JEE Advanced 2025: A True Test of Limits for Aspiring IITians

Pune, 19th May 2025: Approximately 1.9 lakh students across India earned the opportunity to register for what is arguably the toughest entrance exam in the world—JEE Advanced. For them, it was far more than just a test; it was the result of years of dedicated effort, guided by the right mentoring. The journey of preparing for JEE builds character, sharpens time and stress management skills, and lays a solid foundation for success—whether or not one ultimately secures a seat at an IIT.

DC Pandey, renowned Physics author and HOD at Prime Academy Pune, summed it up aptly:“The opportunity to appear for JEE Advanced itself deserves appreciation. Most of these students, whether they make it to an IIT or not, will end up doing well in life.”

This year’s paper, many felt, echoed the structure of JEE 2024. Yet, subtle changes made it more demanding overall. Nearly 47% of the paper’s weightage came from numerical value questions—problems that offer no answer options and allow no scope for partial marks. Unlike older subjective-style exams, where students were rewarded for showing steps and logic, these questions demand precision—anything less yields a zero.

Chemistry turned out to be the smoothest ride. For those who didn’t ignore the subject, it offered a golden opportunity to score high—and that too in less time. Physics was slightly trickier, with several problems presented in twisted forms. However, many followed familiar patterns from two-year coaching programs and could be cracked through smart elimination of options. Mathematics was comparatively lengthy. Paper 2 was unanimously considered tougher than Paper 1, primarily due to the presence of multi-conceptual and indirect questions.

Such a paper favors students who know how to handle pressure, while others tend to panic—forgetting that the paper is tough for everyone. And in a competitive exam like JEE, it’s the relative performance that truly matters.

Following this analysis, experts expect a slight dip in the cutoff this year.
“Even though the paper was slightly more difficult than last year’s, the competition is also getting tougher each year. We might see the cutoff drop a bit this time, probably below 100 out of 360,” said Lalit Kumar, CMD, Prime Academy Pune. (Last year, the cutoff was 109.)

After the exam, Prime Academy conducted a paper discussion with its current 12th-grade students who will appear for JEE 2026. Interestingly, most of them were able to identify a sufficient number of questions in this year’s paper that they could have solved to cross the expected cutoff—giving them a morale boost.

“Just solving problems in the classroom without pressure and actually performing in the exam hall are two very different scenarios. When students are unable to solve problems during the exam, and there is no prior warning that the paper might be tougher than usual, they begin to sense it mid-way—as they struggle to score smoothly. At that point, they should be able to gauge the shift in difficulty and adjust accordingly, rather than getting affected and pressing the panic button. Just a day before the exam, we had conducted a session to make them aware of this possibility—and our well-prepared students responded accordingly,” added Lalit Kumar.

Those who clear JEE Advanced are advised to choose IIT branches based on both personal interest and evolving industry trends. Meanwhile, those who miss the mark shouldn’t be disheartened. Many successful IITians were once drop-year aspirants who used that time to bounce back stronger.

To support such students, Prime Academy is conducting guidance sessions for those considering a second attempt at JEE 2026. The academy has consistently maintained a high conversion rate of IITians, especially from its repeater batches—helping students turn experience into results with sharper focus and better strategy. Students may consider preparing for one more year after seeking guidance from academic experts. To know more, click https://tinyurl.com/PrimeRP1 or call 8928382838.