Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World 2025

The top 10 toughest exams in the world in 2025 include the Gaokao Exam in China, IIT JEE Advanced, UPSC/Civil Services Exam, Master Sommelier Diploma Exam, Mensa International, USMLE, Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), CCIE, and All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam. 3 of the world’s toughest exams are from India: JEE, UPSC, and GATE.

• The Gaokao Exam in China is the toughest exam in the world. Taken by around 10 million students annually, the Gaokao has a success rate of only 0.2%. The test-takers get admission to top Chinese universities.
• The UPSC Civil Services Exam is considered the toughest exam in India, with less than 0.1% of candidates passing.
• The CFA exam has 3 levels, with only around 40% passing each level, and just 20% clearing all three on their first try.

There’s no universal benchmark to define the world’s toughest exam, as each test examines different skills for different goals. This list highlights some of the most challenging exams across fields and countries.

Exams like IELTS, TOEFL, GRE, and GMAT—while not the hardest exams in the world—are still popular. They are attempted by thousands of Indian students aiming to study in top destinations for Indian students to study abroad, such as the US, UK, Canada, Germany, and Australia.

Top 10 Toughest Exams in the World

The table below shows the top 10 toughest exams in the world-

These exams can seem very challenging. Don't be discouraged if you didn’t clear the exam on your first attempt! Analyse your attempt, refine your study strategies, and find resources that optimise your preparation for a higher score next time.

Gaokao Exam in China

The Gaokao is one of the toughest exams in the world. It is also referred to as the "National College Entrance Exam (NCEE)" and is a mandatory entrance exam for undergraduate college admissions in China. The Gaokao examination is held over 2 days every June in China.

• In 2024, around 13.42 million appeared for the exam.
• The question papers are kept behind bars so that they are not leaked

Students need to secure at least 600 out of a maximum score of 750 to get a place in the top universities in China. One can retake the exam, but it can lead to a delay in college admissions.

Why Gaokao is Considered the Toughest Exam in the World?

Gaokao exam is considered one of the hardest exams in the world due to its competitiveness and exam pressure.

• Over 13 million students compete for just 50,000–60,000 seats in elite universities. The success rate of the Gaokao exam is as low as 0.003%.
• The exam is held over the duration of 9 hours in 2–3 days.  The questions in the exam have a higher difficulty level, making it the toughest exam in world.

IIT JEE Advanced Exam

The IIT JEE Advanced is one of the toughest exam in India. The purpose of the IIT JEE Advanced exam is admission to top Indian engineering colleges like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). JEE Advanced is a national-level entrance test for admission to UG engineering courses at IITs. Cracking the IITs requires a two-step process – 

1. Qualify for JEE Mains.
2. Followed by taking the highly competitive JEE Advanced exam.

Why is JEE Considered the Toughest Exam in the World?

The reasons for JEE being the toughest exam in India and in the world are the high number of applicants, exam difficulty and pressure.

• Lakhs of students take the JEE Mains each year, with only 10% qualifying for the JEE Advanced. 
• The IIT JEE exam deals with concepts of advanced Physics, Chemistry and Maths. This requires a strong understanding of the core principles.
• The candidates are required to complete the exam within a limited timeframe. Therefore, the exam also tests their time management skills under high pressure.

Out of 180,200 students who took the JEE Advanced 2024, only 48,248 qualified for IIT admissions, resulting in a qualification rate of just 26.77%. For 2024, the official cutoff percentage for IIT-JEE Main was 90.77% for the General category, 73% for OBC, 51% for SC, 37% for ST, and 75% for EWS.

Success Rate Summary for JEE

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UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE)

UPSC Civil Services Exam is often known as the toughest exam in India. It is popularly known as the IAS exam in a common language. The exam qualifies you for a job in the government administrative department. To clear the exam, the candidate must clear three rounds: Prelims, Mains, and the Interview round.

The UPSC Civil Services Exam (CSE) is India’s hardest exam. It is designed to recruit top bureaucrats like IAS, IPS, IFS, and IRS officers. These leaders play a crucial role in shaping policies and administration at both the central and state levels, often serving as Secretaries in key ministries. The exam is conducted by Union Public Service Commission, also known as UPSC.

