The Supreme Court is set to hear a petition today challenging the reduction in the number of attempts for the JEE Advanced exam. The petition seeks to restore the original three-attempt limit for candidates. Students argue that the reduction impacts their chances of securing admission to top engineering institutes. The court’s decision could have significant implications for aspirants nationwide.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court set to hear a case concerning the JEE Advanced attempt limit today, January 7, 2025, listed as item 50 on the supplementary agenda. The petition, submitted by 22 students, challenges the recent reduction of the attempt limit from three to two.
The hearing, initially scheduled for January 6, 2025, was postponed due to Solicitor General Tushar Mehta’s commitments to another case.
The first hearing for this matter was originally planned for December 20, 2024.
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The Joint Admission Board (JAB), responsible for admissions to the esteemed Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), announced on November 5, 2024, that students would have three attempts for the JEE Advanced.
However, just a week later, on November 18, 2024, this decision was reversed, limiting the attempts to two.
This sudden change has raised considerable alarm among students, particularly those who had refined their preparations around the additional attempt. Some even left top institutions like NITs to concentrate on JEE Advanced 2025.
Students are now petitioning the JAB to restore the three-attempt policy. In response, JEE aspirants have taken their grievances to the Supreme Court, contending that the reversal disrupted their plans. Many had already registered for JEE Main, enrolled in coaching programs, and made significant lifestyle changes, including withdrawing from other college courses.
The petitioners argue that the JAB’s decision was unjust, lacked transparency, and was made without adequate consultation. They are urging the Supreme Court to cancel the November 18, 2024 order, allowing students who completed Class 12 in 2023 to take JEE Advanced 2025 under the original three-attempt limit.
Notably, the JAB stated that the decision to revert to the two-attempt rule was reached after weighing various considerations during a meeting on November 15, 2024.
The official notice reads,
“The decision was made after considering various requirements during a meeting held on November 15, 2024. As a result, the earlier eligibility criteria, which have been in place since 2013, are being restored. All other eligibility criteria remain unchanged.”
The Joint Entrance Examination Advanced (JEE Advanced) is a highly competitive examination in India, primarily conducted for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). It is the second stage of the JEE process, following JEE Main. Known for its rigorous academic standards, the exam assesses students’ understanding of physics, chemistry, and mathematics at an advanced level.