JEE Main 2025 Eligibility Criteria – Age, Qualification, Attempts & Reservation

Before applying for JEE Main 2025, it’s important to check the age criteria set by the National Testing Agency. There is no strict upper or lower age limit for candidates appearing in the JEE Main examination. Candidates who have passed their Class 12 or equivalent examination in 2023 or 2024, or are appearing in 2025, are eligible to appear for JEE Main 2025, irrespective of their age. While the examination itself does not impose age restrictions, candidates should be aware that some of the institutes offering admission through JEE Main scores might have their own specific age criteria that applicants need to fulfill for admission. Knowing the age rules in advance ensures you apply within the permitted criteria and make full use of any relaxation benefits.

JEE Main 2025 offers relaxations for candidates belonging to specific reserved categories as per National Testing Agency guidelines. These benefits may include reduced qualifying marks for admission to participating institutions and concessions in application fees. For instance, while there is no minimum marks requirement to appear in JEE Main, for admission to NITs, IIITs, and CFTIs, Scheduled Caste, Scheduled Tribe, and Persons with Disabilities candidates need to secure a minimum of 65% aggregate marks in their Class 12 examination or be in the top 20 percentile of their respective board exams, compared to 75% for the general category. To avail these benefits, candidates must upload valid and up-to-date category certificates, such as caste certificates for SC/ST, non-creamy layer certificates for OBC-NCL, EWS certificates and income certificates for Economically Weaker Sections, and disability certificates for PwD categories, during the online registration process. Verification of these documents will follow the official protocol set by the authority. The reservation percentages include 10% for GEN-EWS, 27% for OBC-NCL, 15% for SC, 7.5% for ST, and 5% for PwD within each category. By understanding and following the process, eligible candidates can make full use of the category-based benefits available for JEE Main.

JEE Main 2025 is open to Indian citizens and valid Overseas Citizen of India or Person of Indian Origin card holders as per National Testing Agency rules. For admissions to state-level engineering colleges or for state quotas within institutions like NITs, a domicile certificate of the respective state, based on where the candidate passed their Class 12 equivalent examination, may be required. This state code of eligibility is determined by the institution from which the Class 12 examination was passed, not by the candidate's place of residence or native place. Non-Resident Indian and foreign applicants are also eligible to appear for JEE Main. Foreign nationals, NRIs, PIOs, and OCIs can apply through JEE Main for admission to NITs, IIITs, and Centrally Funded Technical Institutions, often through the Direct Admission of Students Abroad scheme. However, foreign nationals may not need to appear for JEE Main if applying for direct admission to Indian Institutes of Technology, as they can directly register for JEE Advanced. By understanding these rules early, candidates can ensure they meet the required nationality or domicile conditions before applying.

Before preparing for JEE Main 2025, it’s essential to know if there’s a cap on the number of attempts. Most national-level exams do not have an age limit, and JEE Main follows a similar approach regarding attempts. For JEE Main, candidates are allowed to appear for the examination for three consecutive years starting from the year they passed their Class 12 or equivalent examination. Within each academic year, the Joint Entrance Examination Main is conducted twice, typically in January and April sessions. This means that a candidate gets a total of six attempts over these three consecutive years. Certain categories are not eligible for additional attempts; the rule of six attempts over three consecutive years applies universally. Being aware of attempt limits helps you plan your preparation strategy effectively and avoid exhausting your chances prematurely.

Candidates are eligible to appear in JEE Main for three consecutive years starting from the year they passed their 12th/equivalent examination.