How to crack KEAM
What the recent KEAM question papers show about chapter weightage in maths, physics and chemistry, and what to study first.
KEAM changed in 2024. It is now one computer based test, 150 questions in 180 minutes, held in several sessions over a few days. The syllabus got shorter at the same time.
That matters, because most chapter weightage lists online were written for the old paper. Some of them still tell you to study topics that are no longer in the syllabus.
So we counted instead. We took KEAM papers from 2020 to 2025, sorted every question by chapter, and worked out where the marks actually are. The tables below are from the 2024 and 2025 papers, the two sat under the current pattern.
Maths decides half your rank
Your KEAM rank is not just your exam score. Half of it is your entrance score. The other half is your Plus Two board marks in maths, physics and chemistry.
Both halves count maths the most, then physics, then chemistry. Put them together and this is what you get.
| Subject | Questions | From entrance | From board | Of your rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 75 | 150 | 150 | 50% |
| Physics | 45 | 90 | 90 | 30% |
| Chemistry | 30 | 60 | 60 | 20% |
| Total | 150 | 300 | 300 | 100% |
Maths is 50% of your rank. Physics is 30%. Chemistry is 20%.
Two things follow from that. Split your study time roughly the same way instead of giving all three subjects equal evenings. And do not treat your board exams as a side quest, because they are worth as much as KEAM itself.
A random guess is worth nothing
You get 4 marks for a right answer and lose 1 for a wrong one. Every question has five options, not four. That fifth option changes the maths completely.
| Options ruled out | Chance right | Worth on average |
|---|---|---|
| None, a blind guess | 1 in 5 | 0.00 marks |
| One | 1 in 4 | +0.25 marks |
| Two | 1 in 3 | +0.67 marks |
| Three | 1 in 2 | +1.50 marks |
Guess blindly and you break even. Not a small loss. Zero.
Rule out just one option, though, and the same guess is worth +0.25 marks. So the rule in the exam hall is simple. If you can eliminate even one option, answer it. If you cannot eliminate anything, skip it and spend those seconds where they can actually earn.
One warning: if you answer no questions at all, you are removed from the rank list.
And there is no trick in the answer key. Across six years, each of the five option positions was the correct one about 20% of the time.
Maths is mostly a calculus paper
| Chapter | 2024-25 | Per paper | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| IntegralsClass 12 | 11.0% | 8.3 | +1.6 |
| Limits and DerivativesClass 11 | 7.0% | 5.3 | +3.5 |
| Circles and Conic SectionsClass 11 | 6.2% | 4.6 | −0.8 |
| Trigonometric FunctionsClass 11 | 6.2% | 4.6 | +0.3 |
| Complex Numbers and Quadratic EquationsClass 11 | 5.8% | 4.3 | −0.1 |
| Vector AlgebraClass 12 | 5.8% | 4.3 | −0.5 |
| Three-Dimensional GeometryClass 12 | 5.5% | 4.1 | −1.5 |
| Sequences and SeriesClass 11 | 5.0% | 3.7 | −0.4 |
| Inverse Trigonometric FunctionsClass 12 | 4.5% | 3.4 | +2.1 |
| Applications of DerivativesClass 12 | 4.1% | 3.1 | −0.7 |
| Continuity and DifferentiabilityClass 12 | 3.9% | 2.9 | −1.5 |
| DeterminantsClass 12 | 3.7% | 2.8 | +0.0 |
| Straight LinesClass 11 | 3.7% | 2.8 | −1.3 |
| Relations and FunctionsClass 11 | 3.6% | 2.7 | +1.0 |
| Differential EquationsClass 12 | 3.4% | 2.6 | +1.0 |
| Binomial TheoremClass 11 | 3.3% | 2.5 | +1.3 |
| ProbabilityClass 12 | 3.3% | 2.5 | −2.8 |
| Permutations and CombinationsClass 11 | 2.3% | 1.8 | −0.5 |
| Linear InequalitiesClass 11 | 2.2% | 1.7 | +0.2 |
| Types of Relations and Inverse FunctionsClass 12 | 2.1% | 1.5 | −0.1 |
| StatisticsClass 11 | 1.9% | 1.4 | −0.5 |
| SetsClass 11 | 1.7% | 1.2 | +0.2 |
| Applications of IntegralsClass 12 | 1.5% | 1.1 | +0.0 |
| MatricesClass 12 | 1.4% | 1.0 | +0.3 |
| Linear ProgrammingClass 12 | 0.8% | 0.6 | −0.9 |
Integrals is the biggest chapter in the whole exam. On its own it is about 8 of the 75 maths questions, twice the size of the next chapter.
