Should I drop 1 Year for JEE Main 2026? Check Study Plan for Repeaters

Is the drop year worthwhile for JEE Main 2026?

While taking a drop for JEE Main can provide an opportunity to improve your score and get admission to a better college, it also poses certain challenges, such as the pressure to perform better in the next attempt and the gap year, which may have an impact on the candidate's career path. Recruiters might find this gap year to be a disadvantage. In this article, we will take a closer look at the advantages and disadvantages of taking a drop for JEE Main to help you make a well-informed decision.

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Appeared in JEE Main all sessions and haven't scored that well?

Most students choose to drop one year because they do not have a good rank to get into the top IITs, NITs or IITS. However, it may not be the ideal solution. Well, dropping one year is a waste of 12 months that could be used to pursue B.Tech in colleges other than NITs and IIITs or the IITs. There are plenty of good institutes and universities that take students through JEE Main and have a good ranking. It's better to apply for admission to these and complete your undergraduate as JEE Main marks or rank won't matter after admission.

There is also the option of applying for the JEE Main exam alongside the B.Tech first year and join a top college. Candidates should try for a good performance in their under graduation such that they stand a better chance of placements and higher education. Here are some colleges and universities that consider JEE Main scores.

• Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology

• SRM University - it considers JEE main scores apart from its entrance exam

• Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham - The university also considers JEE main scores apart from AEEE scores

• Other universities that take JEE Main scores are IIIT Hyderabad, IIIT Delhi, IIIT Bangalore, JMI, Sastra University, Amity University, DTU, NSIT, and more.

• States like Haryana, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Bihar, Nagaland, Odisha, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan etc. also take through JEE Main.

With so many options, it's best not to take a drop. Instead, it's wise to complete B.Tech and try for an M.Tech or an MBA seat in one of the IITs or NITs.

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Should I drop 1 year for JEE Main as I have not appeared for JEE Main at all?

Candidates can opt for colleges that do not require a JEE Main score for admission. The admission can be conducted either using the candidate's 12th scores or the entrance exam of the university itself. Not all colleges and universities require JEE Main scores. Candidates can always opt for these institutes instead. Some examples of this would be

• Sastra University also takes class 12 marks.

• Tamilnadu offers a few seats to other state students on the basis of class 12 marks

• Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, and Punjab state take through class 12 marks and 15% of the seats are for outside-state students.

Statistics from previous years have shown that taking a drop is not an advisable idea as the number of students who have successfully cracked JEE Main after taking a drop of 1 year is less than 5%. The reason is fatigue on account of studying the same thing all over again and carrying the additional stress of having to do or die. So it's advisable to look for good options and build a good career rather than wasting one year.

In spite of all this, if candidates still wish to take a drop of one year for JEE Main, then the decision should be taken after careful consideration and consultation with parents and teachers.

Should I drop 1 year for JEE Main after 12th because of Board Exams?

Actually, studying for both class 12 boards and JEE Main is possible, leading to good results. Most students who write JEE Main are in this category and therefore, candidates can easily crack the exam if the planning is preparation is perfect. Many students do prepare for class 12 and JEE Main together as the topics and syllabus are pretty much the same.

Preparation Related:

Tips to crack JEE Main

Here are a few tips to crack the JEE Main in the first attempt while preparing for the board exam.

• Segregate the JEE Main syllabus into common for class 12 and JEE Main.

• Study for both, practice the exercises after the chapter is done.

• Solve previous years question papers and use NCERT books to cement your concepts and fundamentals.

• Revision is crucial. While practising with the JEE Main mock tests, study and brush up the subjects simultaneously.