rediffGURU Mayank Chandel, founder, CareerStreets, offers guidance to parents and students on how to apply and prepare for various competitive exams.
If you are interested in science or engineering, your performance in the entrance exams you take after Class 12 matters.
The IIT-JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) is the gateway for admission into top engineering colleges.
Performance in the NEET-UG (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) enables admission into MBBS, BDS and other medical courses in India.
Similarly, scores in GATE (Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering) is considered for postgraduate studies and PSU jobs in engineering and technology.
Can a student who failed in Class 12 apply for IIT-JEE?
Can you appear for the IIT-JEE (Advanced) if you did not qualify for the JEE (Main)?
rediffGURU Mayank Chandel, founder, CareerStreets, offers guidance to parents and students on how to apply and prepare for various competitive exams.
Besides coaching students for entrance exams, he also guides Class 10 and 12 students about career options in engineering, medicine and the vocational sciences.
- You can post your career-related questions to rediffGURU Mayank Chandel HERE.
Hemali: Hello sir, I appeared for my class 12 board exams for the first time and failed.
Then I reappeared in 2025 and scored over 75 per cent.
I did not qualify for JEE Mains in either 2024 or 2025. Am I eligible for JEE Advanced 2026?
Hello Hemali, since you appeared for your class 12 board exams for the first time in 2024 (even if you failed), your first attempt is considered as 2024.
According to the JEE Advanced rules, you are allowed to appear for JEE Advanced only in the two consecutive years immediately after your class 12 board exam.
That means: 2024 (first attempt) and 2025 (second and last attempt).
So, you will not be eligible for JEE Advanced in 2026, even if you have improved your class 12 result in 2025 and scored 75 per cent or more.
Anonymous: Dear Madam, I am a class 12 PCB (physics chemistry biology) student.
What are my opportunities other than NEET?
Hi, below are the options you can consider in the field of science, other than NEET.
Bachelor of science: You can opt for BSc courses in various subjects like physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, etc.
Research: You can opt for research-oriented courses like master of science, PhD, etc, in your desired field of study.
Agricultural science: You can opt for courses in agriculture like BSc agriculture or BTech agriculture.
Environmental science: You can opt for undergraduate and postgraduate courses in environmental science.
Forensic science: You can opt for a career in forensic science by pursuing a bachelors and masters degree in forensic science.
Pharmacy: You can opt for a career in pharmacy by pursuing bachelors in pharmacy followed by a masters degree.
Anonymous: Hello! I have qualified for the Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) this year in the engineering sciences (XE) paper with a score of 389 under the general category.
Since there are very few chances of getting admission into a good Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) and a preferred branch for MTech, what would be the best option? Should I take admission in any college or prepare for another attempt?
With this score, getting into top IITs (like IIT-Bombay, IIT-Delhi or IIT-Madras) for core branches like mechanical, civil or interdisciplinary programmes is difficult but it's not impossible for the newer IITs or interdisciplinary branches.
You may have chances in the NITs, IIITs and newer IITs, especially in non-core or interdisciplinary programmes (materials, energy, environment, applied mechanics, etc.).
You can participate in the common offer acceptance portal (COAP) and centralised counselling for MTech/MArch/MPlan admissions (CCMT) rounds to see what offers you receive.
If you are not happy with what you are getting, take the GATE again and try to improve your score.
- You can post your career-related questions to rediffGURU Mayank Chandel HERE.
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