JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2027 Overview
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is the official body that releases the updated registration brochures and eligibility directives for the JEE Main 2027 exam. Candidates must fully understand that eligibility is divided into two distinct parts: exam participation eligibility and admission allocation eligibility.
To appear in the JEE Main CBT examination, there is no class 12 board percentage block. However, to secure seat allocations at premier institutes like National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), and Centrally Funded Technical Institutions (CFTIs) through JoSAA/CSAB counselling, candidates must meet the 75% board marks criteria.
COVID-19 Relieved Exemption: During the pandemic sessions, NTA relaxed the 75% score requirement to appear or secure admissions. However, this has been restored. Admission into NITs/IIITs/GFTIs now strictly requires 75% in boards (or top 20 percentile) for General/OBC and 65% for SC/ST/PwD. You can estimate your admission chances based on previous trends using our JEE Main College Predictor.
Key Eligibility Requirements
1. Qualifying Examination Criteria
Candidates must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent qualifying examination. Recognized equivalent examinations include:
- Final 10+2 examination conducted by any recognized Central or State Board (CBSE, CISCE, State Boards).
- Intermediate or two-year Pre-University exam conducted by a recognized Board or University.
- Final examination of the two-year course of the Joint Services Wing of the National Defense Academy (NDA).
- Senior Secondary School Exam conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) with a minimum of five subjects.
- A three-year Diploma recognized by AICTE or a State Board of Technical Education.
- GCE (London, Cambridge, or Sri Lanka) examination at the Advanced (A) level, or International Baccalaureate Diploma.
2. Year of Passing Class 12
Only candidates who passed their Class 12 (or equivalent) examination in 2025, 2026, or those who are appearing in the 2027 exam are eligible to participate in JEE Main 2027. Students who passed in 2024 or earlier, or those appearing in 2028 or later, are not eligible. Candidates who wish to prepare for future cycles should check the detailed JEE Main Syllabus.
3. Age Limit Parameters
There is no age limit for candidates appearing in the JEE Main 2027 exam. Candidates of any age who have passed Class 12 in 2025, 2026, or are appearing in 2027 can register, subject to meeting other qualification directives.
4. Number of Attempts
Candidates can appear for the JEE Main exam for a maximum of three consecutive years starting from the year of passing their Class 12 board examination. Because the exam is conducted in two sessions per year (January and April), candidates can attempt up to 6 sessions in total. Appearing in one or both sessions of a single academic year counts as a single year attempt.
5. Mandatory Subject Combinations
To qualify for admissions to different courses, candidates must have studied specific subjects in Class 12:
- B.E./B.Tech (Paper 1): Compulsory subjects are Physics and Mathematics, along with one additional subject from Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, or a Technical Vocational Subject. Learn more details on the JEE Main Exam Pattern.
- B.Arch (Paper 2A): Mandatory subjects are Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.
- B.Plan (Paper 2B): Mathematics is the compulsory subject.
State Code of Eligibility
The State Code of Eligibility determines the state quota seats during seat allocation (85% home state quota in many local colleges, and 50% home state quota in NITs).
Critical Rule: The state code of eligibility is determined strictly by the state where the candidate completed their Class 12 or equivalent exam. It has no relation to the candidate's place of birth, native place, or current residential location.
Example Scenario: If a candidate completes their Class 12 board exams in New Delhi but resides in Noida (Uttar Pradesh), their state code of eligibility will be Delhi (DL), not Uttar Pradesh (UP).
For candidates appearing through NIOS (National Institute of Open Schooling), the state code of eligibility is mapped to the location of the allotted Study Centre. You can analyze past opening/closing state ranks by viewing the JEE Main Cutoff.
List of State and UT Codes
| State / Union Territory | State Code | State / Union Territory | State Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andhra Pradesh | AP | Maharashtra | MR |
| Bihar | BR | Delhi (NCR) | DL |
| Gujarat | GJ | Rajasthan | RJ |
| Karnataka | KK | Uttar Pradesh | UP |
| Kerala | KL | West Bengal | WB |
| Madhya Pradesh | MP | Union Territories (Chandigarh, etc.) | CH / UT |
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