The Supreme Court of India will hear a petition today challenging the reduction in the attempt limit of JEE Advanced. The petition, filed by 22 aspirants, seeks to restore the earlier rule of three attempts for the prestigious exam.

Background of the Case

The controversy surrounding the change in the JEE Advanced attempt limit started on November 5, 2024, when the Joint Admission Board (JAB), responsible for conducting admissions to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), announced that candidates would be allowed three attempts for the exam. However, just 13 days later, on November 18, 2024, the board reversed this decision, restoring the previous rule of a two-attempt limit.

This unexpected turn has caused immense anguish among aspirants, especially those who had set their study schedules in motion considering the third attempt. Even a few students quit from some of the best institutes like NITs and completely devoted themselves to JEE Advanced 2025, which came crashing down as well.

Petition Details

The petitioners argue that this decision to bring down the limit of attempts to three was entirely arbitrary and did not have transparent reasoning. This reversal, as they claim, not only hindered their educational plans but caused them a grave personal inconvenience also. The relief sought is an order cancelling November 18, 2024, and reinstituting three attempts.

Timeline of Events

Arguments from JAB

The JAB submits that it strictly considered long-standing policies and the balancing of various competing factors in deciding to revert to the two-attempt limit. The board's official notice indicates that the change was part of restoring eligibility criteria that had been in place since 2013, and no other eligibility criteria were changed.