NEW DELHI: Students aspiring to enter the IITs have sought another opportunity at cracking the qualifying exam.
A total of 13,349 candidates have signed up a petition calling upon the government to permit three attempts to crack the test. A proposal on similar lines got the nod two years ago but was withdrawn within a fortnight.
The JEE Main exam decides BE/B Tech/B Arch/B Planning seats in NITs and other premier institutions. The top 2.5 lakh successful candidates are permitted to sit for the JEE-Advanced exams, the gateway for admission to the IITs. JEE Main now permits appearance in three consecutive years after Class 12 for each student, but the JEE Advanced allows two attempts over two years.
Raj Aryan, a student who is at the forefront of the JEE-Advanced ‘Third Attempt Movement’, said the petition calls upon the Education Ministry, IIT Council and the Joint Admission Board (the governing board which organises the JEE Advanced) to review the present policy.
“We have already met officials in the Education Ministry twice in August and September and handed over the petition seeking a policy change. We met IIT-Delhi officials on the matter. At that time, nearly 10,000 students had signed the petition,” Aryan told this newspaper.
A total of 1,79,694 candidates sat for the JEE Advanced 2026 held on May 17 in two sessions. Of them, 56,880 candidates have qualified for IIT admissions.
“For thousands of engineering aspirants, JEE Advanced is more than an examination. It is an opportunity that can shape their future. Yet, the current eligibility framework allows candidates only two attempts in two consecutive years. A growing student movement believes that this restriction deserves serious reconsideration,” said Aryan, based in Jharkhand.
The petition wants one of these changes accepted: either three attempts across three consecutive years or, alternatively, two attempts within a three-year window. “This is not a demand to dilute merit or lower academic standards. It is a demand to make opportunity fairer,” the student added.
Explaining the rationale behind such a movement, the petition pointed out that candidates are spread across the country and their circumstances are different. “Aspirants from underprivileged families, rural areas and government schools may lack access to quality coaching, experienced mentors, reliable study material and early exposure to competitive examinations,” the petition said. “On the other hand, some students have had years of guidance,” it added.
On November 5, 2024, JAB announced that three-attempts would be permitted in three consecutive years for the JEE Advanced 2025. However, it reversed the decision on November 18 and restored the earlier two-attempt policy.
The plea said circumstances of candidates are different. “Aspirants from underprivileged families, rural areas and government schools may lack access to quality coaching, experienced mentors, and reliable study material,” it said
3 attempts announced in 2024, later reversed
On November 5, 2024, JAB announced that three-attempts would be permitted in three consecutive years for the JEE Advanced 2025. However, it reversed the decision on November 18 and restored the earlier two-attempt policy.
