Summary
Amid ongoing concerns surrounding the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) On-Screen Marking (OSM) system and the resulting debate over Class 12 scores, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has clarified that there will be no relaxation in the existing Class 12 eligibility criteria.
The clarification comes at a time when several students and parents have been seeking a one-time exemption.
Amid ongoing concerns surrounding the Central Board of Secondary Education’s (CBSE) On-Screen Marking (OSM) system and the resulting debate over Class 12 scores, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has clarified that there will be no relaxation in the existing Class 12 eligibility criteria for admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) through JEE Advanced 2026.
The clarification comes at a time when several students and parents have been seeking a one-time exemption from the requirement of securing at least 75 per cent marks in Class 12 examinations. The demand gained momentum following complaints from some CBSE students who alleged discrepancies in their board examination results and raised concerns over the ongoing verification and re-evaluation process.
Responding to queries regarding the possibility of lowering or temporarily removing the eligibility benchmark for the current admission cycle, IIT Roorkee, according to ANI, stated that such a move is not under consideration. According to the institute, admissions to IITs are conducted through a national-level process involving candidates from 36 different education boards across the country, making uniform eligibility standards necessary for maintaining fairness.
The institute pointed out that the eligibility conditions were announced well in advance, around December, giving aspirants sufficient notice regarding the requirements. It further noted that similar situations had arisen in previous years, with some candidates losing opportunities for admission to IITs and National Institutes of Technology (NITs) due to not meeting the prescribed Class 12 percentage criteria.
While ruling out any relaxation in marks, IIT Roorkee indicated that it remains in communication with CBSE regarding concerns raised by affected students. The institute stated that efforts are being made to address issues faced by candidates whose admission prospects may be impacted by delays in the board’s post-result processes.
The controversy stems from concerns raised by a section of CBSE students who believe their board examination scores do not accurately reflect their performance. The issue has generated significant discussion on social media platforms, with students sharing experiences and seeking intervention from authorities. Many of those affected are engineering aspirants who have qualified in JEE Advanced 2026 and are now preparing to participate in the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) counselling process.
Under the current IIT admission framework, candidates must either secure a minimum of 75 per cent aggregate marks in their Class 12 examinations or be placed within the top 20 percentile of successful candidates in their respective education boards. Meeting one of these conditions is mandatory in addition to qualifying JEE Advanced.
Students have expressed concern that delays in the re-evaluation and verification process could create difficulties during counselling and seat allocation. Some aspirants have requested that authorities consider provisional admissions until revised board examination results are declared. However, IIT Roorkee’s latest statement indicates that the admission criteria will remain unchanged for the 2026 academic session.
Last updated on 05 Jun 2026
