In a major relief to Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) aspirants, the Supreme Court has ordered that students who dropped out of colleges between November 5 and November 18 will be allowed three attempts at the JEE-Advanced 2025 exam.

This decision aligns with the Joint Admission Board's (JAB) earlier notification, which was abruptly withdrawn.

The ruling addresses grievances raised by students who had made significant academic and financial commitments based on the November 5 notification, which temporarily increased the attempt limit for JEE-Advanced from two to three.

A group of 22 JEE aspirants had approached the apex court challenging the JAB’s sudden and arbitrary reversal of its policy on November 18.

Background

On November 5, the JAB announced an increase in the number of attempts for JEE-Advanced, a move welcomed by aspirants aiming for admissions to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). However, just 13 days later, the board reversed its decision, restoring the two-attempt limit without explanation.

The petitioners argued that the sudden change disrupted their academic plans, as many had dropped out of college courses, cancelled SAT registrations, and enrolled in coaching programmes based on the revised policy.

They contended that JAB’s actions were arbitrary and lacked transparency.

The Supreme Court's latest order provides immediate relief to those impacted between November 5 and 18 while the broader challenge regarding the eligibility criteria for JEE-Advanced 2025 remains under consideration.