Group the chapters into the five big areas of the syllabus and it gets clearer.
| Syllabus unit | 2024-25 | Per paper |
|---|---|---|
| Algebra | 31.0% | 23.2 |
| Calculus | 31.0% | 23.2 |
| Geometry | 21.2% | 15.9 |
| Trigonometry | 10.7% | 8.1 |
| Statistics and Probability | 5.2% | 3.9 |
| Linear Programming | 0.8% | 0.6 |
Algebra and calculus come out level, about 23 questions each. Together they are close to two thirds of the maths paper.
Statistics and probability is under 4 questions. Linear programming is under 1. Both get more attention from students than they are worth.
If you have to pick one thing to protect, protect calculus.
No physics chapter is worth much on its own
| Chapter | 2024-25 | Per paper | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current ElectricityClass 12 | 6.3% | 2.8 | +0.3 |
| System of Particles and Rotational MotionClass 11 | 5.9% | 2.6 | −0.1 |
| Laws of MotionClass 11 | 5.6% | 2.5 | −0.4 |
| Semiconductor ElectronicsClass 12 | 5.6% | 2.5 | +0.4 |
| Kinetic Theory of GasesClass 11 | 5.4% | 2.4 | +0.9 |
| Moving Charges and MagnetismClass 12 | 5.2% | 2.3 | +0.7 |
| Work, Energy and PowerClass 11 | 4.9% | 2.2 | +2.7 |
| NucleiClass 12 | 4.7% | 2.1 | +1.0 |
| GravitationClass 11 | 4.4% | 2.0 | −0.1 |
| Dual Nature of Radiation and MatterClass 12 | 4.0% | 1.8 | +1.4 |
| Units and MeasurementClass 11 | 4.0% | 1.8 | +0.3 |
| WavesClass 11 | 4.0% | 1.8 | +0.3 |
| Ray OpticsClass 12 | 3.7% | 1.7 | +0.3 |
| ThermodynamicsClass 11 | 3.5% | 1.6 | −1.0 |
| Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance *Class 12 | 3.3% | 1.5 | −0.4 |
| Motion in a Straight LineClass 11 | 3.3% | 1.5 | +1.1 |
| OscillationsClass 11 | 3.0% | 1.4 | +0.4 |
| Wave OpticsClass 12 | 3.0% | 1.4 | −1.1 |
| Electromagnetic WavesClass 12 | 2.6% | 1.2 | −0.8 |
| Mechanical Properties of FluidsClass 11 | 2.6% | 1.2 | −1.5 |
| Motion in a PlaneClass 11 | 2.3% | 1.1 | −1.4 |
| Alternating CurrentClass 12 | 2.1% | 0.9 | −0.1 |
| Electric Charges and FieldsClass 12 | 2.1% | 0.9 | −0.9 |
| Electromagnetic InductionClass 12 | 2.1% | 0.9 | −1.6 |
| Thermal Properties of MatterClass 11 | 2.1% | 0.9 | +1.0 |
| AtomsClass 12 | 1.9% | 0.8 | +0.8 |
| Magnetism and MatterClass 12 | 1.4% | 0.6 | −0.5 |
| Mechanical Properties of SolidsClass 11 | 0.9% | 0.4 | −1.7 |
The biggest physics chapter is Current Electricity, and it is under 3 questions of 45. The top eight chapters are all within about one question of each other.
Physics is flat, so there is no shortcut through it. In chemistry you can study three chapters and pick up a real chunk of the paper. In physics you cannot. Ten chapters gets you to about half, and every chapter you drop after that costs you about as much as the last one did.
