Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World 2024 | Success Rate | Exam Period

Toughest Exams in the World: Exams must have scared you when you were a student. Despite scary feelings, nervousness, and stress, exams play a crucial role in academic careers, right from completing high school to graduation, preparing for a government job, or going for a PG course. There are even many public and private sector job roles that require the applicant to appear in various selection rounds, from written exams to interview rounds. 

As per the World Ranking Website, it has been found that China’s Gaokao is considered the toughest exam in the world and ranks number 1 in the top 10 difficult exams in the world. While India’s IIT and UPSC rank second and third among the toughest exams in the world, rigorous preparation and the right guidance make it possible to crack them.  Surprisingly, three of the top 10 toughest exams in the world are from India, however, the rest of the exams are conducted outside the country. Let’s take a deep dive into the list of the toughest exams in the world, based on student research and overall analysis:

Table of Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World with  Success Rate

List Of Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World

1.  Gaokao Exam in China 

China’s popular Gaokao exam is regarded as the world toughest exam, organized for taking admission into the university. The exam, usually held in June, lasts two days, with students taking optional courses in addition to compulsory subjects such as math, a foreign language, and Japanese. Although it is not a standard exam globally, it is administered in all provinces and results are roughly similar to university entrance exams. 

Students who are in their final year of high school and want to study UG have to take the Gaokao or National College Entrance Exam. The amazing thing about this exam is that drones are used to detect cheating in the exam, which is disreputable for its high difficulty level and cheating rate. Every year a vast number of Chinese students appear for this exam to continue their studies. The results of this world’s hardest exam will finalize whether a student will pass or fail.

• Exam Period: 9 hours
• Purpose: College-level entrance test for high school students
• Number of Candidates in 2024: 13,420,000

2. IIT JEE Advanced 

The IIT JEE Advanced is one of the toughest exams in India. Those who dream of studying at Indian Institutes of Technology or IITs must have passed this exam. This national-level entrance exam is the only entrance exam for UG courses, which leads to a major bachelor’s degree, bachelor-master dual degree, and integrated master’s course in engineering, science, or architecture. 

Being one of the toughest exams in India, the exam has a well-structured selection process, with the first stage being JEE Mains and the second stage being JEE Advanced. Also, it offers Siemens scholarships to students, and candidates who crack the exam get a chance to qualify for one. And the scholarship will encourage them in enrolling in a bachelor’s degree in engineering.

• Exam Period: 3 hours
• Purpose: Undergraduate admission to IITs 
• Number of Candidates in 2023: 1, 80, 372

Reasons why IIT JEE is one of the top 5 toughest exams in India:

• Lakhs of applicants every year
• Difficulty and Deepness of Study Material
• Under Pressure and Time Management 

3. Civil Services Exam 

Also referred to as the IAS exam, the Civil Services Exam is highly competitive and the most toughest exam in India. The Civil Services Exam is a must-pursue career option for those who wish to serve their country in administrative roles. It is conducted by UPSC, which stands for Union Public Services Commission. 

This national-level exam is conducted in three stages, namely Pre, Mains, and an interview round. Once a candidate clears all the stages, he/she will be able to join the IPS (Indian Police Service), IAS (Indian Administrative Service), and various other central civil services. Note that all the departments and ministries of the state and union government are headed by IAS officers, which makes it the premier and toughest exam of India.

• Exam Period: 2 to 3 hours
• Purpose: For administrative roles such as IPS, IAS, etc.
• Number of Candidates in 2021: 10, 93, 948 

Reasons why UPSC CSE is regarded as the World’s Toughest Exam:

• Enormous syllabus 
• Three-stage selection Process, with each stage coming with a unique set of challenges 
• Cutthroat competition among applicants

Also Read: Best Websites to Prepare UPSC Exam

4. All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam

Among all, this is another top exam in world with a high difficulty level. The exam has high competition. The All Souls Prize Fellowship exam has a dual focus on broad and specialized knowledge, demand for critical and original thinking, extreme pressure to excel, and unconventional questions. All these aspects make this exam a tough test of academic brilliance for wannabe scholars.

Generally organized in the autumn season, the exam is conducted by Oxford University and is regarded as the hardest exam in the world. On an annual basis, 80 interested candidates appear in this exam, unfortunately only 1 or 2 are selected. Applicants have to write or submit four essays on a logical and relevant topic in three hours.

Reasons why the All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam is considered the toughest exam in the world:

• Highly competitive
• Comprises two papers: Specialist papers and General papers
• Comprehensiveness and Originality 
• Exceptional Questions
• Immense Pressure to perform at the best level

5. United States Medical Licensing Examination

USMLE is an exam for physicians to practice medicine in the US after qualifying. Popular for its extensive syllabus and high standards, USMLE is one of the toughest exams in the world. It has a success rate of about 94 to 97%, based on the numerous steps, resulting in showcasing its difficulty level. 

