No Exemption from the 75% Marks Criterion in Class 12 for IIT Admissions; IIT Roorkee States: "Doing So Is Not Possible."

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee recently released the results for JEE Advanced 2026. Following this, the JoSAA counseling registration process for admission to IITs, NITs, and other engineering colleges has commenced. Meanwhile, IIT Roorkee has clarified that there will be no exemption from the 75% marks criterion in Class 12 for admission to IITs, stating that such a concession is not feasible. This statement comes at a time when a large number of students have applied for CBSE re-evaluation to improve their Class 12 scores amidst the controversy surrounding the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system.

Let us understand the entire matter in detail. We will look at what IIT Roorkee has said regarding the refusal to grant an exemption from the 75% criterion and explore the reasons behind the uproar over this requirement.

**Drop in CBSE results due to OSM; many students fail to secure 75% marks**
This year, CBSE evaluated Class 12 answer sheets using the On-Screen Marking (OSM) system. It is believed that this system is responsible for the decline observed in CBSE Class 12 results. For instance, many students failed to secure 75% marks in subjects such as Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics—including students who had performed well in JEE Main and Advanced. These students have now applied for CBSE re-evaluation. Previously, while obtaining scanned copies of their answer sheets, many students had complained about issues such as blurred copies, unmarked answers, inconsistent marking, and missing answer sheets. Meanwhile, the Central Government has constituted a committee to investigate the CBSE OSM system.

Admission criteria must be met.
To secure admission to engineering colleges—including IITs and NITs—candidates must possess a valid JEE score and have secured at least 75% marks in their Class 12 examinations. Only students who meet this criterion are eligible to participate in the JoSAA counseling process.

Candidates from 36 boards; no relaxation possible
Speaking to the news agency ANI, IIT Roorkee stated that no relaxation would be granted regarding the 75% eligibility criterion for JEE admissions, as candidates from 36 different boards are participating in the process.

Many students missed out last year as well.
IIT Roorkee noted that the criterion was announced around December, and last year, too, many candidates lost their seats at IITs/NITs primarily due to the percentage requirement. Therefore, lowering the threshold is not feasible. However, IIT Roorkee stated that it is in constant touch with the CBSE and will make every effort to resolve the issue on a priority basis for all affected candidates.

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