Grouped by syllabus unit, 17 of the 19 units land between 4% and 7%.
| Syllabus unit | 2024-25 | Per paper |
|---|---|---|
| Oscillations and Waves | 7.0% | 3.2 |
| Optics | 6.8% | 3.1 |
| Atoms and Nuclei | 6.6% | 3.0 |
| Magnetic Effects and Magnetism | 6.6% | 3.0 |
| Current Electricity | 6.3% | 2.8 |
| Rigid Body Motion | 5.9% | 2.6 |
| Electronic Devices | 5.6% | 2.5 |
| Kinematics | 5.6% | 2.5 |
| Laws of Motion | 5.6% | 2.5 |
| Properties of Bulk Matter | 5.6% | 2.5 |
| Electrostatics | 5.4% | 2.4 |
| Kinetic Theory | 5.4% | 2.4 |
| Work, Energy and Power | 4.9% | 2.2 |
| Gravitation | 4.4% | 2.0 |
| Induction and Alternating Current | 4.2% | 1.9 |
| Dual Nature of Matter | 4.0% | 1.8 |
| Units and Measurement | 4.0% | 1.8 |
| Thermodynamics | 3.5% | 1.6 |
| Electromagnetic Waves | 2.6% | 1.2 |
Do not judge electrostatics by the charges and fields row alone. Add potential and capacitance and the unit comes to about 2.4 questions a paper. It also turned up in all six years, which makes it one of the more predictable parts of physics.
Chemistry is the smallest paper and the easiest to target
| Chapter | 2024-25 | Per paper | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| d- and f-Block ElementsClass 12 | 11.0% | 3.3 | +6.7 |
| Coordination CompoundsClass 12 | 6.5% | 2.0 | −2.2 |
| Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic AcidsClass 12 | 6.2% | 1.9 | −1.8 |
| HydrocarbonsClass 11 | 6.2% | 1.9 | −3.9 |
| Alcohols, Phenols and EthersClass 12 | 5.8% | 1.8 | +2.2 |
| Chemical Bonding and Molecular StructureClass 11 | 5.8% | 1.8 | −0.7 |
| Chemical KineticsClass 12 | 5.8% | 1.8 | +0.0 |
| Structure of AtomClass 11 | 5.8% | 1.8 | +0.0 |
| Chemical ThermodynamicsClass 11 | 5.5% | 1.6 | −0.3 |
| Some Basic Concepts of ChemistryClass 11 | 5.5% | 1.6 | −0.3 |
| ElectrochemistryClass 12 | 4.8% | 1.4 | +1.2 |
| BiomoleculesClass 12 | 4.5% | 1.3 | −1.3 |
| Chemical EquilibriumClass 11 | 4.5% | 1.3 | +0.9 |
| Haloalkanes and HaloarenesClass 12 | 4.1% | 1.2 | +0.5 |
| SolutionsClass 12 | 3.4% | 1.0 | −0.2 |
| Classification of Elements and PeriodicityClass 11 | 3.1% | 0.9 | −1.2 |
| Ionic EquilibriumClass 11 | 3.1% | 0.9 | +1.7 |
| Organic Compounds Containing NitrogenClass 12 | 3.1% | 0.9 | −2.0 |
| Organic Chemistry: Basic PrinciplesClass 11 | 1.7% | 0.5 | +0.3 |
| Purification and Characterisation of Organic CompoundsClass 11 | 1.7% | 0.5 | +1.0 |
| Redox ReactionsClass 11 | 1.7% | 0.5 | −0.5 |
d and f block is about 3 of the 30 chemistry questions, and it has more than doubled since the 2020 to 2023 papers. Add coordination compounds and those two chapters alone are over 5 questions.
Both are chapters you learn and remember rather than derive. If you are short on time, this is where to start.
You can stop studying p block
In the 2020 to 2023 papers, 8% of the chemistry questions came from topics that are no longer in the syllabus. Most of that was p block.
The current chemistry syllabus has 18 units and p block is not one of them. In the 2024 and 2025 papers, p block dropped to under 2%.
The inorganic chemistry did not vanish. It moved. d and f block and coordination compounds picked it up, which is exactly why those two grew.
This is the real danger of an old weightage list. One popular exam site still describes KEAM 2025 as an offline 240 question exam, and names polymers and chemistry in everyday life as important topics. Neither is in the syllabus. Check your chapter list against the current prospectus before you trust anyone on weightage, including us.
Half the paper is Class 11
Mathematics
49%
of its 2024 and 2025 questions came from Class 11 content, 51% from Class 12
Physics
52%
of its 2024 and 2025 questions came from Class 11 content, 48% from Class 12
Chemistry
45%
of its 2024 and 2025 questions came from Class 11 content, 55% from Class 12
This one catches a lot of Plus Two students. They revise Class 12 thoroughly, sit the exam, and half the questions come from a syllabus they last opened more than a year ago.
