All students to get equal benefit from JEE 2019 by NTA

Ramesh Batlish

From 2019, JEE (Main) will be conducted in two phases, the first for admissions to BE/BTech from  January 6 to 20, 2019 and the second phase for admissions to BArch/ BPlanning between April 6 and 20, 2019. After being taken over by NTA, there will be no major impact as far as the pattern of the examination is concerned. The exam will have the same papers as in the CBSE-conducted test last year. 

Except for the exam mode, the pattern remains unchanged. Paper 1 will be completely held in the computer-based mode, and in Paper 2, mathematics and aptitude test will be computer-based, whereas drawing will be pen-and-paper based. All the multiple choice questions will carry 4 marks each for the right answer and negative marking of 1 mark for an incorrect answer. 

In JEE (Main) Paper 1, 30 MCQs will be asked from each subject (physics, chemistry and mathematics) making it a total of 90 questions. The question paper will be available in English, Hindi and Gujarati (for students of Gujarat, Daman & Diu and Nagarhaveli). Paper 1 will be conducted in two sessions per day and the candidates need to book their slots.

Paper 2 includes a total of 82 questions. 30 MCQs in mathematics section, 50 from aptitude and two questions will be there in the drawing test. All the MCQs carry 4 marks each (with 1 negative marking) and each drawing test question carries 70 marks. 

Modifications made by NTA

1Early mock tests: NTA has started student registration for JEE (Main) mock tests from September 1, 2018. Candidates will be able to practice with these tests to get a better understanding of the exam pattern, how to prepare and what to expect in the actual exam.

2Common service centres (CSCs): The authorities have set up 1.5 lakh CSCs across the country to help candidates in urban as well as rural areas in application form filling and submission.

3Age limit: The criteria of age limit has been removed from JEE (Main ) 2019. Candidates who have passed their Plus II in 2017, 2018 or are appearing in 2019 can apply for the exam, irrespective of their age.

4More than one attempt:  JEE (Main) 2019 will be held twice a year —in January and in April. Candidates can choose to appear for either one or both.

5Revised application fee: The application fee has been reduced for different categories for JEE (Main) 2019.  

6Mode of test: JEE (Main) 2019 will be a computer-based test for Paper 1; however, for Paper 2, mathematics and aptitude will be in computer-based mode and drawing will be in pen and paper mode. Paper 1 will be in two shifts per day, whereas Paper 2 will be in one shift only.

Selection process

Cut-off & results: Being the screening test for JEE (Advanced) 2019, NTA will announce the qualifying cutoff of JEE (Main) 2019 in the first week of May after the announcement of the result of the April exam. The results for the first exam will be announced on January 31, 2019. The results of JEE (Main) will be the scores obtained by the students in the exam they have appeared in — January, April or both. The results will be devoid of ranks as it will be compiled on the basis of better scores of candidates appearing in both the exams. 

Common rank list: The Common Rank List for JEE (Main) 2019 will be available in the first week of May after the declaration of the results of the April exam. The better of the scores of candidates who have appeared in January as well as April tests will be considered for ranking purposes,  while the scores of the candidates who have appeared for just one exam will be used as it is. The common rank lists will denote the all-India and category ranks of the candidates in addition to the details of the candidates and marks obtained. The JEE (Main) rank will be the basis for admissions to the NITs, IIITs and GFTIs

Major changes in the evaluation process

To ensure that no candidate is at a disadvantage or highly benefited, normalisation of marks will be enforced for the purpose of ranking. Students will be ranked on the basis of their percentile scores, which will be calculated as per a pre-determined formula.

Percentile score shows the percentage of candidates who have scored equal to or below a particular percentile in an exam. It is the normalised score and not  raw scores. After normalisation, each topper of a session will get the same percentile of 100 which is the desirable one. Also the marks between the lowest and highest scores are also converted to the respective percentiles.

In case of percentile tie: When two or more candidates obtain equal percentile scores, then ranking will be sorted depending on their percentiles in mathematics, then physics and then chemistry. If the percentiles remain same after this too then the older candidate will be ranked higher and same rank will be allotted to the candidates for a tie after this situation.

First attempt compilation of NTA scores: After the JEE Main I will conclude in January, the result that will be declared on January 31 will display the four NTA scores — for each of the three subjects (mathematics, physics, and chemistry) and the total NTA score for that attempt. NTA scores will be the percentile scores calculated as mentioned above.

Second attempt compilation of NTA scores: The scores will again be calculated for the total and that of the three subjects individually as mentioned for the first attempt

Compilation of NTA score for JEE Main 2019 result and merit list/ ranking for Paper 1

The ranking or merit list will be compiled as follows:

• In case of candidates who have appeared for both the attempts the best of the two NTA scores will be used. Here the total NTA score will be used for ranking purpose and not those of the subjects.
• In case of candidates who have appeared for only one exam, the four NTA scores of that attempt will be used for the preparation of the merit list 
• The final NTA scores will be used to rank the candidates and the JEE Main 2019 result declared. In case of any tie, the inter-se-merit guidelines mentioned above in this article will be used to resolve it.

— FIITJEE expert

Remember the key points that will decide your rank in JEE Main will be:

• How well you have mastered the important topics in each of Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics
• How much practise you have done on similar levels of questions as asked in JEE Main
• How well you have perfected on your timing of solving an objective type question
• How much attention you have given to time management & Strategy apart from covering your syllabi.
• How much calm & confident you are when you take up the actual exam.

Students are however advised to give in the best shot as it is finally the relative performance in the actual exam that will fetch you a good rank in JEE 2019.

Inter-se-merit will be resolved as follows:

• Candidates who scores more marks in Aptitude Test will be ranked higher
• In case the tie is unresolved, Candidates who scores more marks in drawing test will be given the higher rank
• Lastly the age of the candidates i.e. the older candidate will be awarded the higher rank
• If the tie remains unresolved, the candidates will be given the same rank.

Terms for rank declaration

• The ranks derived as shown above will be used for the purpose of admissions to NITs, IIITs and GFTIs.
• The JEE Main 2019 All India rank and All India Category Rank will be declared on April 30 once the JEE Main II NTA scores are compiled.

Rank list preparation for Paper II

• The raw marks for both attempts will be considered for candidates who have given both the attempts and the better of the marks considered.
• For candidates who have appeared for only one attempt, the raw marks obtained for the same will be used.
• Rank lists will be prepared as per the marks obtained as mentioned above.

How will the scores for Paper II be calculated?

• Raw marks for the first attempt will be announced on January 31, 2019 for students who have appeared for the exam held in January.
• The actual marks for the April exam will be announced on April 30 for those who have appeared for the same.
• The JEE Main Paper 2 marks will not be normalized as the exam will be held in a  single shift so there will be no question of equivalence of the question papers and variation in difficulty levels.