Do you dream of studying engineering from a top college in India? If yes, you probably already know that cracking JEE Advanced is the key. But here’s something many students often forget: your Class 12 marks matter too. You can score well in JEE, but if you don’t meet the Class 12 percentage rule, you may not get admission.
So, how much percentage is actually required in Class 12 for IIT? Is it 75%, 65%, or something else? What if your board follows a different marking system? What if you are from a reserved category or plan to take an improvement exam?
This article will give you clear answers to all these questions. We will explain the Class 12 percentage rules for JEE Advanced, JEE Main, NITs, and more. Whether you are in Class 11 or just appeared for boards, this guide will help you plan your next steps wisely.
How Much Percentage Required For IIT In Class 12?
To get into an IIT, you must qualify for JEE Advanced. For this, you need at least 75% marks in Class 12 if you belong to the General or OBC-NCL category, or 65% if you are from the SC, ST, or PwD category. Alternatively, you can qualify if you are in the top 20 percentile of your board in your category, even if your percentage is lower. You must also pass with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects. The percentage is calculated based on your best five subjects.
JEE Advanced Eligibility: Minimum Percentage in Class 12
Let’s break down all the rules you must follow to become eligible for JEE Advanced 2025.
Criterion A1 – Class 12 Percentage Requirement
There are two ways to qualify through Class 12 marks:
Option 1: Minimum Aggregate Marks
- General and OBC-NCL students must score at least 75% in Class 12.
- SC, ST, and PwD students must score at least 65% in Class 12.
This aggregate is based on your best five subjects, which must include:
- Physics
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
- One language (with the highest marks)
- One additional subject (with the highest marks)
If your board does not use a 100-mark system, your marks will be scaled accordingly.
Option 2: Top 20 Percentile Rule:
If you don’t meet the 75% or 65% marks rule, you can still qualify if you are in the top 20 percentile of your board for your category. Each board releases its own percentile cut-offs. For example, if 50,000 students passed from your board and you rank among the top 10,000, then you fall in the top 20 percentile.
This gives an equal chance to students from boards that are strict with marks.
Criterion A2 – Age Limit
To appear in JEE Advanced 2025, you must have been born on or after October 1, 2000. If you belong to the SC, ST, or PwD category, you get five years’ relaxation. So, you must have been born on or after October 1, 1995. This rule applies to all candidates, whether they are Indian or foreign nationals.
Criterion A3 – Number of Attempts
You can attempt JEE Advanced a maximum of two times in two consecutive years.
For example:
If you appeared for JEE Advanced in 2025, you can appear again in 2026. But if you don’t appear in 2026, then 2025 will be your last attempt. You cannot appear in 2027, even if you missed 2026
So, plan your attempts wisely. Once you cross the two-year limit, you are no longer eligible.
Criterion A4 – Appearance in Class 12 Examination
You must have appeared for your Class 12 exam (or equivalent) for the first time in either 2024 or 2025.
You are not eligible if:
- You first appeared for Class 12 in 2023 or earlier.
- Your board declared your result in 2023, even if the exams were cancelled.
There are a few exceptions:
- If your board declared the Class 12 result for the 2022–23 session on or after June 28, 2023, then you are still eligible to appear in JEE Advanced 2025 (only if you appeared in Class 12 in 2023 and meet all other conditions).
- If your board declared the result before June 28, 2023, but your individual result was withheld, you are not eligible.
Boards include CBSE, ICSE, state boards, and international boards recognized by the government. All candidates must have Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects in Class 12.
Criterion A5 – Earlier Admission to IITs
If you were ever admitted to any IIT in the past, you are not eligible to appear for JEE Advanced 2025.
This rule applies even if:
- You joined but later left the program.
- You accepted a seat and later cancelled it.
- Your admission was cancelled for any reason.
However, there are some exceptions:
You are eligible for JEE Advanced 2025 you were admitted to a preparatory course at any IIT for the first time in 2024.
You were allocated a seat in an IIT through JoSAA 2024 but:
- Did not report online or offline,
- Withdrew before the last round of seat allotment, or
- Had your seat cancelled before the last round.
Even in these exception cases, you must still satisfy all other conditions from Criterion A1 to A4.