Physics leans on Class 11 the most, because mechanics, heat, kinetic theory and waves are all Plus One chapters.
If you have not been back over Plus One, that is the cheapest set of marks available to you.
How many chapters you actually need
| Section | A quarter of the paper | Half | 75% | 90% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Maths (25 chapters) | top 4 | top 8 | top 14 | top 19 |
| Physics (28 chapters) | top 5 | top 10 | top 17 | top 23 |
| Chemistry (21 chapters) | top 4 | top 8 | top 13 | top 17 |
Half of each paper really does come from 8 to 10 chapters, so if you are starting late you have an order of work.
The catch is the other end. The last 10% of each paper is spread across 4 to 6 small chapters, and a small chapter does not take less time to learn than a big one. Since a blind guess is worth nothing, you cannot bluff your way through the chapters you skipped either. Get to them if the year allows.
Chapters you can count on
- Mathematics
- Integrals, Circles and Conic Sections, Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations, Vector Algebra, Three-Dimensional Geometry, Sequences and Series, Applications of Derivatives, Continuity and Differentiability, Determinants, Straight Lines, Relations and Functions, Binomial Theorem
- Physics
- Current Electricity, System of Particles and Rotational Motion, Laws of Motion, Semiconductor Electronics, Kinetic Theory of Gases, Gravitation, Units and Measurement, Ray Optics, Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance, Wave Optics, Electromagnetic Waves
- Chemistry
- Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids, Chemical Kinetics, Chemical Thermodynamics, Electrochemistry, Chemical Equilibrium
These showed up in all six years and their share barely moves. Build your plan on these.
Chapters that jump around
- Mathematics
- Differential Equations, Linear Inequalities, Statistics, Linear Programming
- Physics
- Work, Energy and Power, Thermodynamics, Thermal Properties of Matter, Magnetism and Matter, Mechanical Properties of Solids
- Chemistry
- d- and f-Block Elements, Coordination Compounds, Solutions, Classification of Elements and Periodicity, Ionic Equilibrium, Organic Compounds Containing Nitrogen, Organic Chemistry: Basic Principles, Purification and Characterisation of Organic Compounds
These are worth real marks, but how many questions they get moves a lot from year to year. Do not build your final month around one of them. Notice that chemistry’s biggest chapter is on this list.
There is another reason not to bet on a single chapter. Since 2024 the exam runs in several sessions and each session gets a different set of questions, then scores are adjusted so no session ends up easier than another. You do not get one fixed paper. Prepare for the average.
What to actually do
- Split your time roughly 5:3:2 across maths, physics and chemistry.
- Do not drop your boards. They are half your rank.
- In chemistry, start at the top of the table. d and f block, coordination compounds, organic.
- In maths, protect calculus. Integrals alone has significant weightage.
- In physics, go wide rather than deep. No chapter is big enough to carry you.
- Plan a Class 11 revision pass. It is half the paper.
- Mark your mock tests chapter by chapter, not subject by subject. A weightage table tells you where the marks are. Only your own results tell you which ones you are dropping. Our guide to preparing for KEAM effectively covers how to run that week to week.
- Solve past papers to learn where the marks are and how KEAM writes its wrong options, not to memorise questions. It almost never asks the same question twice.
- In the exam, eliminate one option then answer. Eliminate nothing, skip. And watch the clock. It is 72 seconds a question, with one clock for all three subjects, so time you lose stuck on maths is time taken away from chemistry.
Once you have a rank, the question changes from what to study to what it can get you. The college predictor and the fee calculator both run on the published closing ranks, and our college rankings come from the same table.
Where these numbers come from
The exam rules, the question counts and the way your rank is calculated are from the official KEAM prospectus. The weightage comes from counting KEAM questions from 2020 to 2025 by chapter, and the scripts that do the counting sit in the repository that builds this site.
Two things to keep in mind. These numbers stop at 2025, so the 2026 paper is not in here yet. And a low share means a chapter is a poor place to start, not a safe place to skip. Anything in the syllabus can be asked.
Chapter weightage tells you where the marks are. It cannot tell you which ones you are losing, and that is the number that sets your rank. KEAM Prep measures both and turns them into a plan for tonight.