Top 5 Toughest JEE Advanced Paper Ever

Mathematics

Very Difficult

Most experts and students still remember this Math section as one of the hardest ever. The questions were heavily concept-based, not straightforward at all. Topics like functions and probability were especially tricky and confusing

Physics

Moderate to Tough

Physics looked manageable at first, but it became stressful during the exam. Many questions had multiple correct options with negative marking, so even a small mistake could cost marks. Rotation and electromagnetism dominated the paper

Chemistry

Difficult

Compared to earlier years, Chemistry felt unusually tough. The Matrix Match questions took a lot of time and increased the chances of silly mistakes.

Overall

Extremely Tough

This was a low-cutoff year because total scores dropped sharply. Experts often call 2016 the “conceptual trap” year. Guesswork almost always backfired due to strict marking rules, so accuracy mattered more than attempting more questions.

Mathematics

Nightmare Level

Many experts believe this was the toughest Math section ever set in JEE Advanced. The problems were extremely calculative, and even questions that looked easy on paper needed 10 or more steps to solve.

Physics

Moderate to Tough

Physics was concept-heavy and quite lengthy. Students felt it was similar in style to the 2016 paper. They had to clearly imagine physical situations to solve questions, which made it tiring.

Chemistry

Moderate

For most students, Chemistry was a relief. Inorganic questions were mostly NCERT-based. However, Paper 2 had some tricky Organic reaction sequences.

Overall

Brutally Lengthy

Most recent aspirants agree that 2022 was even tougher than 2016, mainly because of the extreme length and complexity of the Math section. Finishing the paper itself felt like a big achievement.

Mathematics

Difficult & Tricky

Math was long and mentally draining. Questions from Conic Sections and Calculus were seen as true IIT-level problems. They were very lengthy and time-consuming.

Physics

Very Difficult

Physics was clearly the toughest section of the paper. Even good students found it hard to score positive marks. The questions demanded strong application skills rather than direct formulas.

Chemistry

Moderate to Difficult

Chemistry was more balanced but still not easy. Physical Chemistry needed strong memory and clear concepts. Organic Chemistry was comparatively simpler, but the questions were lengthy and time-consuming.

Overall

Legendary Toughness

This paper is remembered for its brutal negative marking and very high total marks of 504. Many students felt exhausted by the end. Experts often describe it as one of the most mentally demanding JEE Advanced papers of the decade.

Mathematics

Tough & Lengthy

Math focused more on Algebra and Coordinate Geometry this year. Calculations were long and repetitive, and many students ran out of time before attempting enough questions.

Physics

Difficult

Physics was tougher than the 2018 paper. Several questions were worded in a confusing way, especially in Mechanics and Modern Physics, which made students second-guess their answers.

Chemistry

Easy to Moderate

Chemistry turned out to be the easiest section for most students. The questions followed standard patterns, so it became a good scoring area and helped balance the paper.

Overall

Moderate to Hard

The paper pattern changed, with no paragraph-type questions. This surprised many students. After the relatively easier 2017 paper, 2019 felt like a sudden jump in difficulty.

Mathematics

Moderate

Many students felt Math was easier than Chemistry this year. It still included new and unfamiliar problem types, so it was not completely straightforward.

Physics

Moderate to Tough

Physics was lengthy but manageable for students with strong basics. It focused more on thinking and analysis rather than heavy calculations.

Chemistry

Difficult

Chemistry was widely considered the toughest section of the paper. Some questions felt outside the usual NCERT scope.

Overall

Moderate to Difficult

This was the first year JEE Advanced was fully online. The shift to CBT and the introduction of decimal-entry numerical questions made the paper feel more demanding than expected.