Students in Lucknow are facing growing uncertainty as delays in CBSE re-evaluation threaten their eligibility for prestigious institutions such as IITs, IIITs, and NITs. These institutes require a minimum 75% aggregate for general and OBC candidates, and 65% for SC/ST candidates, in addition to qualifying in JEE (Main) or JEE (Advanced).
Many students have expressed that their revised scores in physics, mathematics, and chemistry will be crucial for admission. With counselling already underway, the anxiety among candidates is palpable. Concerns have also been raised over alleged anomalies in the newly introduced CBSE OSM system.
Several candidates who cleared JEE, one of India's toughest entrance exams, are currently below the board eligibility cut-off and are relying on re-evaluation to secure their seats. Rishabh Singh, a JEE (Advanced) qualifier, has applied for re-evaluation in physics and mathematics after scoring lower than expected. With an aggregate of 68%, he fears losing eligibility. "If my percentage does not cross 75%, I may lose admission. I am aiming for IIT Dharwad and IIT Bhilai," he said.
Simran Mahajan, a JEE (Main) qualifier, has sought rechecking in mathematics. With a 72% aggregate, she said even a small increase could improve her prospects for IIIT Lucknow and IIIT Kottayam. "We are stuck as re-evaluation is pending… it is stressful," she said. Rohit Kumar, another JEE (Main) qualifier, is considering options like NIT Patna and NIT Raipur as his 62% aggregate is below the threshold. He has applied for re-evaluation in maths and physics and remains hopeful.
Neha Singh, targeting IIIT Vadodara and IIIT Pune, said uncertainty is affecting her counselling choices. With 71%, she has applied for re-evaluation in chemistry and physics and is unable to finalise options.
According to the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA), the centralized allotment process handles tens of thousands of seats. Missing document verification, seat acceptance fees, or online reporting deadlines during any round will result in the permanent cancellation of the student's seat. However, if the original CBSE score is below the cutoff but the student has applied for re-evaluation, they can still register and fill their choices in JoSAA Counselling. Institutions like IIT Roorkee offer conditional allotment where the revised score card can be submitted later.
