Last updated on January 16th, 2021 at 12:30 pm
NTA has officially released the JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2021 in its information brochure. Candidates must meet the basic JEE Main Eligibility Criteria before planning to apply for JEE Main 2021. JEE Main eligibility criteria consist of various conditions such as-
- Educational qualification
- Age limit,
- Nationality,
- Mandatory subjects in Class 12th or equivalent
Latest Update on JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2021-
- JEE Main 2021 will be conducted in 4 sessions – February, March, April and May. Candidates can apply for all four sessions. Check exam dates
- Now, candidates with only Class XII passing certificates will be able to apply for JEE Main.
- NITs and CFTIs have relaxed the criterion of 75% minimum aggregate percentage (top 20 percentile rule) in 10+2 due to partial cancellation of 12th CBSE boards and other equivalent exams amid COVID-19 pandemic.

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Detailed JEE Main 2021 Eligibility Criteria (Updated)
One must ensure that he/she meets JEE Main 2021 eligibility criteria before proceeding for application. In case the eligibility is not met, candidate might be disqualified.

Year of Qualifying Exam
- JEE Main 2021 aspirants must have passed 12th or equivalent exam in 2019 or 2020
- Candidates appearing for 12th boards (or equivalent) in 2021 are also eligible to apply for JEE Main.
Age Limit Criteria
- JEE Main does not have any criteria for upper age limit
- IITs have separate age limit criteria for admissions, which might affect overall JEE Advanced 2021 eligibility criteria.
Number of Attempts
- JEE Main aspirants can attempt entrance exam for 3 consecutive years
- NTA conducts JEE Main exam twice a year since 2019 and a candidate can appear for both exams.
- Both attempts of JEE Main exam for a single academic year are considered as a single attempt for that year
Aggregate Marks in Qualifying Examination
This particular JEE Main Eligibility criterion is not considered for JEE Main 2021 exam due to COVID-19. The details below are applicable under regular circumstances:
- General Category – 75% marks in aggregate
- SC/ST/PWD Category – 65% marks in aggregate
Also Check Top NITs Accepting JEE Main Score
Combination of Subject(s) for JEE Main 2021 Eligibility
JEE Main 2021 eligibility criteria require all candidates to opt for 5 main subjects in the qualifying examination. Students with less than 5 subjects will be considered ineligible.
Compulsory subjects for the candidates taking JEE Main exam includes:
- Paper 1 – B.Tech/B.E.
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- Physics
- Mathematics
- Chemistry/Biology/Biotechnology/Technical Vocational Subject
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- Paper 2 – B.Arch.
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- Physics
- Chemistry
- Mathematics
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- Paper 3 – B.Planning
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- Mathematics
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Major Changes in the JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2021
JEE Main 2021 Eligibility Criteria changes as per the new guidelines include the following::
- Valid ID Proof – All Indian JEE Main aspirants need to produce an Aadhar Card or any other valid ID to appear for the exam. NRI candidates must present a valid passport
- Guidelines for Jammu & Kashmir, Meghalaya, and Assam Applicants
- Candidates from these states need to enter details like Passport Number, Ration Card, Bank Account Number or any other equivalent Govt. issued documents while filling JEE Main 2021 Application Form
- Also, such candidates can select centres from these states only
- Exemption of Class 12th marks – For JEE Main 2021, the percentage of 12th will not be included while calculating AIR
- Admission to IITs/ NITs/ IIITs and CFTIs
- One need to obtain a minimum of 75% marks in class 12th or rank under top 20 percentile by the respective board for admissions to these institutes
- For SC/ST category, the minimum aggregate required is 65%
Note: Due to the current pandemic situation, the rule of minimum aggregate marks in 12th boards has been scrapped by CSAB. Read More
Eligibility for Admission to Participating NITs, IIITs, GFTIs via CSAB
- CSAB is the regulatory body conducting admission counselling for NITs, IIITs, CFTIs
- Admission via CSAB depends on All India Ranks of candidates
- Candidates need to secure either minimum 75% marks in 10+2 exams or a place in Top 20 Percentile at 10+2 level
- For the SC/ST category, the minimum aggregate required in 10+2 is 65%.
