Top 10 Toughest Exams in India—Which One Is Your Everest?

When you hear the phrase “toughest exam,” the first thing that comes to mind is usually UPSC or IIT-JEE. But here’s the truth: difficulty isn’t just about numbers or pass percentages; it depends on what you want to become.

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For someone dreaming of wearing the khaki of an IPS officer, UPSC is the toughest. For the kid in Kota solving physics problems at 2 AM, JEE feels like the biggest monster. And for the one dreaming of saving lives, NEET is the true test.

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So instead of ranking them in strict order, let’s explore the 10 toughest exams in India—not just by stats, but by the dreams they guard.

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1. UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE)

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Conducted by: Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).

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Exam Pattern & Syllabus

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• Stages: Prelims (2 papers), Mains (9 papers), Interview.
  
  
• Mode: Offline (In-House).
  
  
• Subjects: History, Geography, Polity, Economy, Science, Current Affairs, and an optional subject.
  
  

Competition Level

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• Applicants: approximately 11 lakh apply every year.
  
  
• Vacancies: 1000 seats.
  
  
• Success Rate: Less than 0.2%.
  
  

Preparation Strategy Insights

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• 1–2 years of dedicated prep needed.
  
  
• Coaching helps, but many succeed through self-study.
  
  
• Requires consistent revision and answer writing.
  
  

Career Scope After Clearing

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• IAS, IPS, IFS, IRS, etc.
  
  
• Salaries: ₹56,000 – ₹250,000 per month (plus perks).
  
  
• High prestige and long-term security.
  
  

Challenges Faced by Aspirants

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• Huge syllabus, unpredictable questions.
  
  
• High stress and burnout chances.
  
  

Famous Success Stories

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• Ira Singhal (first differently-abled woman IAS topper).
  
  
• Tina Dabi (AIR 1, 2015) inspired lakhs of aspirants.
  
  

Difficulty Factors

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• Very low pass rate, vast syllabus, 3-stage filtering.
  
  

2. IIT-JEE (Advanced)

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Conducted by: IITs (rotationally)

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Exam Pattern & Syllabus

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• Mode: Online CBT
  
  
• Papers: 2 (Physics, Chemistry, Maths)
  
  
  

Competition Level

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• 2 lakh candidates appear
  
  
• Seats: 17,700 in IITs
  
  
• Selection Rate: 0.7%
  
  

Preparation Strategy

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• Usually 2–3 years of prep (from class 11)
  
  
• Heavy reliance on coaching (Kota system)
  
  

Career Scope

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• Entry into IITs → High-paying engineering jobs, global recognition
  
  

Challenges

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• Intense competition
  
  
• Requires strong conceptual clarity & speed
  
  

Famous Success

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• Anand Kumar’s Super 30 batch has produced many JEE rankers
  
  

Difficulty Factors

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• Limited seats, unpredictable paper patterns, and cutthroat competition
  
  

3. NEET-UG (Medical)

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Conducted by: NTA

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Exam Pattern

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• Mode: Offline (OMR)
  
  
• Subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Biology
  
  

Competition Level

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• 23 lakh registered (2023)
  
  
• 1 lakh MBBS seats
  
  
• Success Rate: 4–5%
  
  

Preparation Strategy

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• 2 years of focused study
  
  
• NCERT is key. Coaching boosts chances
  
  

Career Scope

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• MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and veterinary sciences
  
  
• Doctors enjoy high respect & stable careers
  
  

Challenges

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• Stress, long hours of prep
  
  
• Biology-heavy syllabus
  
  

Famous Success

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• Several rural students from government schools have cracked the top ranks.
  
  

Difficulty Factors

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• High volume of aspirants, limited medical seats.
  
  

4. GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering)

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Conducted by: IITs & IISc

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Exam Pattern

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• Mode: Online
  
  
• Subjects: Engineering discipline and general aptitude
  
  

Competition Level

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• 6.8 lakh appeared in 2023
  
  
• Only ~17% qualified
  
  

Preparation Strategy

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• 1 year of prep needed
  
  
• Many balance jobs and prep
  
  

Career Scope

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• M.Tech/MS admissions, PSU jobs
  
  
• Salaries: ₹8–20 LPA in PSUs
  
  

Challenges

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• Conceptual depth required
  
  
• Pressure of limited seats in PSUs
  
  

Difficulty Factors

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• Low qualifying percentage, technical depth.
  