Why is UPSC Considered the Toughest Exam in the World?

Some of the reasons why UPSC is still considered one of the toughest exams in the world include its difficult syllabus, high competition, and selective admission process.

• The seats available for the candidates are fewer due to the tough competition all over India. In 2024, the total number of seats for UPSC is 1056, of which 40 are reserved for PWD students.
• The exam covers subjects ranging from geography, history, political science, technology, economics, and current affairs, making it a daunting task for aspirants to prepare comprehensively.
• Aspirants have to go through several steps, including the Prelims, Mains, and the final interview round, which finally determines their selection.
• Aspirants often give up due to the extensive and time-consuming preparation needed for the exam.

UPSC is known for its unpredictable question patterns, which test the candidate's practical knowledge rather than memorising the facts.

Success Rate Summary for UPSC

All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam

The All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam is considered one of the hardest exams in the world. Conducted by the All Souls College, Oxford University, UK, the exam selects post-doctoral fellows to grant a 7-year fellowship. This allows them to pursue writing, study, or independent research without any formal responsibility.

• Every year, out of 80 candidates, only one or two are chosen.
• Applicants must submit four essays on any topic from various humanities areas.
• The maximum time limit for each essay is 3 hours.
• Only students with a strong humanities background can take part in the All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam.

Applicants who pass this challenging test are called for a viva, which involves an oral explanation of their answers.

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Why All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam is So Difficult?

The reasons why the All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam is considered one of the top 10 toughest exams in the world are mentioned below -

• The questions are tough to answer as they are subjective and lack obvious acceptable or incorrect responses (for example, Is Edward Snowden a hero or a villain?).
• It aims to discover students with exceptional skills in debate and analysis that assist the college in electing new examination or prize fellows.
• The other qualities include knowledge breadth, independence of judgment and thinking, clarity and carefulness of explanation, and exposure to unresolved issues.
• The passing rate of the All Souls Prize Fellowship exam is only 2.5%

Master Sommelier Diploma Exam

The Master Sommelier Diploma Examination (MS) is the ultimate challenge for aspiring wine professionals and is considered one of the toughest exams in the world. Organised by the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS), it tests an individual's in-depth knowledge of beverages and their service finesse.

• The Master Sommelier exam is offered twice a year in the US and once in the UK.
• Only 25-30% of those who pass the Advanced Sommelier exam (a prerequisite) even qualify to attempt the MS.

The MS comprises three parts:

Why is Master Sommelier Diploma Exam considered the toughest exam in the world?

Some of the reasons why the Master Sommelier Diploma Exam is the most difficult exam in the world are discussed below -

• Students who pass the Advanced Sommelier Examination (on average about 25%) are eligible to apply to take the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination.
• The pass rate for the Master Sommelier Diploma Examination- Theory is approximately 10%.
• In the last 40 years, only 229 students have been able to qualify for the examination.
• Some argue that testing and preparing for entry into the Court of Master Sommeliers is on par with studying for a medical degree.

Most applicants fail to pass round 3 – the practice wine service. This is because while serving the beverages, they are also supposed to answer certain questions which can make them lose their concentration.

Mensa IQ Test

Mensa isn't a typical exam; it’s a global society for individuals who score exceptionally high on standardised intelligence tests, typically in the 98th percentile or above. There are more than 145,000 members in Mensa from 90 countries worldwide and more than 3,881 are from India.

Why is the Mensa IQ Test considered the Toughest Exam in the World?

Some of the reasons why this exam is the toughest in the world are mentioned below -

• Mensa accepts the top 2% of test scores, which is challenging for everyone. 
• Exam participants with IQs higher than the 98th percentile globally are chosen to become Mensa Members.
• Being one of the hardest exams to pass, exam participants are tested on various parameters such as problem-solving, reasoning, and logic.

The questions in the test might seem very easy and simple to answer, but actually, they are the most difficult to answer.

USMLE

The United States Medical Licensing Examination (USMLE) is a rigorous series of exams that physicians must pass to practice medicine in the US. USMLE is known for its high standards and extensive content, it boasts a pass rate of 94-97% for its various steps, reflecting its difficulty. This exam is taken by students after they get into a medical school in the US.

