New Delhi [India]: The JEE Main 2024 Session 2, which was conducted from April 4th to April 12th, by the National Testing Agency (NTA) has reported a remarkable surge in registrations, totaling 12.57 lakh aspirants. A similar trend was observed in Session 1, which was conducted in January 2024.

The number of aspirants in the JEE Main 2024 exam (Session 1 and Session 2) was 12.31 lakh and 12.57 lakh, respectively depicting growing demand for the national-level engineering entrance examination. In the year 2023, JEE Main saw 8.60 Lakh registration for Session 1, while 9.31 lakh registered for Session 2.

JEE Main stands as a pivotal gateway for aspiring students seeking admission to esteemed undergraduate engineering and architectural programs across premier institutions in India, including the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), and other centrally funded technical institutions (CFTIs).

This notable rise in JEE Main registrations underscores the burgeoning interest among students towards pursuing engineering education. Over the years, the landscape of higher education has witnessed a significant shift, with engineering emerging as a frontrunner among students’ career aspirations.

Recognized for its promising job prospects and rewarding career pathways, engineering education continues to attract enthusiastic learners. Furthermore, the emphasis on Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education has played a pivotal role in fostering a keen interest in engineering disciplines among students.

Analysis:

1. Increase in Class 12 Board Exam Audience:

* Across multiple boards, there’s a notable increase in the number of students appearing for Class 12 board exams in 2024 compared to 2023.

* This increase is observed in both central boards like CBSE and state boards like UP Board, Maharashtra HSC, etc.

* For instance, CBSE 12th witnessed a rise from 16,60,511 in 2023 to 16.9 lakh in 2024, indicating a considerable increase.

* Similar trends are observed in other major boards as well.

2. Impact on JEE Main Registrations:

* The increase in the number of students appearing for Class 12 board exams directly correlates with an increase in JEE Main exam registrations, particularly in the April session of 2024.

* In 2024, there’s a significant surge in JEE Main registrations for both January and April sessions compared to the previous year.

* The April session of JEE Main 2024 saw an increase from 931,334 registrations in 2023 to 1,257,000 registrations in 2024, indicating a substantial rise.

Conclusion:

* The rise in the number of students appearing for Class 12 board exams, especially in CBSE and state boards, has led to a proportional increase in JEE Main exam registrations in 2024, particularly in the April session.

* This trend underscores the growing interest and participation of students in higher education and competitive exams like JEE Main.

Vivek Jain, Chief Business Officer – Shiksha, sharing his insights says: “JEE Main exam has always been the first choice of engineering aspirants and the numbers this year confirm that it remains so. In 2024, there’s remarkable increase in JEE Main registration compared to previous years, for both January and April sessions. With seven new IITs, 605 additional seats and 25 new branches, candidates have more options now. It has also been seen that candidates are increasingly getting inclined towards IITs, NITs, and IIITs over state level institutions.

With the increase in number of engineering institutions providing popular and niche branches, students today have more options to pursue their dream in the field of engineering which is reflected in massive number of increase in JEE Main registration.”

Shiksha.com, a leading educational platform, has covered the JEE Main exam by engaging with students directly at exam centers. Our dedicated team conducted comprehensive interactions with students to gauge their exam experiences, challenges encountered, areas of confidence, and overall preparedness. Through these engagements, we aimed to delve deeper into students’ preferences regarding engineering colleges and their chosen fields of study.

Engineering Education Expands: New IITs, More Seats Offered

The number of IITs has seen a notable increase, with seven new ones established recently, namely IIT Jammu, IIT Dharwad, IIT Bhilai, IIT Goa, IIT Palakkad, IIT Tirupati, and IIT Dhanbad. This expansion has resulted in a total of 605 additional seats across 25 new branches within these institutions, broadening the choices available to engineering aspirants.

In the upcoming admissions, a total of 57,152 seats across 23 IITs, 32 NITs, 26 IIITs, and 33 GFTIs will be offered. Students are given the opportunity to select from 813 branches across 119 colleges through online registration and choice filing, with the deadline set for June 28.

Comparing this year’s admissions to the previous year, there has been a noticeable increase in available seats: 17,385 seats (including supernumerary seats) in IITs, 23,954 seats in NITs, 7,746 seats in IIITs, and 8,067 seats in GFTIs will be available this year, as opposed to 16,598 seats in IITs, 23,994 seats in NITs, 7,126 seats in IIITs, and 6,759 seats in GFTIs last year. This reflects an increase of 787 seats in IITs, 620 seats in IIITs, and 1,308 seats in GFTIs, totaling 2,675 additional seats this year.

According to our interactions, the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) reign supreme as the most sought-after institutions among students. The aspiration to secure a seat in an IIT reflects the esteemed reputation and aspirational value associated with these premier establishments. This reaffirms the enduring dominance of IITs as the preferred choice among engineering aspirants, underscoring their legacy and academic excellence.

Furthermore, students expressed their appreciation for the transparency and fairness of the JEE Main exam as a standardized assessment. Their insights also shed light on their expectations from prospective colleges, including a focus on quality education, state-of-the-art facilities, experienced faculty, as well as internship and placement opportunities.

Seats going vacant in state Engg colleges in Gujarat

In February this year, the Gujarat government acknowledged a concerning trend of increasing vacancies in the state’s engineering colleges. This decline in admissions is attributed to a growing preference among students for institutes like IITs, NITs, and IIITs, as well as opportunities for higher studies abroad.

The government’s response to a question raised by senior Congress MLA Arjun Modhwadia revealed stark statistics: out of 71,629 available seats, only 30,000 were filled in 2022, and the numbers didn’t fare much better in 2023. Similarly, diploma engineering seats also experienced high vacancies. Despite a total of 1,40,852 degree and diploma engineering seats across the state, a significant portion remains unoccupied, posing challenges for the state’s educational landscape.

Similar trends have been observed in other state engineering colleges across the country.

For those who have appeared in the JEE Main result, Shiksha.com offers invaluable tools such as the JEE Main Rank Predictor and JEE Main College Predictor. These tools empower students to estimate their potential rank and explore prospective colleges based on their JEE Main scores. The JEE Main 2024 College Predictor assists students in predicting probable colleges based on the ranks estimated by the JEE Main 2024 Rank Predictor.

The JEE Rank Predictor tool utilizes various parameters, including past year cutoff marks, seat allocation, and category-wise distribution, to provide students with an approximation of their expected rank in JEE Main 2024. To leverage these predictive tools, students are encouraged to register on Shiksha.com and input their expected JEE Main 2024 scores.

For more information on JEE Main rank predictor tool you can visit Shiksha @ https://www.shiksha.com/engineering/jee-main-rank-predictor

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