JEE Main 2023: In a major move, National Testing Agency (NTA) on Tuesday made changes to JEE Main 2023 eligibility criteria, saying students who are among the top 20% to qualify their respective board exams will also be eligible to take admission after qualifying the Engineering entrance test. The previous criterion required students to secure at least 75% marks in Class 12, in addition to a JEE Main rank in order to take admission at National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) and other Government Funded Technical Institutions (GFTIs).
While there is no change to the already existing rule of 75% board exam marks for JEE Main-based admissions, NTA has announced this additional criterion that will make students eligible for admission to IIITs, NITs and other GFTIs.
NTA said this new rule has been added following representations from stakeholders.
“National Testing Agency is in receipt of numerous representations from the stakeholders regarding to change the criteria of 75% marks in the Class 12 examination…For the candidates who qualify for admission in the NITs, IIITs and such other CFTIs whose admissions are based on the JEE (Main) ranks, they should have secured at least 75% marks in the Class 12 examination or be in the top 20 percentile in Class 12 examination conducted by respective Boards,” NTA said in the notification.
“For SC / ST candidates, the qualifying marks should be 65% in the Class 12 examination,” it added.
The announcement came on the same day when the Bombay High Court refused to postpone the entrance test after hearing a PIL filed by activist Anubha Srivastava Sahai.
The plea has also sought the High Court’s direction to remove the 75% marks rule from JEE Main this year. The next hearing in this plea is scheduled for February 21. By then, the first session of the entrance test will get over.