduate |
| Exam Level | All India Level |
| Eligibility | 12th with minimum 50% |
7. National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET)
National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET) Test is one of the 7th Toughest Exams in India. The NEET exam is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for selecting medical students who want to take admissions to MBBS (Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery) and BDS (Bachelor of Dental Surgery) courses in the Private & Government Medical Colleges.
The syllabus of the NEET exam consists of objective questions on Physics, Chemistry, and Biology.
| Conducted By | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| NEET 2023 Exam Date | 7 May 2023 |
| Official Website | neet.nta.nic.in |
| Exam Type | Under Graduate |
| Exam Level | All India Level |
8. UGC-NET Exam (University Grants Commission – National Eligibility Test)
UGC-NET Exam (University Grants Commission – National Eligibility Test) is one of the 8th Toughest Exams in India. As part of the recruitment process for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor positions in Indian Universities and Colleges, the National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the UGC-NET test at a national level. Qualified UGC NET students have the right to teach in schools and colleges across India. The exam covers questions on 81 subjects, thus, making it a tough exam to pass.
| Conducted By | National Testing Agency |
| UGC NET 2023 Exam Date | Jan 22, 2023 |
| Official Website | ugcnet.nta.nic.in |
| Exam Type | Post Graduate |
| Exam Level | All India Level |
9. CLAT (Common-Law Admission Test)
CLAT (Common-Law Admission Test) is one of the 9th Toughest Exams in India. The Consortium of National Law Universities (NLUs) is responsible for conducting the Common-Law Admission Test (CLAT) exam. It is an entrance conducted for students who want to take admission in LLB (Bachelor of Legislature Law) and LLM (Master of Laws) courses. The CLAT results are accepted by NLU and other law schools, as well. It is estimated that 60,000 to 100,000 students take the CLAT exam each year, but only 3,000 are accepted into National Law Universities (NLUs).
| Conducted By | National Law Universities |
| CLAT 2023 Exam Date | 18 Dec 2022 |
| Official Website | consortiumofnlus.ac.in |
| Exam Type | Under Graduate & Post Graduate |
| Exam Level | All India Level |
10. Chartered Accountant (CA) Exam
The chartered Accountant (CA) Test is one of the 10th Toughest Exams in India. India’s Institute of Chartered Accountants is responsible for conducting the Chartered Accountant (CA) examination (ICAI). The examination comprises 3 stages or levels: CA Foundation, CA Intermediate, and CA Final. The aspirants must qualify for all the 3 levels to become certified Chartered Accountants (CA).
| Conducted By | Institute of Chartered Accountants of India |
| CA CPT 2023 Exam Date | 14, 16, 18, 20 December 2022 |
| Official Website | icaiexam.icai.org |
| Exam Type | Under Graduate |
| Exam Level | Foundation, Intermediate and Final |
FAQs: Toughest Exams in India
Why has UPSC considered a tough exam in India?
UPSC Prelims exam is considered a tough exam because of the low percentage of candidates who pass. Also, the student needs to cover a vast amount of the syllabus. Negative marking is used in UPSC prelim exams.
Is the UPSC the toughest exam in the world?
UPSC is considered one of the most difficult exams in the world, with about 0.1 percent to 0.4 percent of students passing the exam out of lakhs.
Why is IIT JEE so difficult exam in India?
The syllabus is difficult to cover since it includes both basic and advanced concepts. When answering IIT JEE questions, especially JEE Advanced, you must have a clear understanding of your concepts.
Is the GATE exam tougher than the UPSC?
The GATE and UPSC examinations have a lot in common. Both of these examinations are extremely demanding and are only taken by graduates. GATE questions are problem-solving-focused whereas UPSC questions are aimed to assess a candidate’s discipline.
Can an average student crack the gate in 1 year?
Yes, an average student may pass the GATE Exam in a year if he or she is willing to work hard and consistently. He/she should practice the previous year’s questions & take mock tests.
Which is the toughest exam in the world?
The Master Sommelier Diploma Exam is regarded as the most difficult exam in the world.
Which is the toughest exam, CAT or gate?
The CAT and GATE are two of the most difficult entrance exams to pass. Both exams need a significant amount of serious preparation and effort.
Which is the 1st toughest exam in India?
UPSC is regarded as one of the most difficult exams in India.
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I hope this module will be useful for you and now you have got to know the Top 10 Toughest Exams in India in 2023. However, just because an exam is difficult to pass does not indicate that one should avoid it. One should prepare well to pass these examinations. For more informative modules like this, stay tuned to our website.