If you're preparing for IIT JEE, you've probably heard someone say, "Physics is the key" - or maybe, "Math is everything". But here’s the truth: no single subject is "best" for IIT JEE. The exam doesn’t reward specialists. It rewards balanced, strategic learners. The real question isn’t which subject is best - it’s which subject you can turn into your strongest weapon.

Why "best" is a trap

People ask "Which subject is best?" because they want a shortcut. They hope one subject will carry them through. But JEE doesn’t work that way. The exam is designed to filter out imbalance. A student who scores 95 in Math but 40 in Chemistry won’t clear the cutoff. The cutoff isn’t based on individual subjects - it’s on your total score across all three.

Take the 2024 JEE Advanced paper. The average score in Physics was 52%, Chemistry was 58%, and Math was 47%. That’s not because Physics was harder - it’s because students spent more time on Math and Chemistry, leaving Physics underprepared. The subject with the lowest average score? That’s the one most students neglected. And that’s usually the one that becomes the deciding factor.

Math: The engine, not the finish line

Math is where you earn your points. It’s the most predictable subject. If you practice 50 problems a day on integration, limits, or coordinate geometry, you’ll see the same patterns repeat. JEE Math doesn’t test creativity - it tests accuracy under pressure.

But here’s the catch: Math alone won’t get you into IIT. In 2023, 12% of students who scored above 200 in Math failed to qualify because their Chemistry or Physics scores were too low. Math gives you the highest ceiling - but only if you don’t let your other scores drag you down.

Chemistry: The silent scorer

Chemistry is the easiest subject to boost quickly. Organic reactions? Memorize the mechanisms. Inorganic? Learn the periodic trends and exceptions. Physical Chemistry? Master the formulas and units. Unlike Math and Physics, Chemistry doesn’t require deep problem-solving - it rewards repetition.

Top performers in JEE often gain 30+ marks from Chemistry alone because they treat it like vocabulary. They don’t wait until the last month to start. They revise daily. A student who spends 45 minutes a day on Chemistry can add 15-20 marks to their score in 60 days. That’s the difference between a rank of 5,000 and 2,000.

Physics: The great equalizer

Physics is where most students lose ground. It’s not because it’s the hardest - it’s because it’s the most misunderstood. Students think Physics is about formulas. It’s not. It’s about applying concepts in unfamiliar situations.

Take rotational motion. You can memorize torque = Iα. But if the question gives you a rolling cylinder on an incline with friction, and asks for the acceleration - you need to visualize forces, torques, and constraints together. That’s why Physics scores are lower. It demands mental flexibility.

But here’s the upside: once you get Physics, you unlock confidence. A student who can solve a 5-step Mechanics problem in under 3 minutes doesn’t just gain marks - they gain momentum. They start believing they can crack anything. That mindset spreads to Math and Chemistry.

The 30-30-40 rule

There’s a pattern among the top 1,000 rankers. They don’t spend equal time on all subjects. They follow a simple ratio:

• 30% of study time on Math
• 30% on Physics
• 40% on Chemistry

Why? Because Chemistry gives the highest return on time invested. It’s the lowest-hanging fruit. Math and Physics take longer to build intuition. But Chemistry? Learn one reaction, and you can solve three questions. Learn one periodic table trend, and you get two more.

Top scorers don’t study more. They study smarter. They use Chemistry to build buffer points. That way, if they have a bad day in Physics, they still clear the cutoff.

What the toppers do differently

The top 100 rankers in JEE Advanced don’t have superhuman brains. They have systems.

• They solve past papers by subject - not by mock test.
• They track their accuracy per topic, not just total score.
• They revisit weak areas every 7 days, not once a month.
• They don’t chase new books. They master one set of NCERT, one coaching module, and one previous year paper collection.

One student from Kota, who ranked 87 in 2024, told me: "I didn’t study more than 8 hours a day. But I did 12 Chemistry questions every morning before breakfast. That’s it. I didn’t miss a single day."

Don’t chase the "best" - chase consistency

If you’re weak in Physics, don’t quit. Start with 3 problems a day. Just 3. Do them slowly. Understand why the answer is what it is. Then do 3 more tomorrow. In 30 days, you’ll have done 90 problems. That’s more than most students do in their entire prep.

If Math feels overwhelming, focus on just three high-weightage topics: Calculus, Algebra, and Coordinate Geometry. They make up 60% of the paper. Master those, and you’re already ahead of 70% of candidates.

If Chemistry feels boring, turn it into a game. Flashcards. Mnemonics. Quiz apps. Make it stick. You don’t need to love it. You just need to remember it.

Final truth: The best subject is the one you’re not afraid of

The subject you’re most comfortable with isn’t necessarily the one you should study the most. It’s the one you’re avoiding that will cost you the most.

That student who says, "I hate Physics"? They’re the one who’ll miss out by 5 marks. That student who says, "Chemistry is easy, I’ll skip it"? They’ll wonder why they didn’t make it.

There’s no magic subject. There’s only consistent effort across all three. Build your foundation in Chemistry. Sharpen your logic in Math. Train your mind in Physics. Then, when the exam comes, you won’t be asking which subject is best.

You’ll just be answering the questions.