India’s JEE Main vs China’s Gaokao: Which exam is tougher?

Both JEE and Gaokao are undergraduate entrance exams held for admission in university programmes. In China, Gaokao is given by higher secondary students to take the uniform university entrance test. While, the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) is a specialised entrance test for engineering admissions only, and the subjects — Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) — are limited.

In JEE, the emphasis is not on the vastness of the syllabus but on conceptual understanding, clarity and application, while Gaokao tests students whether they are eligible for higher and focused studies in universities.

In Gaokao, students prepare for the exam during high school study while for JEE, specialised study starts at least two to sometimes four years before students take the test. The participation rate for the Gaokao is nearly ten times higher than that of the JEE, largely due to its unlimited attempts and the inclusion of a vast number of courses.

However, it is pertinent to note that rules and several attempts depend upon the province.

In 2024, approximately 12 million students appeared for the Gaokao, compared to around 1.5-2 million applicants for the JEE. Despite the high participation, the Gaokao maintains a relatively high selection rate, with about 85 per cent of test-takers securing admission into undergraduate programmes.

However, entry into elite Chinese universities such as Peking University and Xinjiang University remains extremely competitive, with an acceptance rate of only 0.1 per cent.

In comparison, the JEE exam, though having a lower participation rate, is equally challenging, with only about 1 per cent of candidates securing admission into prestigious IITs in India. Here are some of the other differences between the two exams:

In conclusion, while both the Gaokao and JEE serve as gateways to higher education in China and India, their fundamental structures, objectives and challenges set them apart. Despite the stark differences, both exams are among the most challenging in the world, shaping the academic and professional trajectories of millions of students each year in the respective nations.

Whether through Gaokao’s all-encompassing assessment or JEE’s intense competition, success in either exam requires years of dedication, resilience and years of preparation.

(Rohit K Gupta is the chief academic officer at Physics Wallah)