Why USMLE is Considered the Toughest Exam?

Some of the reasons why the USMLE is considered the toughest exam in the world are mentioned below -

• The USMLE, with three steps, has challenging pass rates: Step 1 around 94-96%, Step 2 CK around 94-97%, and Step 3 around 96-97% for first-time US and Canadian medical graduates.
• Around 50-60% of people manage to crack the USMLE (United States Medical Licensing Examination), with some reports indicating a success rate of up to 60-70%.
• The USMLE Step 1 exam has 280 questions, covering a broad range of topics, so it's crucial to prepare comprehensively and focus on likely tested areas.

USMLE-style MCQs often have multiple correct answers, are designed to mislead, and are notably lengthy, adding to their challenge.

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CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert)

CCIE certification is the ultimate validation for seasoned network engineers. Offered by Cisco Systems, it's a prestigious program, and one of the toughest exams in the world.

• CCIE assesses an individual's ability to design, build, implement, maintain, and troubleshoot complex enterprise network infrastructures.
• The passing rate for the CCIE exam is around 26%.
• The CCIE program caters to various networking specializations with six distinct tracks: collaboration, data center, routing and switching, security, service provider, and wireless.

Why is CCIE Considered the Toughest Exam?

Some of the reasons for considering CCIE as one of the top 10 toughest exams in the world are mentioned below -

• It is a 2-hour test that involves a greater understanding of concepts like networking fundamentals and advanced troubleshooting.
• Memorizing the answers is not the key to ace this exam as you have to understand how networks work and have a hands-on experience with Cisco products.
• It is considered tough because of its comprehensive nature and the area of expertise you must have.

CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)

The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) program isn't just an exam; it's a rigorous three-level journey toward becoming an investment professional. The CFA Institute announced that in February 2024, 44% of 16,932 candidates passed the Level I exam, and 49% of 13,619 candidates passed the Level III exam.

Why is CFA Considered as the Toughest Exams in the World?

Some of the reasons why students think CFA is the top 10 toughest exam in the world are mentioned below -

• The CFA exam is conducted only in English which can be difficult for Indian students who are poor in their English skills.
• The CFA Institute often suggests an average of 300 hours of study per level –  months of sustained, focused effort, especially challenging for professionals juggling work commitments.
• Historically, pass rates have hovered around 40-50% for Level I, 45-55% for Level II, and 55-65% for Level III. 

The pass rates indicate that the CFA isn’t just about rote learning. Instead, it tests a candidate’s ability to apply knowledge in practical, real-world situations, requiring a deep understanding of the topics.

CA/CMA Exams

For commerce graduates in India seeking careers in accounting, finance, or related fields, two prestigious professional certifications stand out: the Chartered Accountant (CA) offered by the Institute of Chartered Accountants of India (ICAI) and the Cost and Management Accountant (CMA) awarded by The Institute of Cost Accountants of India (ICMAI). Both are renowned for their rigor and hold significant weight in the job market. While both certifications offer promising career paths, they cater to slightly different areas of expertise:

Why CA exam is Considered to be Difficult?

Some of the reasons why the CA exam is held as a tough examination are mentioned below -

• Most of the students start studying for or take coaching classes after passing the CA Foundation exams and the first attempt due after that is within 9 months.
• In those 9 months, the student needs to grasp concepts of 8 individually vast subjects that require a lot of retaining power.
• The CA Final 2023 pass percentage for Group 1 was 9.46%, for Group 2 it was 21.6%, and for both groups, it was 9.42%, respectively.
• One of the key challenges that candidates may face is the possibility of not passing a particular exam level on their first attempt.
• In such cases, candidates rewrite the exam until they pass, which can extend the overall duration of their CA journey.

Pass Percentage Analysis of CA Results

Clearing the top 10 toughest exams in the world requires concentration towards your preparation, which can be done by being thoroughly persistent. Exams from the Gaokao in China to India's Civil Services Exam act as gateways to prestigious careers and are considered the toughest exams in the world. Conquering any of the world’s hardest exams requires academic knowledge, dedication and proper study plans.

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