Business tycoon Anand Mahindra is known for being highly active on social media platform X. Every now and then he makes interesting posts on interesting matters that grabs everyone’s attention. For all the right reasons? Indeed for all the right reasons. Recently, he posted on X, sharing a list from The World Ranking website that ranks the ‘Top Toughest Exams in the World.’
Notably, the list included the IIT JEE at Rank 2 and the UPSC civil services exam at Rank 3. By sharing the post he sparked a debate regarding which exam is toughest between the two.
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As per The World Ranking Twitter handle the list included these exams…
Top Toughest Exams in the World
1. China → Gaokao Exam
2. India → IIT JEE Exam
3. India → UPSC Exam
4. England → Mensa
5. US/Canada → GRE
6. US/Canada → CFA
7. US → CCIE
8. India → GATE
9. US → USMLE
10. US → California Bar Exam
Anand Mahindra shared his views on the toughest exams in the world
Anand Mahindra recently took to X (formerly known as Twitter) and shared a post from The World Ranking website highlighting the ‘Top Toughest Exams in the World.’ In his caption, he recounted conversations he had after watching the movie ’12th Fail’, where he discussed the relative difficulty of entrance exams with various individuals.
Via his caption he shared shared insights from an IIT graduate involved in a startup who emphatically claimed that the UPSC exam is more challenging than the IIT JEE. Mahindra, intrigued by this perspective, questioned whether the perception of UPSC being tougher than JEE was widespread, suggesting that it might prompt a reconsideration of the ranking.
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He wrote as we quote,
“After seeing #12thFail I checked around and spoke to a number of young people about the relative difficulty of our entrance exams.
One of them was a graduate of IIT who is involved in a business startup but who has also taken the UPSC exam.
He stated EMPHATICALLY that UPSC is much tougher than the IIT JEE.
I wonder if this is a commonly held perception, in which case this ranking needs to change!”
Check it out,
After seeing #12thFail I checked around and spoke to a number of young people about the relative difficulty of our entrance exams.
One of them was a graduate of IIT who is involved in a business startup but who has also taken the UPSC exam.
He stated EMPHATICALLY that UPSC is… https://t.co/NvGTIHWkrz
— anand mahindra (@anandmahindra) February 4, 2024
Here is how the debate was carry forwarded by the netizens
Although there isn’t an official ranking for the toughest exams globally, both the IIT JEE and the UPSC civil services exams are widely acknowledged as some of the most challenging tests.
Mahindra’s post stirred conversations about the relative difficulty of exams, with a focus on the perceived toughness of UPSC versus JEE. Various perspectives emerged from the online discussion regarding the perceived toughness of exams in India, particularly the IIT JEE and UPSC civil services exams. One commenter highlighted the intense competition for limited vacancies, emphasizing that the sheer number of applicants contributes to the exams’ difficulty. Another expressed the opinion that the UPSC exam seems tougher due to the rigorous selection process rather than the complexity of the questions themselves.
Furthermore, some participants emphasized the significance of the UPSC exam in India, labeling it as one of the toughest globally. They noted the evolving competition, with candidates from diverse educational backgrounds vying for selection. Additionally, a distinction was made between the challenging nature of the exam and its multi-stage format, where even minor errors could lead to elimination.
Some commenters also resonated with Anand Mahindra’s view, sharing personal experiences and opinions on the UPSC civil services exam versus the IIT JEE. They cited instances of individuals who found UPSC more challenging, labeling it as the ‘mother of all exams.’ Some affirmed UPSC’s toughness over JEE Advanced, while others emphasized the fierce competition from diverse academic backgrounds, including graduates from prestigious institutions like IIT and IIM, contributing to UPSC’s reputation as a formidable test.
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The exam itself is not tough but it has 3 stages and every graduate can take it which makes the competition very tough. One small mistake and you are out of the race.
But if difficulty level of question papers is compared, ofcourse, JEE is much more tougher.
— Rahman Sheikh (@rahmanology) February 4, 2024
Sir, having given both, can say that UPSC CSE is ‘more’ tough to clear because of
1. Very few seats (Rank above 1000 easily gives you a seat in a IIT, unlike in UPSC CSE)2. Unpredictable nature of the exam (Question formats, pattern etc change regularly)
3. Subjectivity of the…
— Archit Chandak (@archit_IPS) February 4, 2024
Its a misconception of Indians.
UPSC is not tougher than JEE its more competitive.
JEE has questions which many phd holders cant solve in a time constraint— Anubis (@ANUBISPRIYANSHU) February 4, 2024
My JEE rank was AIR 249. My UPSC rank was 3. Honestly, UPSC is more a test of stamina and patience than JEE.
— Abhas K. Jha (@AbhasKJha) February 4, 2024
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