Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World 2024

What Are the 10 World's Toughest Exams?

As you know, every country has exams that are considered tough to pass in one go. In this section, you will learn about the most challenging tests in the world and the country or the conducting body to which they belong. The following table shows the world's toughest exam list:

Examination	Conducting Body / Country
Gaokao Exam	China
IIT-JEE Exam	India
UPSC Exam	India
Mensa International	England
GRE	United States of America / Canada
CFA	United States of America / Canada
CCIE	United States of America
GATE	India
All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam	United Kingdom
California Bar Exam	United States of America

As per the above table, China has the world's most difficult exam. At the same time, India and the USA have the majority of the rigorous and bothersome exams globally. In the upcoming sections, you will learn about the top 5 toughest exams in the world in detail.

1. Gaokao Exam - China

The Gaokao, which means higher exam, is the abbreviation of the Nationwide Unified Examination for Admissions to General Universities and Colleges. This test is the national undergraduate admission exam for China. It is the most difficult exam in the world.

About the Exam

The Gaokao test is held by the provincial government under the order of the Ministry of Education in early June every year. The exam is conducted over two days when the nation comes to a standstill. The first Gaokao exam was held on 15-17 August 1952.

Purpose of the Test

The Gaokao test is not just an exam; it's a gateway to all the higher education institutes in China. It's a crucial requisite for undergraduate admissions, marking the end of a high school journey and the beginning of a new academic chapter.

Format and Duration of the Exam

The Gaokao exam is conducted in Mandarin Chinese. It consists of subjects such as Science, Mathematics, Languages, and Social Sciences. The score is measured on a scale of 750-950 points. The test lasts 9 hours.

Number of Applicants and Pass Rate

Every year, a staggering 12 million students apply for the Gaokao exam, a testament to its significance. However, only around 10 million students manage to qualify, making the pass rate quite low. This test is not for the faint-hearted; it's considered the world's toughest exam.

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for the Gaokao exam are as follows:

• The student applying for the exam must have Chinese citizenship. Those who do not have Chinese citizenship are not eligible to take this test.
• The students should have qualified at least 12 years of education. This must include 9 years of compulsory education as well as 3 years of high school.

2. IIT-JEE Exam - India

IIT-JEE exam stands for Indian Institute of Technology - Joint Entrance Examination. It is the 2nd hardest exam in the world. This is a national-level engineering entrance test that is held in India. The exam is conducted under the guidance of the Joint Admission Board (JAB), India.

About the Exam

The first IIT-JEE exam was conducted in the year 1961. It consists of two stages - JEE Main and JEE Advanced. The JEE Main is a screening test to select the applicants who will be eligible to appear in the Advanced. The JEE Advanced is the final stage of examination for admission into IITs.

Purpose of the Test

The test is conducted by one of the 23 zonal IITs under the guidance of the Joint Admission Board in a round-robin rotation pattern to select students for admission into these IITs.

Format and Duration of the Exam

The exam pattern for IIT-JEE consists of topics from the CBSE Board's curriculum for classes XI and XII. These subjects include Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry. The test lasts 3 hours.

Number of Applicants and Pass Rate

The number of applicants for the IIT-JEE exam is around 190 thousand yearly and is increasing rapidly. Out of which, around 40 thousand students qualify for admission. Thus, the pass rate of this test is around 24.26%. Eventually, this makes it the 2nd most difficult exam in the world.

Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for the IIT-JEE exam are as follows:

• The students who are applying for this test must have appeared for their class XII or equivalent examination in the same year or a year back.
• The minimum percentage required for the exam application must be 75% or above.

3. UPSC Exam - India

Union Public Service Commission, or UPSC, is a central government agency that conducts India's Civil Services Examination (CSE) for students. The UPSC exam is ranked third among the top five toughest exams in the world.

About the Exam

This exam is India's most difficult, competitive, and meticulous. Students spend years preparing for this century-old test. However, the number of attempts is limited. These limits are made according to the student's caste category.

Purpose of the Test

The UPSC exam is conducted to recruit people to higher civil services for the government of India. These services include the Indian Administrative Service (IAS), the Indian Police Service (IPS), as well as Indian Foreign Service (IFS).

Format and Duration of the Exam

The format for this test consists of three stages: Prelims, Mains, and Interview. The Prelims consist of two papers of 200 marks each, and the Mains consist of nine subjective papers. Also, the duration for writing is 3 hours for each test paper.

Number of Applicants and Pass Rate

Every year, around 10,00,000 applicants appear for the UPSC exam. Out of these, a very small number of students qualify after attempting all the stages of the test. Thus, the overall pass rate of this exam is 0.2%. Therefore, the UPSC test is the hardest exam in the world.

Eligibility Criteria

• The eligibility criteria for the UPSC exam are given below:
• The age limit for the students to apply for this exam is 21-32 years old.
• The student should have a bachelor's degree recognized by the Government of India.
• For IAS and IFS, only students with Indian citizenship can apply for the exam.
• For other services, citizens of India, Nepal, or Bhutan can apply for the test. Also, people who originated in India and migrated from other nations to settle permanently in India can apply for this exam.
• Also, Tibetan refugees who permanently settled in India before 1 January 1962 can apply for the UPSC test.

4. Mensa International - England

Mensa International is not an exam. It is a society of members with higher IQs and intelligence. The society was founded in 1946 in England. The society believes in non-political among the aspirants and is free from all kinds of discrimination based on race, religion or nationality.

About the Exam

The test offered by this society is one of the toughest exams in the world. It is conducted in approximately 90 countries, such as the US, the UK, India, Ireland, and Germany. The test is based on IQ and intelligence.

