Anticipation, anxiety, and outrage dominate the atmosphere as students, educators, and parents await the JEE Main 2025 Session 2 results, scheduled to be released on April 17. Alongside expectations of higher cut-off marks this year, a wave of concern has spread over alleged discrepancies in the provisional answer key and response sheets issued by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main serves as the gateway to India’s prestigious engineering institutes, including NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs, and is also the qualifying test for appearing in JEE Advanced, the entrance to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
Higher Cut-Offs Expected for JEE Advanced 2025
Leading coaching experts and academic analysts forecast a notable increase in the cut-off percentile across all categories for JEE Main 2025, primarily due to a combination of:
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Increased number of test-takers,
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Relatively moderate difficulty level of papers,
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Stronger performance trends compared to past years.
As per Sandeep Mehta, co-founder of Vidyamandir Classes, the general category cut-off could rise to between 93–95 percentile, translating roughly to 85–90 marks out of 300.
For OBC-NCL and EWS candidates, the cut-off is expected between 91–93 percentile, while SC and ST categories may need 60–65 marks and 50–60 marks respectively.
According to estimates shared by PhysicsWallah, the expected qualifying marks for JEE Advanced 2025 are:
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General: 86+ marks
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EWS: 84+ marks
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OBC-NCL: 82+ marks
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SC: 60+ marks
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PwD: 0.0018 marks (minimum threshold)
Nitin Vijay, CEO of Motion Education, believes the general category cut-off may even touch the 95 percentile mark, further heightening competition for aspirants.
Recent Trends Support Cut-Off Surge
JEE Main 2025: cut-off trends over the past three years point toward a steady increase in qualifying marks.
| Year | General | OBC-NCL | SC | ST | EWS | PwD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 93.23 | 79.67 | 60.09 | 46.69 | 81.32 | 0.0018 |
| 2023 | 90.77 | 73.61 | 51.97 | 37.23 | 75.62 | 0.0013 |
| 2022 | 88.41 | 67.00 | 43.08 | 26.77 | 63.11 | 0.0031 |
These statistics underline the increasing competitiveness and tightening cut-off criteria year after year.
JEE Main 2025 Answer Key Controversy Adds to Student Woes
Just days before the result announcement, many students raised alarm over significant errors in the provisional answer key and the response sheets published by NTA. Several aspirants, including top-performing candidates, took to social media to voice concerns about:
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Incorrectly recorded answers in the official response sheet
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Blank responses despite having attempted the questions
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Nine factual errors identified in the answer key — 4 in Physics, 3 in Chemistry, 2 in Mathematics
This has prompted a strong response from parents and educators. One distressed parent wrote, “My daughter attempted 71 questions, but her response sheet now shows all as unanswered. How can this happen?”
Another claimed, “We are seeing discrepancies in the number of attempted questions. This is mentally exhausting for students.”
NTA Responds, Assures Fair Review
Responding to the backlash, the National Testing Agency emphasized its commitment to transparency and fairness. Through an official statement and social media updates, NTA clarified that:
“The current answer keys are provisional and should not be used to calculate final scores. Final results will be based on the verified answer key, post thorough evaluation of all objections.”
Candidates were allowed to raise objections against the answer key between April 11 and April 13 by uploading proof and paying a nominal fee. The final answer key, incorporating valid corrections, will precede the result release.
NTA’s official handle on X (@NTA_Exams) stated:
“Every challenge to the provisional answer key is reviewed seriously. We urge students not to believe unofficial information and rely only on updates from our website.”
What’s Next for JEE Main 2025 Aspirants? A Look Ahead
The result of JEE Main 2025 will determine eligibility for the JEE Advanced 2025, scheduled for later this year. Candidates are also reminded that they must meet Class 12 eligibility criteria:
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General/OBC: 75% aggregate marks
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SC/ST/PwD: 65% aggregate marks
Experts advise students to stay calm and prepare strategically for the next phase. “Do not let this uncertainty derail your focus. Wait for the final answer key, and be ready for JEE Advanced,” said Mohit Tyagi from Competishun.
Conclusion
The JEE Main 2025 results are set to be announced on April 17, and students across the country are bracing for a rise in cut-off percentiles, especially for General and OBC categories. Experts predict that higher competition and improved performances this year could push the qualifying marks upward, making the road to JEE Advanced 2025 more competitive.
Meanwhile, the release of the provisional answer key has sparked controversy, with students and coaching centers highlighting errors and mismatches in response sheets. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has assured a transparent review process before finalizing the results. However, the uncertainty has added to the stress of JEE Main 2025 aspirants awaiting clarity.