Note: CSAB has relaxed this rule for admission to NITs and other CFTIs. Please check the latest update.
Check CSAB NEUT
Admission to NITs, IITs, CFTIs, SFIs or State Engineering Colleges
Authority | Institute | Program | Eligibility Criteria |
Central Seat Allocation Authority B.E/B.Tech/ B.Plan | NITS, IIITs, CFTIs | B.E/B.Tech/ B.Plan |
|
Council of Architecture | Institutes other than NITs, IIITs, CFTIs | B.Arch | 50% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics along with 50% aggregate in the qualifying exam |
Check CSAB SFTI
Latest News Updates
- Key Takeaways From Education Minister’s Webinar On JEE Main 2021 Examination
- JEE Main 2021: Live Session With Education Minister Extended To December 10th
- Uttarakhand Government To Provide Free Coaching Classes For JEE Aspirants
- JEE Main 2021: Mr Ramesh Pokhriyal Directs NTA to Draft a Fresh Syllabus
- JEE Main 2021 Delayed Till February, JEE Advanced 2021 Syllabus Being Reviewed
JEE Main 2021 Reservation
Of the total seats, few are reserved for candidates belonging to OBC, SC, ST, and PwD category as detailed below:

The allocation of seats is done as follows:
Category | Percentage |
Scheduled Caste (SC) | 15% |
Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 7.5% |
Non-Creamy Layer – Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL) | 27% |
People with Disability (PwD) | 5% |
- As per the verdict of Lok Sabha Bill in 2019, the constitution allows 10% reservation for EWS category.
- Hence, now JEE Main 2021 reservation criteria also provide 10% EWS Reservation
- The remaining seats after all other reservations will be considered as unreserved for the general category.
Check JEE Main Cut Off for Top NITs
State Code of Eligibility
For JEE Main exam, the state from which a candidate has passed the qualifying examination is considered as the state code of eligibility.
- A candidate is given the quota under that particular state as a first preference during the allocation of seats in JEE Main Counselling.
- State quota is only applicable for NITs and a few other state colleges.
- State, where the candidate passed the qualifying examination, is the state code of eligibility and not the state of residence
- If a candidate is appearing for improvement examinations, then the state code of eligibility will be the state from where the candidate has passed Class XII examination
- In cases where Indian Nationals have passed 12th from Nepal/Bhutan, the state code of eligibility will be determined by the permanent address on the passport
- For candidates who have passed/appeared in Class XII exams of NIOS, can select a state code of eligibility where the study centre is located
Qualifying Exams for JEE Main 2021
Aspirants appearing for JEE Main must have cleared the following in order to meet JEE Main eligibility criteria:
- Class 12 or equivalent from a recognized Central or State board like ICSE, CBSE, CISCE, etc.
- Intermediate or Pre-Degree Course exam or Pre-University Course under any recognized Board/University
- H.S.C or any vocational examination
- The final exam of the 2-year course of the Joint Services Wing of the NDA
- Diploma of a minimum of 3 years recognized by AICTE or SBTE
- Senior Secondary School Examination conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling with a minimum of 5 subjects
- For admission to IITs, a candidate must complete the General Certificate Education (GCE) exam (London/ Cambridge/ Sri Lanka) at Advanced level
- Association of Indian Universities examination in India or any foreign country
Read IITs vs NITs
JEE Main 2021 – Eligibility Criteria For Improvement Exam
- Improvement in one/two subjects – Candidate’s previous year’s top 20 percentile is taken into account and the aggregate will be calculated based on compulsory subjects
- Improvement in all subjects – Candidate’s highest aggregate of both years is considered
- In case a candidate is unable to secure the minimum required aggregate, he/she will be deemed ineligible
Documents Required for JEE Main 2021
The candidates need to produce the following documents at the time of taking JEE Main 2021 Exam:
- Identity Card: JEE Main participants need to produce a valid ID proof like PAN Card, Driver’s Licence, Voter ID, Aadhaar Card etc.
