World’s Toughest Exams: Check All the Details Here!

This article will introduce and analyze some of the most difficult exams in the world and analyze their main characteristics and the factors that contribute to their high difficulty.

1. Mensa IQ Test

The Mensa intelligence test is designed to identify those with extremely high levels of intelligence. With a minimum passing score of 35, the test is one of the most difficult in the world. It measures a person’s abstract and logical thinking abilities in the areas of language, numerical data, and spatial orientation.

2. UPSC Civil Service Examination (India)

The civil service exam of the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC) in India is known for its rigorous selection process. The exam covers history, geography, and current affairs, all of which present a considerable challenge to candidates. Currently, the success rate for the exam is around 0%, a significant improvement from previous exams. This means that even with a pass rate of just 1%, the UPSC exam is one of the toughest exams in the world.

3. California Bar Examination (USA)

The California Bar Exam is one of the state bar exams that anyone who wants to practice law in California must take. This exam is now familiar to everyone, especially because it is extremely difficult, with only 50% of candidates passing it. Some of the exams focus on testing the candidate’s knowledge of legal terms and how they deal with these terms during the exam.

4. College Entrance Examination (China)

The Gaokao is China’s university entrance exam, the results of which determine a student’s right to continue their education. The Gaokao is often referred to as a high-stakes exam, the success or failure of which will affect a student’s future life. Chinese, mathematics and foreign languages ​​are some of the many subjects in the Gaokao; the exam is considered one of the most difficult in the world.

5. NEET (India)

NEET stands for National Eligibility cum Entrance Test and is used to admit students to medical and dental colleges in India. The exam is extremely demanding with over a million students vying for a spot. NEET is a multiple-choice test that assesses candidates’ knowledge in biology, chemistry and physics and is considered one of the toughest exams in the world.

6. LSAT (United States)

The Law School Admission Test (LSAT) is one of the standardized tests that assess the ability to be admitted to law schools. This test is an important part of the admission process of law schools in the United States and is also known for its logic games and reading sections.

7. GMAT (Global)

The Graduate Management Admission Test (GMAT) is a standardized test that measures verbal, quantitative, analytical writing, and integrated reasoning skills. The GMAT is used by business schools around the world as part of the admissions process and is known for its challenging questions and time limits.

8. MCAT (USA)

The Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) is a standardized test that measures critical analysis and reasoning skills as well as knowledge of the natural, behavioral, and social sciences. The MCAT is an important component of the admissions process to medical schools in the United States and is known for its comprehensive coverage of a wide variety of subjects.

9. GATE (India)

The Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) is an exam that tests a student’s overall understanding of various undergraduate subjects in engineering and science. Used for admission to postgraduate courses and public sector jobs, GATE is known for its difficult questions and high competition.

10. Chartered Financial Analyst (Global)

The CFA program consists of three exams that test candidates’ ability to apply knowledge in the areas of investment analysis and portfolio management. The CFA exam is considered very important as it tests candidates’ knowledge in all the different aspects related to finance and has a pass rate of about 40%.

Please see the table below for the eligibility criteria for all the exams –

rank

Exam Name

Country

period

Minimum score requirement

Purpose

1

College Entrance Examination

China

2 days

It varies from province to province, but first-class universities generally score around 450-600 points (total score 750 points)

High School Entrance Exam

2

IIT JEE Advanced

India

3 hours

75% in Grade 12 and top rank in JEE Main

Indian Institute of Technology Undergraduate Admissions

3

UPSC Civil Services Examination (CSE)

India

2-3 hours

Varies; usually requires candidates to be in the top 0.1%

Recruitment of administrative positions

4

Door

India

3 hours

Varies by subject; generally requires a score above 25-30%

Graduate Admissions, Enrollment

5

GRE (Graduate Record Examination)

worldwide

3 hours 45 minutes

More than 300 out of 340 candidates in competitive projects

MBA and MS Program Admissions

6

Master Sommelier Diploma Examination

USA

Different

The pass rate for both practical and theory parts is less than 10%

Certified Sommelier

7

ICAI CA Exam

India

2-3 hours

Qualification is obtained with 50% in each subject

Training and certification as a chartered accountant

8

CCIE (Cisco Certified Internet Expert)

USA

2 hours

Pass the written and experimental exams; the experimental pass rate is about 20%

Technical Certification for Network Professionals

9

Mensa International

worldwide

Minimum IQ is 130

The Association of the Top 2% of People with the Highest IQ

10

Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA)

worldwide

Different

The pass rate at each level is about 40%

Designation for investment professionals

These exams are among the most difficult in the world, requiring determination, hard work, and talent. While the specific reasons for these exams’ difficulty may vary, they all have one thing in common: they challenge a person’s legitimate right to reach their highest potential.

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