Summary of JEE Advanced Eligibility
| Criterion | Requirement |
| Class 12 Marks | 75% (General/OBC-NCL) or 65% (SC/ST/PwD) OR Top 20 percentile |
| Age Limit | Born on or after Oct 1, 2000 (General/OBC), Oct 1, 1995 (SC/ST/PwD) |
| Attempts | Maximum of two attempts in two consecutive years |
| Class 12 Appearance | First attempt in 2024 or 2025 only |
| Previous IIT Admission | Must not have accepted or joined any IIT in past (some exceptions apply) |
Before applying for JEE Advanced 2025, make sure you meet every one of these criteria. Missing even one can make you ineligible. Always check the latest updates on the official JEE Advanced website or JoSAA portal to avoid confusion.
JEE Main Eligibility: Minimum Percentage for NITs, IIITs, CFTIs
JEE Main is the entrance exam for admission to many top engineering colleges in India. These include the National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), and Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs). To get admission into these colleges, you must not only qualify JEE Main but also meet the Class 12 percentage criteria. Let’s understand what Class 12 marks you need for different categories and courses.
Class 12 Percentage Criteria
For admissions based on JEE Main, there are two ways to qualify based on your board exam results:
General and OBC-NCL candidates must either:
- Score 75% or more aggregate marks in Class 12, OR
- Be in the top 20 percentile of their Class 12 board for their category.
SC and ST candidates must either:
- Score 65% or more aggregate marks in Class 12, OR
- Be in the top 20 percentile of their board.
This rule applies only to those who are seeking admission into NITs, IIITs, and CFTIs through Central Seat Allocation Board (CSAB) or JoSAA counselling. If you’re going for a private college or a state government college that accepts JEE Main scores, the Class 12 eligibility may be different.
How Is the Aggregate Calculated?
Your aggregate marks in Class 12 are calculated using five subjects:
- Physics
- Mathematics
- Any one subject from Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, or a Technical Vocational subject
- One language (highest scoring)
- One more subject (highest marks among the remaining)
Make sure you pass all five subjects. If your board gives marks out of something other than 100, your scores will be scaled to a base of 100.
Additional Requirements for Specific Courses
Different courses have slightly different subject and marks requirements in Class 12. Let’s take a look:
1) B.E. / B.Tech
To apply for B.E. or B.Tech courses in NITs, IIITs, and CFTIs, you must pass Class 12 with Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects.
Along with that, you must have one of the following:
- Chemistry
- Biology
- Biotechnology
- Technical Vocational Subject
This combination is mandatory. If you didn’t study Physics or Maths, you are not eligible for B.E./B.Tech through JEE Main.
2) B.Arch (Bachelor of Architecture)
For B.Arch admissions through JEE Main:
- You must have at least 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) combined.
- You also need 50% aggregate marks overall in Class 12.
- Alternatively, if you have passed a 10+3 diploma with Mathematics as a subject, and scored 45% or more, you are also eligible.
Note: Some architecture colleges may also require you to appear for the NATA exam.
3) B.Planning (Bachelor of Planning)
For B.Planning programs offered by NITs and other CFTIs:
- You must have at least 50% marks in Mathematics.
- You also need 50% aggregate marks overall in Class 12.
Math is compulsory for B.Planning. If you didn’t study Math in Class 12, you can’t apply for this course through JEE Main.
Final Note
Even if you qualify JEE Main with a good score, you won’t be eligible for admission to NITs, IIITs, or CFTIs unless you also meet the Class 12 percentage requirement. Make sure your board exam marks match the eligibility rules for your category and course.
In the next section, we’ll discuss how improvement exams and reappearing for Class 12 affect your eligibility for JEE Main and JEE Advanced.
Minimum Percentage Special Cases & Exceptions
The rules for JEE Advanced and JEE Main are mostly clear. However, there are some special cases where extra care is needed. These include students from boards that give letter grades, state board students, and cases involving age limits. If you fall into one of these categories, read this section carefully to understand what you need to do.
Boards with Letter Grades Instead of Marks
Some education boards do not give marks like 90 or 85. Instead, they give letter grades such as A1, A2, B1, B2, etc. This grading system makes it difficult to know your exact percentage. But for JEE Advanced and JEE Main eligibility, percentage or percentile is important.
So, if your board follows a letter grading system, you must get a certificate of conversion. This certificate should clearly show how your grades are converted into marks out of 100. For example, if you got grade A1 in Mathematics, the certificate should say that A1 means 95 out of 100.