- Photograph and Signature
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- JEE Main application form requires Scanned copies of Signature and Photograph
- Size of the photograph should be between 10 kb–200 kb
- Permissible size of the signature must be between 4 kb–30 kb
- Preferred dimensions for signature and photograph are 3.5 cm X 4.5 cm
- The format acceptable is JPEG/JPG only
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- Educational Documents: Candidates need to produce 10th and 12th mark sheet and certificate at the time of JEE Main 2021 Counselling along with JEE Main Application Form
Note – Supreme Court ruled out that Aadhar is not mandatory for admission in educational institutes. Candidates can apply for JEE Main with any valid ID proofs.
Read
What is JEE Main Eligibility Criteria for Droppers?
- JEE Main 2021 eligibility criteria apply to all candidates including droppers
- To be eligible, dropouts need to fulfil the eligibility criteria for JEE Main exam
- For admission to NITs, IIITs and CFTIs, candidates need to secure a minimum score of 75% (65% for reserved category) or need to be in the top 20 percentile of their respective boards
- The droppers must have passed 12th examination in 2018 or 2019
- JEE Main aspirants can take only three consecutive attempts
- Candidates must have taken at least five subjects in their 12th class or qualifying exam, mandatory ones being Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics
JEE Main Eligibility Criteria-FAQs
Ans: No, the eligibility criterias for JEE Main exam is same for both boys and girls. Only exemptions are given to reserved category candidates like SC/ST or PWD candidates.
Ans: Usually, JEE Main exam requires a minimum of 75% for general category and 65% for reserved category in 12th class examination. However, this year NTA has discarded the percentage criteria and only the 12th pass certificate is required for registration.
Ans: For 2020 JEE Main exam, candidates need to qualify 12th in either 2018 or 2019. But as of now there is no upper age limit prescribed by NTA to appear for the examination.
is there ex service man (ESM) quota in jee exam ?
Hi Ram, There is no provision for reservation/quota for Children of Ex-Servicemen in JEE Main or Participating Institutes.
Is there any NRI quota in NIT?
Hi Krishna, In NITs there 233 seats reserved for NRI and CIWG candidates of this, there are 156 seats reserved under the NRI quota, 77 under the CIWG.
Is there any relaxation in age limit for girls?
Hi Babita, No, There is no such relaxation given to girls candidates. 5 years of age relaxation is given to reserved category candidates
I’ll qualify class 12th in 2021, can i appear for JEE Main 2021 january session?
Hi Arif, Yes, Students appearing for class 12th in 2021 are eligiblie for JEE Main 2021. Click here to know JEE Main 2021 Eligibility Criteria
Is it mandatory to qualify PCM in class 12th to be eligible for JEE Main exam?
Hi Nitika, To be eligible for JEE Main, candidates must qualify all three subject i.e PCM with at least 75% marks to get into IITs, NITs and IIITs.
Can i diploma holder get into IIT?
Hi Rajnish, To get into IITs candidates have to qualify the JEE Main and JEE Advanced with a high rank. Check Top IITs In India
Can i use my driving lisence for photo id proof?
Hi Pamila, Yes, you can use Driving license for Photo Id proof. For More Details Click Here
I am pusuing12th class with PCB, am i eligible for JEE Main 2021?
Hi Jasmine, No , If you want to appear for JEE Main 2021 you must have Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics in 12th class. Check JEE Main Eligibility Criteria
Can I apply for both JEE Main PAPER 1 AND PAPER 2?
Hi Latika, Yes You can apply for both paper if you are interested.
What is the age elibility for JEE Main 2021?
Hi Rasika, There is no Upper age criteria for JEE Main exam a candidate can appear consecutively 3 years in JEE Exam after passing class 12th i.e. in 2019,2020 or 2021.
How can I start preparing for JEE 2021 without any coaching?
Hi Mansi, With right guidance and time management you can prepare for JEE Main without coaching also for details visit https://jeemains.in/jee-main-preparation-tips/ .