JEE Advanced 2015: Toughest Paper for last 10 Years

The JEE Advanced 2015 paper was the toughest paper since the IIT JEE Paper of 2005 and tougher when compared with even the subjective papers of previous years.

The most coveted institute, IIT Bombay has indeed proved itself by setting a new standard to the JEE Advanced paper. It ensured that the changed objective pattern too can be employed to extract the best and most genuine cream of the IIT aspirants.

This time the total mark was a whopping wholesome of 504 (264 + 240) with a total of 120 questions (60 + 60). It is so clear that the paper had been lengthy.

Overall Review

1. This time the paper was so designed to test the students' tricky problem solving skills, time managing attributes which includes the not-losing-confidence trait, and also their memory to a certain extent. The sustainers of this great feat by IIT Bombay, do have the IIT factor in them.
2. The main drawbacks of the paper in the perspective of the students would be that the paper was lengthy as it did contain some tough and time consuming problems and the highly devastating format due to the heavy negative markings.

Paper-1:
The format of the paper was among the toughest of all times, with no single correct questions and with high negative markings. Though the paper did contain solvable questions, the paper being lengthy hampered the students from scoring to their best.

Format:
8 Integer questions (Each of 4 marks and no negative marking);
10 Multi Correct questions (+4,  - 2)
2 Matrix Match type questions (+2, - 1 for each option)

Physics:
The questions were easy. If carefully attempted, this part of the paper would have been the most scoring part of the entire exam.

• Only 1 or at most 2 questions of the 8 Integer questions would have been tough to solve, the rest all being easy.
• Among the 10 Multi Correct MCQs, 4 questions were easy, 5 questions mediocre, and 1 question tough.
• Both the Matrix match type questions were a cakewalk, though one of them required a grip on the NCERT text.

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​Chemistry:
It was a blend of both tough and easy questions. Reminding you, Chemistry is the subject requiring to use one's memory, around 3 questions required a good memory.

• 6 Integer questions could have been answered easily, the other two being tough.
• The distribution of the Multi Correct MCQs was 5 easy, 3 mediocre and 2 tough.
• One matrix match type question was easy and another one could have been answered by carefully attempting it.

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​Maths:
This was the tough part of Paper-1. This is what I call IIT level. A mix of tricky and conceptual questions. The students would have found difficulty in the questions from Conic Sections.

• Out of the 8 Integer questions, 3 were easy, 3 mediocre and 2 tough.
• Here the distribution of the Multi Correct MCQs was 7 mediocre level questions and 3 touch ones.
• Both the matrix match questions were good and couldn't have been answered easily.

Paper 2:

This paper had been a nightmare for many of the students. The standard was so set that only people who are clear on their concepts and as well have the best of problem solving skills would survive this nightmarish paper.

Format:
8 Integer questions (Each of 4 marks and no negative marking);
8 Multi Correct questions  (+4,  - 2)
4 Paragraph type questions  (+4,  - 2)

Physics:
Though the Paper-1 physics was easy, this Paper-2 counter part has resulted in making physics the toughest of all three subjects. The average students should have struggled to score (at least score positive) in this part, since it would have been tough to find the solvable questions.

• Out of the 8 Integer questions, 2 were easy, 3 were of mediocre level and 3 tough.
• Among the 8 Multi Correct MCQs, 2 were easy, 1 of mediocre level, 3 tough and the remaining 2 very tough.
• Solving the 2 paragraphs requires an experienced and creative problem solver, who's next only to a genius.

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​Chemistry:
My review on the Paper-2 would still remain the same as of the Paper-1. The same blend goes here too. People who have started with Chemistry or had attempted it carefully, would have got an edge over others.

• 2 Integer questions were easy, 2 mediocre and 4 seemed to be tough.
• Among the 8 Multi Correct MCQs, 5 were easy, 2 of mediocre level, and only 1 was tough.
• One paragraph was easy and the other one quite tough.

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​Maths:
The math problems were tricky and only math lovers would have enjoyed solving the paper.

• The distribution of the Integer type questions would be 4 easy, 4 mediocre and 2 tough.
• Among the 8 Multi Correct MCQs, 3 were of mediocre level, 5 tough, including the very tough ones too.
• Both the paragraphs tested the students' ability to solve not-so-tough but tricky questions.

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​Review by: Pareen Jain, Student, IIT Kharagpur