Recent Update: IIT-JEE, UPSC CSE, and GATE are among the world’s most difficult exams. In the ranking, the IIT JEE test is ranked first in India and second in the globe.
List of Top 10 Toughest Exam in the World Overview

India has the highest number of the world’s most demanding examinations. India hosts seven of the twenty most difficult exams in the world. Despite the fact that India has many rigorous tests, South Korea is often regarded as having the most demanding school system. Indian students believe their examinations are the most difficult in the world, yet when it comes to the toughest tests in the world, just a few in India fit this requirement. There are numerous such tests all throughout the world, and they are not easy to pass. The majority of students believe that the exam they are taking is the most difficult. Every country has exams that are deemed tough to pass.

1. Gaokao

The Gaokao is a college admission exam in China that is famed for being one of the top ten most difficult exams in the world. Due to the difficulty of the exam, some European and American colleges have begun to accept Gaokao marks. Though Gaokao is intended for third-year high school students with an average age of 18, preparations begin considerably earlier since students are required to devote 12 years of their childhood to preparing for this highly difficult test. Gaokao takes two days and ten hours to complete. This test is the only basis for admission to Chinese institutions. This exam is so difficult that it causes significant psychological distress to kids, parents, and teachers. Suicide, sadness, and mental breakdowns have been observed to increase around the Gaokao era. At Gaokao, examinees are asked to answer extremely tough questions in subjects like arithmetic, chemistry, biology, physics, Chinese literature, geography, political science, and so on. Gaokao is without a doubt one of the world’s most challenging examinations.
2. IIT-JEE

The JEE, as the entrance exam for Engineering programs at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), embodies the definition of the word “difficult.” In 2019, around 10 lakh people applied for JEE, and acceptance rates are typically about 1%. Candidates who pass the exam may be eligible for the Siemens Scholarship, which will support their bachelor’s degree in engineering. It is similarly divided into two tiers, similar to the UPSC-

The JEE Main exam lasts three hours and thirty minutes. It is available in three separate papers that enable admission to programs leading to bachelor’s degrees in engineering, technology, architecture, and planning.
The JEE Advanced is a three-hour exam designed for students seeking admission to India’s twelve IITs.

Also read more about JoSAA.
3. UPSC
Union Public Service Commission is a government agency in charge of administering India’s Civil Services Examination (CSE). The principal goal of this century-old exam is to choose the best applicants for positions in civil service organizations such as the Indian Foreign Service (IFS), Indian Administrative Service (IAS), Indian Police Service (IPS), and others. Out of an annual average of 500,000 candidates, only about 1000 will be hired. Before taking this difficult exam, you must be at least 21 years old.
Also read more about IAS Salary and Ranks.

The test is divided into two parts:

The preparatory phase includes two generic research papers with objective inquiries. It is held every year in March.
The primary part consists of seven subjective-question papers, which are followed by an oral interview. Every year in December, it is held.

The interview is just for individuals who have passed the objective and subjective tests. Each interviewee’s appropriateness is determined by an interview panel using intellect, personality, and logical thinking exams.
4. Mensa

Mensa, one of the world’s oldest societies, is a high-intelligence IQ group whose members have an IQ greater than the 98%, putting them in the top 2% of the world. The IQ exam given by society is a very difficult test that assesses one’s intellect on criteria of thinking, problem-solving, and logic. Mensa membership is reported to range from as young as two years old to individuals who are over 100 years old. Mensa now has over 145,000 members in roughly 100 countries.
5. GRE (Graduate Record Examination)

The GRE is one of the most challenging examinations in the world, and it is meant to assess individuals who want to study overseas. It is mainly used for master’s and Ph.D. programs at foreign universities. Because the exam is widely recognized at many US colleges, hundreds of students prepare for and take it, making it a difficult nut to crack. Many students wish to study abroad, and the GRE test is a step in that direction.
6. CFA (Chartered Financial Analyst)
The Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) test is often regarded as the most rigorous and harsh exam in the area of finance. Every year, over 100,000 applicants from over 100 countries seek to pass CFA. It is divided into three levels and is intended to test Finance professionals on the relevant financial tools and practices. Each level includes a difficult 6-hour test with 240 questions. In addition to passing all three levels, a candidate must obtain 48 months of professional experience after passing CFA Levels. It has been considered one of the most difficult financial tests.

The questions in the first two levels are objective, whereas the questions in the third level are subjective. After successfully passing all three levels (which will take an average applicant four attempts), you must have four years of professional or job experience before being awarded the CFA Charter.
7. CCIE (Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert)
Cisco Certified Internetworking Expert is one of the top ten most difficult tests in the world, administered by Cisco Systems to networking professionals. The test is divided into six sections and is administered in two stages. Applicants who pass the first phase are eligible to take the second. The second stage test lasts 8 hours and only about 1% of the total number of students pass it. Because the test is extremely difficult, it is advised that prospective examinees have 7 to 10 years of industry experience, including an in-depth understanding of networking technologies. The CCIE certification is often regarded as the most prestigious award in the networking business, yet passing this test is not simple.

Cisco implemented particular adjustments in 2020, one of which saw the CCIE written test (which may be completed online) serve as the written exam for another Cisco certification, the CCNP (Cisco Certified Network Professional).
8. GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering, India)
GATE is a national-level online examination held in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Ethiopia, and the United Arab Emirates to test concepts in Engineering, Mathematics, Science, and General Aptitude for admission into master’s degree courses. GATE is accepted by prestigious Indian institutes ranging from IITs and IISC to IIMs (for fellowship programs). Some institutions in Germany and Singapore also use GATE scores when awarding scholarships. This single paper includes both MCQs and numerical questions.

GATE is a yearly computer-based test for engineering graduates pursuing postgraduate degrees or working in public sector organizations. The 3-hour exam includes 65 questions, 10 of which are general aptitude questions (verbal and numerical ability). At the same time, the remaining 55 questions are technical in nature and are based on the candidate’s chosen paper. GATE test questions may not be the toughest in the world, but the huge curriculum that students must struggle with is what makes the exam difficult. Every February, nearly 700,000 applicants take the GATE exam.
9. All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam
he All Souls Prize Fellowship Exam at Oxford University is a historic test that has been held for decades. It is one of the top candidates on our world’s most difficult trials list. Every year, just one or two candidates out of eighty are chosen for a seven-year fellowship at the school. Each applicant is required to submit four essays, two on broad issues and two on particular topics. Typically, the maximum time permitted for each essay is three hours, with questions drawn from a variety of Humanities areas.

Because of the abstract nature of the questions, it is exceedingly difficult to prepare for. The questions are particularly difficult to answer since they are subjective and lack obvious acceptable or incorrect responses (for example, is vegetarianism the future?). It seeks to discover students with extraordinary ability in debate and analysis in order to assist the college in electing new examination or prize fellows. Other qualities needed include knowledge breadth, independence of judgment and thinking, clarity and carefulness of explanation, and awareness of unsolved issues.
10. Exam for the Master Sommelier Diploma

The Master Sommelier Diploma Exam is administered by the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMS) to foster increased levels of beverage service by sommeliers, notably in wine and food matching. It is an exam designed to encourage higher standards of beverage knowledge and service in hotels, restaurants, and the entire hospitality industry. This is a difficult exam to study for, with only a 10% success rate on average (often after several attempts).