Toughest exam in the world | What you should know about it!

There are several exams all around the world that are considered to be quite challenging and require months (if not years) of training. With the fierce competition being a part of the global education and job market, performing well in competitive exams is crucial to achieving your goal.

A range of exams tests a candidate’s ability to perform well under pressure. Securing a good score on these exams can guarantee the achiever a plethora of excellent academic and professional opportunities.

If you are curious about which exam is the toughest exam in the world, keep reading!

What are the 5 toughest examinations in the world?

Some of the top contenders for this title include- 

1. Gaokao 

Gaokao is the college entrance exam that is popularly conducted in China and is infamous for its level of difficulty. The difficulty of this exam is such that clearing the same can grant admission to some of the top American and European universities in the world!

2. JEE-Advanced 

JEE-Advanced is the entrance test conducted for admission to engineering courses offered by the Indian Institute of Technology. You will need to display proficiency in the concepts of one of the most difficult courses in the world – Engineering! 

Research reveals that acceptance rates on clearing this exam rest at a mere 1%! Talk about tough! 

3. UPSC (Union Public Service Commission) 

Another popular toughest exam in the world is conducted in India. Clearing the UPSC exam grants candidates employment opportunities for different departments in the Indian government. This includes- 

• Revenue Service 
• Foreign Service 
• Administrative Service 

Statistics reveal that a whopping 5 million candidates attempt this exam annually. However, the number of seats available is only 1000! 

4. Mensa 

Mensa is a specialized, high-intelligence, IQ society. Members with an IQ higher than the 98th percentile (an astonishing 2% of the world population) qualify for membership to this prestigious circle. The administered IQ test makes it a likely candidate for the title of ‘toughest exam in the world’! 

5. Chartered Financial Analyst  

Another exam on the list of the toughest exam in the world is the CFA exam. An estimated 1,00,000 candidates appear for this exam from across 100 countries every year. 

To earn the CFA charter, you also have to clear the following levels-

• CFA Level 1 
• Level 2, and 
• CFA Level 3 

What are the criteria of classification for the above-listed exams? 

The aforementioned exams are classified as the toughest exam in the world for the following reasons- 

1. Syllabus 

The syllabus for each of these exams is extremely vast and requires months of practice. 

For example: 

JEE-Advanced–

• Atomic Structure & Chemical Bonding 
• Algebra 
• Differential Calculus  
• Limits & Continuity
• Kinematics Gravitational Laws 
• Quadratic Equations 
• Kinematics in One or Two Dimensions 

Chartered Financial Analyst Exam- 

• Equity Investments 
• Derivatives 
• Alternative Investments 
• Economics
• Corporate Finance
• Professional & Ethical Standards of Corporate Finance 

2. Amount of Practice Required 

Statistics reveal that you need a minimum of 3 hours to revise concepts every day before appearing for the Gaokao exam. This is significantly higher than the OECD average of a maximum of 1.2 hours of revision time a day.

Research also reveals that students in China spend almost 12 years (the duration of their entire academic career) preparing for the gaokao exam. 

The JEE-Advanced exams, on the other hand, require 4 to 5 hours of study every day from the 11th standard. Students need to increase the number of study hours from 5 to 8 in the 6 months before the Mains exam.

3. Inventiveness of Questions 

With regards to the inventiveness of questions, Mensa is one of the most challenging exams in the world. 

Here is an example of a question in the Mensa exam- 

Q: What is the number that is one more than one-tenth of one-fifth of one-half of 4000? 

In contrast, the questions asked in the UPSC exam largely tests critical-thinking skills and includes questions such as- 

Q1. How many minutes are in a year? 

Q2. What is the full form of IP? 

Which exam is the toughest exam in the world? 

Several research studies have been created to come to the following conclusion – the gaokao exam conducted in China is recognized as the toughest exam in the world. 

If we consider the above 3 criteria for classification, it becomes clear that this exam has an exhaustive syllabus and requires years of practice & preparation. 

The questions are also designed to test your technical knowledge, general knowledge aptitude, and critical thinking skills. 

The mentioned statistics for this exam also reveal that the competition is cut-throat, and it takes approximately 10 hours (spread over two days) to complete. 

How do I crack the toughest exam in the world? 

One of the best ways to crack the gaokao exam is by breaking down the syllabus into a series of components and working on each category at a time. 

We also recommend that you create a constructive study timetable and judiciously follow it for at least six months to a year before the exam. This excludes the years of learning you would have to work on before registering for this exam. 

Key Takeaways 

• With the growing cut-throat competition for dynamic academic and career opportunities in the world, several tough exams are conducted. 
• Clearing these exams can grant achievers admission and employment in some of the best institutions in the world. 
• Of the different exams conducted, the gaokao is recognized as the toughest exam in the world. This is largely due to its extensive syllabus and rigorous preparation schedule before attempting the paper. 
• Having a well-structured routine and a thorough understanding of the syllabus can help you prepare better for any or all of the exams you attempt! 

So, that’s all we have for the toughest exam in the world. If you have any questions/suggestions, drop a comment or reach out to us.

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FAQs 

Q1. What is the Master Sommelier Diploma exam?

Answer – Introduced 40 years back in England, this wine-tasting exam is among the toughest exams to clear. Only 200 candidates are said to have successfully passed this exam. 

Q2. What is the CA exam?

Answer – The CA exam conducted in India is another exam to take on the title of being among the toughest papers in the world. This is a three-level paper conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India.

Q3. Who holds the record for the highest gaokao score in the world?

Answer – Yang Chenyu has clinched the record for the highest gaokao score in the world, with a perfect 730 points awarded in mathematics & English.