Despite the recent fiasco of the newly introduced On-Screen Marking (OSM) system of the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has said that it would not remove or relax the 75% eligibility criterion for admission into IITs. IIT Roorkee, which is the organising institute for JEE Advanced 2026, issued a statement saying that it is not possible to lower the percentage.
The IIT responsible for conducting the JEE this year, as per the rotational system, said that students of 36 different boards are participating in the exam to gain admission to IITs and NITs, and therefore, it is not possible to relax the minimum marks criteria for the 12th board exam only for issues with a single board.
“No relaxing in marks as candidates from 36 different boards are participating. We published this criterion almost in December, and last year, there were candidates who lost IIT/NIT seats mainly due to percentages. Hence, lowering is not possible; however, we are in close touch with CBSE and will try to resolve this for all those affected candidates on priority,” the statement read.
On being asked whether IIT is considering relaxing or removing the 75% eligibility criterion for JEE admissions this year, as a one-time measure amid the CBSE marks row
— ANI (@ANI) June 4, 2026
IIT Roorkee, in a statement to ANI, says “No relaxing in marks as candidates from 36 different boards are…
Notably, candidates appearing for JEE have to score at least 75% aggregate marks in their Class 12 board exams to be eligible for admission to the country’s top engineering colleges. For SC/ST candidates, the required minimum is 65%. For SC/ST candidates, the required minimum is 65%. This rule is mandatory for securing admissions into IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.
What is the OSM controversy?
The OSM controversy relates to a series of complaints and allegations regarding the digital evaluation system introduced by the CBSE for Class 12 board examinations in 2026. The system replaced the traditional paper-based evaluation. Several students raised complaints about discrepancies in scanned answer sheets, including answer sheet mismatches, missing pages, and unexpectedly low marks. Students who opted for a re-evaluation also experienced technical glitches, payment failures, and delays in handling verification and re-evaluation requests.
The issue gained national attention as students’ scores in Class 12 affect their chances of getting admission into universities. IIT Roorkee’s refusal to relax the eligibility criterion for admission into the IITs, clubbed with discrepancies in the evaluation of answer sheets of students through the OSM system, can have serious consequences for affected aggrieved students.
