JEE Main 2025 Exam Eligibility Criteria for Class 12 General Candidates OR Common Eligibility Criteria

The notification for the JEE Main 2025 exam for session 1 will be released soon by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Candidates willing to take the JEE Main 2025 exam must fulfill the eligibility criteria and those who fulfill the eligibility criteria can take the said exam by filling out the application form. Some of the eligibility criteria are common for all the categories (except SC and ST categories) whereas other criteria differ for each category of candidate. Common eligibility criteria include age limit, list of qualifying exams, year of appearance in qualifying exam and state code of eligibility. Continue reading the article to ensure your eligibility.

Preparing for JEE Main 2025, Download Latest JEE Main Syllabus Pdf

Candidates belonging to the General or Unreserved category are entitled only to OPEN seats. Also, the eligibility criteria mentioned below are applicable for all other categories apart from other eligibility criteria:

JEE Main 2025 Exam Eligibility Criteria for Class 12 OBC Candidates

There are two different categories under OBC category candidates:

1. OBC Non-Creamy Layer candidates
2. OBC Creamy Layer candidates

OBC Non-Creamy Layer Candidates

For candidates who belong to the OBC category 27% of seats are reserved in every course provided they meet the conditions mentioned below:

• OBC candidates are required to be listed in the current updated central list of OBCs approved by the Government of India. Candidates can check out the list on this website (www.ncbc.ac.in).
• Those OBC candidates whose names are present in the State list but not in the Central list of OBCs (published on www.ncbc.ac.in) are not entitled to the reservation.
• The eligibility criteria for OBC-Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL) candidates will be as per the Notification of the Government of India.

OBC Creamy Layer Candidates

Candidates who belong to the OBC Creamy Layer are not eligible to claim the reservation for admission through JEE Main exam and will be considered General/Unreserved candidates and will be only eligible for admission to the OPEN seats.

The candidate’s creamy layer status depends on his/her parent's income criterion. Below are the conditions that make the candidate fall under the OBC Creamy Layer category:

• If the candidate’s parents entered central government Class I service before the age of 40 through direct recruitment the candidate will be considered as a OBC Creamy Layer.
• If the gross annual income of the candidate’s parents is above 8 lakhs (excluding income from salary and income from agricultural land) then also the candidate will be considered as Creamy Layer.

For more details regarding OBC Creamy Layer refer to the official notification of the Government of India.

In addition to the above requirements, OBC Creamy Layer and Non-Creamy Layer candidates both are required to fulfil the common eligibility criteria which are applicable for every category (refer to table 1.1)

JEE Main 2025 Exam Eligibility Criteria for Class 12 GEN-EWS Candidates

General/Unreserved category Candidates who fall under the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) also known as GENERAL-EWS (GEN-EWS) candidates are very much eligible to claim 10% reservation in admission to any of the programmes through the JEE Main exam. Candidates claiming admission under the EWS category should meet the conditions mentioned below:

• The candidate’s annual family income should be less than Rs. 8 lakhs.
• If the candidate’s parents own an agricultural land then it should be less than 8 acres.
• If the candidate’s parents own a residential apartment, then it should be less than 100 sq ft.
• If the candidate’s parents own residential land, then it should be less than 200 yards if it is outside of a specified municipal area and less than 100 yards in specific municipal areas.

Such candidates are entitled to 10% reserved seats in every course but only if they meet the conditions mentioned above and in the OM No. 20013/01/2018-BC-II dated 17 January 2019, issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment. Also, seats will be allotted to GEN-EWS candidates as per the criteria based on existing norms and notifications of the Government of India. Additionally, candidates are also required to fulfil the common eligibility criteria mentioned in Table 1.1.

JEE Main 2025 Exam Eligibility Criteria for Class 12 SC Candidates

15% seats in every programme are reserved for the candidates belonging to the SC category provided they meet the eligibility criteria mentioned below:

JEE Main 2025 Exam Eligibility Criteria for Class 12 ST Candidates.

Candidates affiliated to the ST category are eligible for 7.5% reserved seats in every programme through the JEE Main exam and to be eligible for admission in this category candidates are required to fulfil the below-mentioned eligibility criteria:

JEE Main 2025 Exam Eligibility Criteria for Class 12 PwD Candidates

Below are the types of candidates who are covered under the Persons with Disability (PwD) category:

• Candidates having a minimum of 40% impairment in any part of the body also known as Persons with Benchmark Disability means a person who has long-term physical, mental, intellectual and sensory impairment which causes hindrance in his/her full and effective participation in society equally with others are included in PwD category.
• Candidates with less than 40% disability but face difficulty in writing but prescribed by the competent authority are also included in this category.
• Leprosy-cured candidates who are otherwise fit to pursue the programme are also included in this category.
• PwD category candidates will be required to upload their medical certificate issued by concerned departments in the application form and the same shall be produced during the counselling and other admission-related process.

Apart from the aforementioned conditions, candidates are also required to meet the common eligibility criteria mentioned in table 1.1.

Candidates are advised to go through the eligibility criteria for their concerned categories mentioned above to get the detailed and updated information which will help them in ensuring whether they are eligible for the JEE Main 2025 exam or not and if they have any document, certificate or any other required items not available as of now then to arrange them on an urgent basis so they don’t have a rush on the last moment of filling the application form as these documents and certificates will have to be produced during the counselling process too.