JEE Main 2023: PIL on 75% eligibility criteria to be heard on Feb 21.

The Bombay High Court will hear a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) challenging the eligibility criteria of 75 per cent and top 20 percentile for the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Main 2023 on Tuesday, February 21.

As per the PIL, Several engineering aspirants have demanded 75 per cent and the top 20 percentile criteria should be removed for this year's entrance exam, or lowered to 50 per cent.

As per the JEE (Main) 2023 information bulletin, admission to B.E. / B.Tech / B.Arch / B.Planning. Courses in NITs, IIITs, and CFTIs participating through Central Seat Allocation Board will be based on All India Rank subject to the condition that the candidate should have secured at least 75% marks in the Class 12 examination conducted by the respective Boards.

For SC/ST candidates the qualifying marks would be 65% in Class 12/qualifying examination.

The candidate is also required to pass in each of the subjects of Class 12/qualifying examination.

The NTA had last year announced to withdraw 75% criterion as a one-time measure due to the academic loss caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

PwD candidates should be at least 65%. The candidate must be within the category-wise top 20 percentile of successful candidates in their respective Class XII (or equivalent) board examination.

Meanwhile, the top 20 percentile criterion was not provided for the Main exam earlier. Aspirants have stated that candidates who did not achieve 75% in their Class 12 exams, particularly those for whom this is their last chance to sit for the entrance exams, will be left out in the cold.

In January, the Bombay High Court refused to postpone the JEE Main 2023 first attempt which was scheduled to be held from January 24.

The high court was hearing a petition seeking JEE Main 2023 postponement and relaxation in 75 per cent eligibility criteria.

A bench of acting chief justice SV Gangpurwala and J Sandeep V Marne heard the petition filed by child rights activist Anubha Srivastava Sahai on January 4.

Later, the court postponed the hearing to January 10 as the petitioner had not submitted the brochure.