You can get this certificate from your school or your board. Make sure the certificate is official and properly signed or stamped. Without it, your application for JEE may get rejected during document verification.
State Boards and Non-CBSE Students
If you are from a state board or a non-CBSE/ICSE board, your eligibility is still valid. However, you must understand how the top 20 percentile rule works for you.
Every board calculates the top 20 percentile separately. The cut-off changes every year and depends on how students in that board perform. For example:
- In one board, the top 20 percentile may be 78%.
- In another board, it might be 82%.
This means that what counts as “top 20 percentile” is different for every board and every year. To find the exact value for your board, check:
- The JEE Advanced official website, or
- Your own board’s website (if they release the percentile data).
You must check your board’s latest percentile cut-off for your category (General, OBC, SC, ST, etc.) and make sure your marks meet that level. If you are not sure, ask your school or check with your board office.
Age Limit for JEE Advanced
The age limit is another important condition for appearing in JEE Advanced. If you are too old, you may not be eligible, even if your marks and attempts are valid.
Here are the rules:
- General and OBC-NCL candidates must be born on or after October 1, 2000.
- SC, ST, and PwD candidates get a five-year relaxation, so they must be born on or after October 1, 1995.
Make sure you check your date of birth in your Class 10 certificate or other official documents. If your date of birth does not match these rules, you cannot register for JEE Advanced.
No Age Limit for JEE Main
For JEE Main, the good news is that there is no age limit. You can appear for JEE Main at any age as long as you passed Class 12 in 2023, 2024, or are appearing in 2025. But remember, for IIT admission, you must also clear JEE Advanced. And for that, the JEE Advanced age limit applies.
So even if you are eligible for JEE Main, you may not be eligible for IITs if you do not meet the age requirement.
Class 12 Improvement Exams & Reappearing Policies
Not every student scores well in their first attempt at Class 12. Some may fall short of the required percentage or percentile for IITs, NITs, IIITs, or CFTIs. If you are one of them, don’t worry. You can improve your marks by taking improvement exams. Both JEE Advanced and JEE Main allow you to reappear for your Class 12 board exams.
Let’s understand how it works for both exams.
For JEE Advanced
JEE Advanced allows students to reappear for improvement exams. You can choose to improve in some subjects or all subjects, based on what eligibility rule you want to meet. There are two options to become eligible:
1) Improve in Select Subjects:
- If your original marks were below the required percentage (75% for General/OBC-NCL or 65% for SC/ST/PwD), you can reappear in one or more subjects.
- If your aggregate percentage after improvement crosses the required limit, you will become eligible for JEE Advanced.
2) Reappear in All Subjects for Top 20 Percentile:
- If you want to qualify through the top 20 percentile rule, you must reappear in all five main subjects.
- Your performance will be compared with other students who passed in the same year, and if you are in the top 20 percentile, you become eligible.
One important rule: only your latest attempt is considered for eligibility. For example, if you passed Class 12 in 2024 and improved your result in 2025, only your 2025 marks will be used, even if they are lower than your earlier score.
For JEE Main
In the case of JEE Main, the rules are more relaxed. You can reappear for your board exams to improve your Class 12 marks.
The best part is, only your best result is considered. So if you passed in 2024 and reappeared in 2025, and your 2025 marks are better, the better score will be used for admission to colleges like NITs, IIITs, and CFTIs.
This applies to college admissions, not to eligibility for writing the JEE Main exam itself. For writing JEE Main, you just need to have passed Class 12 in 2023, 2024, or be appearing in 2025.
Conclusion
To get into an IIT, you need to do well in both JEE Advanced and Class 12. You must score at least 75% (or 65% for SC/ST/PwD) or be in the top 20 percentile of your board. You must have Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects. Your marks in five subjects are used to calculate the percentage.
If you are aiming for NITs or IIITs through JEE Main, the rules are almost the same. Some courses have extra requirements, like a minimum of 50% in PCM or Mathematics.
Improvement exams are allowed. Your latest or best result is considered. If your board gives grades, get a certificate to convert them into marks. Always check the latest guidelines from the official JEE website.
Stay focused, study hard, and plan well. Scoring well in both JEE and Class 12 will take you one step closer to your dream of getting into an IIT.