Purpose of the Test

The main purpose of this society is to identify and nurture human intelligence so that it benefits humanity and its characteristics and encourages research into nature. It offers its members a stimulating intellectual and social environment.

Format and Duration of the Exam

The famous IQ exams and their Mensa cutoff score are as follows:

• Stanford-Binet - 132 and above
• Cattell - 148 and above
• These tests have around 35 questions that the students need to solve within 25 minutes.

Number of Applicants and Pass Rate

There are around 145,000 Mensans in about 90 countries in the world. The competition to get into this society is very high. The society is open only to those who gain scores within the top 2% of the general population. Thus, the pass rate of these exams is 0.02%. Hence, it became the 4th most hardest exam in the world.

Eligibility Criteria

Mensa India tests only on children over 10 years of age. However, there is no such age limit for joining this society. Thus, if a child below 10 years gives the results of the authorized intelligence tests that meet the score criteria, are eligible to get recruited in Mensa.

5. GRE - USA and Canada

The GRE, or Graduate Record Examination, is considered the fifth most difficult exam in the world. This test evaluates an applicant's ability to pursue a master's in foreign institutes, mainly in the USA and Canada. Earlier, this exam was targeted at US-based universities, but now it is recognized by institutes in over 90 nations.

About the Exam

The GRE test was established in 1936 and is owned by the Educational Testing Service (ETS). This exam is responsible for measuring a student's verbal reasoning, logical reasoning, quantitative ability, critical thinking, and analytical writing.

Purpose of the Test

The sole purpose of the GRE test is to offer admissions to master's and doctoral degree programs in various universities, especially in the USA and Canada.

Format and Duration of the Test

The computer-based GRE consists of 6 sections. The 1st section is about analytical writing. While the next 4 sections include 2 verbal reasoning sections and 2 quantitative reasoning sections. Also, the last section is either an experimental or research section. The duration of this test is about 3 hours and 45 minutes.

Number of Applicants and Pass Rate

The number of applicants participating in the GRE every year is over 11 lakh. Therefore, the competition level is high due to a large number of candidates. Thus, the pass rate for the same is 43%, which makes the test considered as 5th world's toughest exam.

Eligibility Criteria

As per the Educational Testing Service (ETS), there are no rules for eligibility for taking the GRE. Students from any academic background are allowed to appear for the exam.

There are a few difficult tests that are accepted worldwide. One such exam is the GRE, which is accepted by the institutes of the USA and Canada for applying for a master's degree. Thus, students must get the right guidance to excel in this test and get enrolled in their dream universities. Therefore, overseas education consultants offer coaching for this test preparation and help aspirants ace it.

How to Determine the Hardest Exams in the World?

As you learn about the top 5 world toughest exams list in detail, a question may arise: How is the hardest test determined around the globe? To solve this question, here is brief information about the criteria used for evaluating difficult exams worldwide.

Difficulty Level of the Exam

This criterion can be defined by evaluating the level of difficulty of the questions asked in the test. These problems are challenging and need a lot of thinking and analysis. Also, these may require in-depth understanding and knowledge of the subject.

Duration and Format of the Test

This refers to the duration of the exam and its pattern. The toughest exams in the world often have a very short period to answer many problems. They may also have various sections, including multiple-choice, essays, and practical tasks.

Competition Level and Pass Rate

The competition level for a tough exam is very high, as many aspirants are trying their best to excel in this test. Thus, the pass rate, which means how many students can ace the exams, is very low for these tests.

Scope and Coverage of the Test

Scope is defined as the range of subjects covered in the test. The toughest exams in the world cover a wider range of subjects with in-depth details about every topic. Thus, these tests require a deeper knowledge of various concepts and from different areas.

Importance and Impact of the Exam

This refers to how the exam affects someone's future and its importance in their life. Difficult tests have a significant impact and are crucial for an aspirant's future education as well as career. Thus, doing well in these exams can provide you with better options in life.

Also Read: What Are the Different Entrance Exams for Studying Abroad?

In this blog, you learn about some of the toughest exams in world with their details. This information consists of the purpose of these tests, their eligibility, pass rate, format and other essential data. You also learned about the criteria used to determine which exam is the toughest in the world. These criteria involve the level of difficulty, the competition level, scope, coverage, impact, and other crucial information needed to determine the same.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Which 5 Countries Are Known to Have the Hardest Exams in the World?

The 5 countries that are known to have the hardest exams in the world are China, India, South Korea, Japan, and Singapore.

2. Can Indians Apply for the Gaokao Exam in China?

No, Indians cannot apply for the Gaokao exam in China to gain entrance to higher education institutes. But if you have dedicated your time and efforts to learning Mandarin Chinese, you can choose to take this exam.

3. What Tests Are Needed to Apply for a Master's Degree in Universities in the USA and Canada?

The tests needed for applying for a master's degree in universities of the USA and Canada are GRE as well as a language proficiency test such as IELTS. Various education consultants provide online IELTS classes to study abroad. They also offer coaching for GRE preparation.

4. Can Citizens of Other Countries Apply for the UPSC Exam in India?

No, citizens of other countries cannot apply for the UPSC exam in India. The only exception is the Tibetan refugees who permanently settled in India before 1st January 1962.

5. What Is the Toughest Exam in Asia?

The Gaokao exam is the toughest in Asia. It is conducted by the Government of China for final-year high school students to get admission to graduation in higher educational institutes in the country.

6. What Is the Toughest Exam in India?

The UPSC exam is the toughest in India. This exam is conducted to recruit aspirants for various civil services for the government of India. These services include IAS, IPS, and IFS. It is one of the most competitive exams among Indians.