JEE Main-2025 Jamshedpur: Over 22,000 applicants, new exam changes leave students nervous

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, Jan 13: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the exam dates and cities for the first session of JEE Main-2025, with over 13.95 lakh students nationwide applying for the exam. This marks a significant increase of over one lakh applicants compared to last year. In Jharkhand alone, more than 22,000 students have registered. The exams will be held in six cities, including Jamshedpur, Ranchi, Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Bokaro, and Ramgarh.

The city intimation details, which include students’ names, parents’ names, birthdates, and exam locations, will help candidates prepare for the exam. Admit cards will be issued three days prior to the exam. Students must bring their admit card and a valid photo ID to the exam center. The JEE Main will be conducted in two shifts on January 22, 23, 24, 28, and 29 for Paper 1 (BE-BTech), and on January 30 for Paper 2 (BArch). Paper 1 will be held in two shifts: from 9 am to 12 noon and from 3 pm to 6:30 pm.

One of the most significant changes this year is the revised exam pattern. According to the new guidelines, Section-B in both Paper 1 and Paper 2 will no longer have optional questions. Students will now be required to answer all five questions in this section, which was not mandatory in previous years. Additionally, negative marking has been introduced for Section-B, with one mark being deducted for each incorrect answer.

These changes have left students scrambling to adjust their strategies. “The removal of optional questions in Section-B is a big challenge. Earlier, we had the option to skip questions we weren’t sure about. Now, I’ll have to attempt all questions, which increases the risk of losing marks,” said Arvind Kumar, a JEE aspirant from Jamshedpur. He also expressed concern about the negative marking, stating, “We will have to be extra cautious to avoid making mistakes, as one wrong answer can cost us significantly.”

JEE expert P. Pandey advised, “Students will need to change their strategy entirely for this year’s exam. In Section-B, they must focus on time management and accuracy. Since negative marking is in place, a careful approach is essential.”

With just weeks to go until the first session, students are feeling the pressure of these new changes, which could impact their overall scores. However, they remain determined to adapt and tackle the challenge head-on.