JEE Main: 75% score in Class XII waived

In a relief to students, the eligibility criterion of securing at least 75 per cent marks in the Class 12 board examinations in order to take the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main has been waived for the academic year 20212022, announced Union Minister of Education Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank on Tuesday. Also, the competitive test for admission to undergraduate engineering programmes will be conducted four times in 2021.

On the lines of a similar waiver for JEE Advanced, the minister announced on Tuesday, "Considering the decision taken for IIT JEE (Advanced) and in line with the decision taken for the last academic year, it has been decided to waive the 75 per cent marks (in Class 12 exam) eligibility criterion under Joint Entrance Examination (Main) for the next academic year 2021-2022."

The minister further said, "This will be applicable in respect of NITs, IIITs, SPAs and other CFTIs, whose admissions are based on JEE (Main)."

On December 16, 2020, the minister had announced that the JEE Main would be conducted in February, March, April and May 2021. The minister had said, "The exam will be conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) four times in 2021, in 13 different Indian languages. The question paper will comprise a total of 90 questions, of which candidates will have to attempt a total of 75, as decided by the NTA."

The JEE Main is conducted for admission to UG engineering programmes (BE/ BTech) at the National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), Centrally funded technical institutions (CFTIs), institutions and universities funded or recognised by participating state governments.