  

5. CA (Chartered Accountancy) Final

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Conducted by: ICAI

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Exam Pattern

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• Mode: Offline
  
  
• Papers: 8 (in 2 groups)
  
  
• Marking: No negative marking
  
  

Competition Level

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• The pass percentage is 8–12%
  
  
• Requires clearing Foundation & Intermediate first
  
  

Preparation Strategy

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• 4–5 years' journey
  
  
• Articleship training is mandatory
  
  

Career Scope

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• Chartered Accountant → Jobs in Big 4, corporate finance
  
  
• Salaries: ₹7–20 LPA
  
  

Challenges

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• Multiple attempts needed
  
  
• Balance between study & articleship
  
  

Difficulty Factors

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• Very low pass percentage

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6. NDA (National Defence Academy)

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Conducted by: UPSC

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Exam Pattern

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• Written test, SSB interview, and medical
  
  
• Subjects: Math, General Ability
  
  

Competition Level

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• 6–7 lakh applicants
  
  
• 400–450 selected
  
  
• Success Rate: <0.5%
  
  

Career Scope

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• Officer in the Army, Navy, or Air Force
  
  
• Respect + adventurous career
  
  

Challenges

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• Physical and mental tests
  
  
• Tough lifestyle ahead
  
  

Difficulty Factors

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• Multi-level elimination, medical rejections.
  
  

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7. UPSC Engineering Services Exam (ESE/IES)

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Conducted by: UPSC

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Exam Pattern

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• Prelims, Mains, and Interview
  
  
• Subjects: Engineering discipline + GS
  
  

Competition Level

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• 3–4 lakh applicants
  
  
• Vacancies: 600
  
  
• Success Rate: less than 0.2%
  
  

Career Scope

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• Class I officers in Indian Railways, CPWD, etc
  
  
• Salaries and perks similar to IAS
  
  

Challenges

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• Technical and non-technical mix
  
  
• High workload
  
  

Difficulty Factors

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• Very limited vacancies
  
  

8. CLAT (Common Law Admission Test)

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Conducted by: Consortium of NLUs

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Exam Pattern

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• Mode: Offline
  
  
• Subjects: English, Current Affairs, Logical Reasoning, Legal Aptitude
  
  

Competition Level

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• 57,000 appeared (2024)
  
  
• Seats: 3,000 in NLUs
  
  
• Success Rate: 5%
  
  

Career Scope

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• Law firms, judiciary, corporate legal
  
  
• Salaries: ₹6–15 LPA initially
  
  

Challenges

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• Requires strong reading skills
  
  

Difficulty Factors

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• Limited NLU seats, unpredictable GK questions
  
  

9. RBI Grade B Officer

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Conducted by: RBI

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Exam Pattern

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• Prelims, Mains, Interview
  
  
• Subjects: Economics, Finance, English, GK
  
  

Competition Level

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• 2 lakh applicants
  
  
• Vacancies: 220
  
  
• Success Rate: Around 0.1%
  
  

Career Scope

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• Officer in RBI
  
  
• Salary is approximately ₹1,10,000/month + perks
  
  

Challenges

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• High cutoffs and economy-focused prep
  
  

Difficulty Factors

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• Very low vacancy count

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10. ISI Admission Test (Indian Statistical Institute)

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Conducted by: ISI Kolkata

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Exam Pattern

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• Written test and interview
  
  
• Subjects: Mathematics, Statistics, Logical Reasoning
  
  

Competition Level

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• A few thousand apply
  
  
• Seats: <150 across courses
  
  
• Acceptance Rate: <3%
  
  

Career Scope

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• Research, data science, and actuarial science
  
  
• Global demand for ISI graduates
  
  

Challenges

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• Very niche, abstract syllabus
  
  

Difficulty Factors

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• Extremely low acceptance rate

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Quick Comparison Table Of Toughest Exams In India

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Which One Is the Toughest Exam for You?

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The truth is, there is no single toughest exam in India. It depends on your dream.

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• Want power & policy? UPSC
  
  
• Want IIT-tagged innovation? JEE
  
  
• Want to heal lives? NEET
  
  
• Want numbers & balance sheets? CA
  
  
• Want to serve the nation in uniform? NDA/CDS
  
  

Each exam is a mountain. Which one feels tallest depends on the climb you choose. 

So instead of fearing the difficulty, ask yourself, “Which dream is worth the grind?”