Top 10 Toughest Exams in India 2024

Exam plays important role in the life of students. They serve as a measure of a student's knowledge and understanding of a subject. Exam gives a way to students to know their capability and to show their abilities to educators to evaluate their progress. Exam also plays role in determining student's grades, which can have an impact on their future academic and career opportunities.To Qaulify an exam is always a challenging task for students. Some exams are descriptive while others are multiple-choice based but in any case,without a strategic study plan,qualifying for an exam can be challenging and sometime can cause disappointment. In this article, we are going to tell you about the top 10 toughest exams in India.

Depending on the nature and purpose of the exam we have made the list of the top 10 toughest exams in India.


Toughest Exams in India.

1. UPSC Civil Services Exam 

2. IIT-JEE

3. Chartered Accountant (CA)

4. NEET UG

5. AIIMS UG

6 . Graduate Aptitute Test in Engineering (Gate)

7. National Defense Academy (NDA)

8. Common-Law Admission Test (CLAT)

9. UGC NET

10. National Institute of Design Entrance Exam


1.UPCS Civil Services Exam

upsc civil servies exam is toughest exam in india .It is conducted by union public service (UPSC) every year for the recruitment of administrative officers in the Indian government.The civil services examination is a highly competitive examination.The Civil Services Examination consists of three stages: the preliminary examination, the main examination and the interview.The candidate who clear all the stages are then recommended for appointment to various services like the indian Administrative Services (IAS), Indian Foreign Services(IFS),Indian Police Service(IPS) Among others.

  • Conducted By Union Public Service Commission 
  • UPSC Prelims 2023 Exam Date 5th June 2023 (Tentative)
  • official Website: www.upsc.gov.in
  • Exam Type  : Graduate 
  • Exam Level : All India Level


Why is UPSC one of the toughest exams in India ?

UPSC is considered one of the toughest exam in india because of its high level of competition and the extensive syllabus that covers wide range of subjects such as general studies,governance,international realtions,economics, and more.


Did You Know: On an Average,it takes a single aspirant 1-3 years to crack the UPSC exam!


2.IIT-JEE

IIT-JEE is also the one of the toughest examinatiom of india .The IIT-JEE Stands for Indian Institute of technology Joint Entrance Examination.It is a national level engineering entrance exam in India which is conducted annually for admission to undergraduate enginnering programs offered by the Indian Institute of Technology (IITs) and Other top engineering institutions in the country.

  • Conducted By : Ntaional Testing Agency (NTA)
  • Official Website: jeemain.nta.nic.in
  • Exam Type : Under Graduate
  • Eligibility   : 75% aggregate marks in class 12
  • Exam Level : All India Level


3. Chartered Accountant (CA)

A Chartered Accountant (CA) is a professional who has qualified for the certification from the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI). This certification is recognized globally and is considered to be a prestigious designation in the field of accounting and finance.

Chartered Accountants are responsible for providing a wide range of financial services to individuals, businesses, and government organizations. They perform tasks such as auditing financial statements, preparing tax returns, providing financial advice, and performing other functions related to financial management.

  • Conducted By the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India
  • Official Website  icaiexam.icai.org
  • Exam Type Under Graduate
  • Eligibility 12th with a minimum of 60%
  • Exam Level Foundation, Intermediate and Final



Why is CA one of the toughest exams in India? 

The Chartered Accountancy (CA) exam is widely regarded as one of the toughest exams in India. It requires extensive knowledge and preparation from its candidates.



4. NEET UG

NEET-UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test Undergraduate) is the national level medical entrance examination in India. It is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to undergraduate medical courses (MBBS/BDS) offered by various medical colleges in India.

  • Conducted By National Testing Agency (NTA)
  • Official Website www.nta.ac.in
  • Exam Type Under Graduate
  • The Eligibility 12th or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, Biology/Biotechnology.
  • Exam Level All India Level



5. AIIMS UG

AIIMS UG (All India Institute of Medical Sciences Undergraduate) is a national level entrance examination for admission to the undergraduate medical courses (MBBS) offered by AIIMS, New Delhi, and several other AIIMS institutions across India.

The AIIMS UG exam is widely regarded as one of the toughest medical entrance exams in India, attracting a large number of applicants each year. The exam tests the knowledge and understanding of candidates in subjects such as physics, chemistry, biology, general knowledge Etc.

  • Conducted By All India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi
  • Official Website mbbs.aiimsexams.org
  • Exam Type Under Graduate AND Post Graduate
  • Exam Level All India Level
  • Mode of Exam Computer-based Test


Why is AIIMS UG one of the toughest exams in India?

AIIMS UG is considered tough because the number of applicants is very high while the number of seats offered by the organising body is limited.

Note: For the year 2020, AIIMS has decided to put away the AIIMS UG exam and NEET will be conducted as the common exam for admissions into MBBS degrees at AIIMS.

Did you know: Over 16.14 lakh registered candidates appeared across India for the NEET exam in 2021!


6. Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE)

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is a national-level entrance exam for admission to postgraduate engineering, technology, and architecture programs in India. The exam is conducted jointly by the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore and seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) on behalf of the National Coordination Board (NCB)-GATE.

  • GATE 2022 Exam Date February 5, 6, 12 and 13, 2022 (Announced)
  • Official Website gate iitkgp.ac.in
  • Exam Type Post Graduate
  • Eligibility Graduation in Science or Engineering
  • Exam Level All India Level


Why is GATE one of the toughest exams in India?

