Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) – Complete Guide
The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) is a national-level engineering entrance exam in India for admission to top engineering institutes, including IITs, NITs, IIITs, and other government and private engineering colleges. It is conducted in two stages: JEE Main and JEE Advanced.
1. JEE Main
Purpose:
- Admission to NITs, IIITs, and other centrally funded institutions
- Acts as a qualifying exam for JEE Advanced
Eligibility:
- Educational Qualification: Must have passed or appeared for the 12th board exam with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.
- Age Limit: No age limit (but candidates must meet the age criteria of the institutions they apply to).
- Number of Attempts: Can attempt JEE Main up to six times (two attempts per year for three consecutive years).
Courses Offered:
- B.E./B.Tech (Bachelor of Engineering/Bachelor of Technology)
- B.Arch (Bachelor of Architecture)
- B.Planning (Bachelor of Planning)
Exam Pattern:
- Mode: Computer-Based Test (CBT)
- Subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics
- Total Marks: 300
- Duration: 3 hours
- Marking Scheme: +4 for correct answers, -1 for incorrect answers
Fees (approximate):
- General/OBC (Male): ₹1000 per session
- General/OBC (Female): ₹800 per session
- SC/ST/PwD: ₹500 per session
- Foreign candidates: ₹5000 (varies by country)
Top Institutions Accepting JEE Main Scores:
- National Institutes of Technology (NITs)
- Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs)
- Government-funded Technical Institutions (GFTIs)
- Private Engineering Colleges (some accept JEE scores)
2. JEE Advanced
Purpose:
- Admission to Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and other top institutions.
Eligibility:
- Must qualify JEE Main and be among the top 2.5 lakh candidates.
- Must have passed Class 12 in the last two years or the current year.
- Age limit: General/OBC candidates must be ≤25 years, and SC/ST/PwD candidates have a 5-year relaxation.
- Number of Attempts: Maximum two attempts in consecutive years.
Courses Offered:
- B.Tech (Bachelor of Technology)
- B.S. (Bachelor of Science)
- Dual Degree (B.Tech + M.Tech / B.S. + M.S.)
- Integrated M.Tech & M.Sc.
Exam Pattern:
- Mode: Computer-Based Test (CBT)
- Subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics
- Total Papers: 2 (Both compulsory)
- Duration: 3 hours per paper
- Negative Marking: Varies by question type
Fees (approximate):
- General/OBC (Male): ₹2800
- SC/ST/PwD/Female candidates: ₹1400
- Foreign candidates: $75–$150
Top Institutions Accepting JEE Advanced Scores:
- Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) (23 IITs across India)
- Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore
- Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research (IISERs)
- Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology (RGIPT)
- Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST)
3. Admission Process
- For NITs, IIITs & GFTIs: Based on JEE Main Rank (conducted by JoSAA – Joint Seat Allocation Authority).
- For IITs: Based on JEE Advanced Rank (also through JoSAA).
- For Other Colleges: Some private and state colleges accept JEE Main scores, while others conduct their own entrance exams.
4. Degree & Career Opportunities
Degrees Offered:
- B.Tech/B.E.: 4-year undergraduate degree in engineering disciplines like Computer Science, Electrical, Mechanical, Civil, etc.
- B.Arch: 5-year architecture degree.
- B.Planning: 4-year degree in urban planning.
- Integrated M.Tech: 5-year program (B.Tech + M.Tech).
Career Opportunities After JEE:
- Higher Studies: M.Tech, MBA, MS (India & abroad).
- Government Jobs: PSU recruitment, Civil Services, ISRO, DRDO.
- Private Sector: IT companies, Core engineering firms, R&D.
- Startups & Entrepreneurship.
5.Alternative Exams for Engineering
If a student doesn’t qualify JEE, they can appear for:
- BITSAT (for BITS Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad)
- VITEEE (for VIT Vellore)
- SRMJEEE (for SRM University)
- WBJEE (West Bengal)
- MHT CET (Maharashtra)
- COMEDK (Karnataka)