To prepare for the exam, candidates usually spend a considerable amount of time. The difficulty of the exam is underlined by its important role in admission to a residency course and career development. A person taking the USMLE exam must have extensive medical knowledge and clinical skills in various specialties.

Reasons why USMLE is regarded as the toughest exam in the world:

• Different pass rates
• Competitiveness 
• Intense study is required 
• A good amount of duration is a must to prepare for the exam 
• The depth and breadth of knowledge is required
• Opens future career opportunities 

6. Master Sommelier Diploma Exam

Organized by the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS), the Master Sommelier Diploma test highly focuses on the premium level of beverages and services offered by sommeliers, especially in wine and meal matching. The main purpose of this top toughest exam in world is to promote upgraded and latest understanding and service quality across the panel in the hospitality space, offering dining, accommodation, and homestays. 

The exam consists of three parts – a theoretical exam/oral exam, a deductive tasting of 6 wines, and a practical wine service test. Students who score 75% in each section pass this exam, and they are required to present a high standard of both social and technical skills during the exam. Also, the candidate must exhibit excellent sales skills. The average success rate for a candidate, even after numerous retakes, tries, and attempts, is less than 10%.

• Exam Period: Part I (50 minutes), Part II (N/A), Part III (25 minutes) 
• Purpose: To become a proficient Sommelier 

7. ICAI CA/ ICMAI CMA Exams

Searching the web to find which is the toughest exam in the world? The answer is here: CA or ICAI is conducted by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India or ICAI. On the other hand, the CMA exam is organized by the Institute of ICMAI (The Institute of Cost Accountants of India). Both of these are considered to be the top 10 toughest exams in India, as well as all over the world. 

Students who want to have a successful career in auditing, accounting, finance, cost management, or taxation should appear for one of these professional programs. These exams are conducted at three different levels as per the CA/CMA course. If you want to become a certified CA or CMA, you have to pass all the course levels. Below are the levels that need to be passed:

• Foundation course
• Intermediation Test
• Final Test

Exam Period: 2 to 3 hours for each paper for the CA exam; CMA Foundation: 120 minutes and Intermediate & Final exam: 180 minutes

Purpose: Auditing, Accounting, Finance, Cost Management, Taxation, 

8. Cisco Certified Internetwork Expert

Manages and Operates by Cisco Systems, the exam is regarded as one of the top 10 toughest exams in the world. CCIE encompasses a set of exams that experts must use to manage, create, balance, and alter complex enterprise network infrastructures. 

The world’s toughest exam consists of six sections designed to evaluate safety, teamwork, security, routing, and other aspects. It has a two-stage process, and anyone who clears the first level can join the second round.

• Exam Period: 2 hours
• Purpose: Offer technical certificates for senior networking experts
• Number of Candidates (every year): 8000 

9. Mensa International

Are you looking for the top 10 toughest exam in India, as well as in the world? We have another most difficult exam in the world, Mensa International. It was started in England in 1946. Basically, Mensa is a society of members rather than an exam. A person who gains approval in the upper 2% of the general population is a society of members. 

This society is free of all religious and racial differences, as well as non-political. There are more than 1, 45,000 Mensans in about 90 countries of the world. One of the primary objectives of the Society is to promote and explore human intelligence for the benefit of humanity, as well as to encourage research on the characteristics, nature, and uses of intelligence. In addition, it also provides an exciting intellectual and social setting for its members.

10. CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst) 

The CFA exam is focused on and is associated with financial discipline, making it the most competitive and difficult exam in the world. Of course, the world’s toughest exam list is incomplete without it. This certificate is also qualified for the Guinness World Records toughest degree. More than 1,00,000 applicants from all over the world (even from Asia) appear and pass the CFA exam every year. When it comes to finance and investment management courses, the CFA degree is often considered the most expected and prominent qualification.

However, CFA is designed to evaluate and analyze the skills of a finance expert and the understanding of notable and appropriate financial processes and tools. Students from India who pass this exam have a prosperous future with attractive salary packages. To become a CFA professional, the applicant has to pass three levels, including Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3.

• Exam Period: 3 to hour sessions (one for each CFA level)
• Purpose: Evaluate investment analysis and management skills
• Number of Candidates in 2024: 16, 932

Closing Words!

From the blog post, we can conclude that China’s Gaokao Exam, Civil Service, JEE, and CFA are the most difficult exams in the world, based on the success rate and competition level. Other toughest exams in the world are the All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam, Mensa International, etc. At last, I hope, you will like this information!