GATE is considered extremely competitive because a huge number of candidates give this exam annually and the seats available are limited, for instance, 7.11 lakh candidates appeared for the GATE exam 2021 and only 1.26 lakh candidates qualified for the exam. It tests the candidate’s knowledge of the B.Tech/B.E curriculum.

Did you know: There are over 50 entrance exams for engineering courses!


7. National Defence Academy (NDA)

The National Defence Academy (NDA) exam is conducted twice a year by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) to select eligible candidates for admission to the NDA. The exam consists of two papers: Mathematics and General Ability Test (GAT). The Mathematics paper evaluates a candidate's mathematical aptitude, while the GAT paper assesses their knowledge in various areas, including English, General Knowledge, Physics, Chemistry, History, Geography, and Current Affairs.


The NDA exam is conducted in offline mode, and the total duration of the exam is five hours. The NDA exam is highly competitive, and candidates must score high marks to qualify for the subsequent round of SSB (Services Selection Board) Interview. The SSB Interview is a five-day process that assesses a candidate's physical fitness, intelligence, and personality. The final selection is based on the candidate's performance in the NDA exam and the SSB Interview. Upon successful completion of the NDA training program, cadets are awarded a Bachelor's degree in Arts or Science by Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

  • Conducted By UPSC
  • NDA 2022 Exam Date NDA (I): April 10, 2022
  • NDA (II): September 04, 2022
  • Official Website upsc.gov.in
  • Exam Type Under Graduate
  • Exam Level All India Level
  • Mode of Exam Offline


Why is NDA one of the toughest exams in India?

NDA is a tough exam because the candidates have to qualify for a written exam with a vast syllabus as well as a psychological aptitude test and an intelligence test. Candidates need to be physically fit to be considered for final admission.



8. Common-Law Admission Test (CLAT)

The Common-Law Admission Test (CLAT) is a national-level entrance exam conducted on a rotational basis by 22 National Law Universities (NLUs) in India. The exam is conducted to offer admission to undergraduate and postgraduate law programs, including BA LLB, BBA LLB, BCom LLB, and LLM courses, offered by the participating NLUs.

  • Conducted By National Law Universities
  • Official Website consortiumofnlus.ac.in
  • Exam Type Under Graduate and Post Graduate
  • Eligibility UG: Class 12th with the minimum 45%
  • PG: 3-year LLB with minimum 50%
  • Exam Level All India Level


Why is CLAT one of the toughest exams in India?

CLAT is considered one of the toughest exams in India due to its extensive syllabus, high level of competition, and the complexity of the questions asked in the exam. The exam requires a thorough understanding of legal concepts, language proficiency, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. The exam also tests a candidate's general knowledge, current affairs, and mathematical abilities. The difficulty level of the exam is moderate to high, and only a limited number of seats are available in the participating National Law Universities, making it highly competitive.


9. UGC NET

UGC NET stands for University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test. It is a national-level exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on behalf of the University Grants Commission (UGC). The exam is conducted twice a year to determine the eligibility of candidates for the role of Assistant Professor and/or awarding Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in various Indian universities and colleges.

  • Conducted By the National Testing Agency
  • Official Website https://ugcnet.nta.nic.in/
  • Exam Type Post Graduate
  • Eligibility Post Graduation with a minimum of 55%
  • Exam Level All India Level


Why is UGC NET one of the toughest exams in India?

UGC NET is considered one of the toughest exams in India due to its vast and diverse syllabus, intense competition, complex exam pattern, and high cutoff. The exam tests a candidate's teaching and research aptitude, subject-specific knowledge, and analytical and critical thinking abilities.


10. National Institute of Design Entrance Exam

The National Institute of Design Entrance Exam is commonly referred to as NID Entrance Exam. It is a national-level design entrance exam conducted by the National Institute of Design (NID) for admissions into various undergraduate and postgraduate design programs offered by the institute. The exam evaluates a candidate's design aptitude, creativity, visual and spatial ability, and communication skills through a series of tests including a design aptitude test, studio test, and personal interview. The NID Entrance Exam is highly competitive and is considered one of the most prestigious design entrance exams in India.

  • Conducted By National Institute of Design
  • Official Website https://admissions.nid.edu/
  • Exam Type Under Graduate and Post Graduate
  • Eligibility 10+2 with minimum 50%
  • Exam Level All India Level


FAQs

Q1. Which exam is most difficult in India?

Ans.Here are the most difficult exams in India:

  • UPSC Civil Service Entrance Examinations
  • IIT JEE Entrance Examination
  • GATE
  • CAT
  • NDA
  • National Institute of Design (NID) Entrance Examination
  • NEET


Q2.Which is the toughest exam in the world?

Ans. The following are the toughest exams in the world:

  • CFA – Chartered Financial Analyst
  • CCIE – Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert
  • GATE – Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, India
  • LNAT – Law National Aptitude Test
  • UMSLE – The United States Medical Licensing Examination
  • CA – Chartered Accountant
  • California Bar Exam
  • All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam
  • IES – Indian Engineering Services
  • Master Sommelier Diploma Exam


Q3.Which is the easiest exam in India?

Ans. The list given below highlights the easiest exams in India:

  • RRB Exams
  • SSC Group D and C
  • SSC Steno
  • IBPS Clerk
  • CTET


Q4.Is CA the toughest exam in India?

Ans. We cannot say that CA is only the toughest exam in India, but it is surely the toughest one belonging to the commerce field.