To be eligible for the JEE Advanced exam, candidates need to meet certain criteria, including a minimum cutoff score in the JEE Main exam. The cutoff score varies each year and is determined by the conducting authority, which is the National Testing Agency (NTA) for JEE Main.



JEE Main is a national-level engineering entrance exam conducted by the NTA. It serves as the qualifying exam for admission to various undergraduate engineering programs offered by prestigious institutions such as the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), and other centrally funded technical institutions.



JEE Advanced is the next step for candidates who wish to secure admission to the IITs. To appear for the JEE Advanced exam, candidates must meet the following eligibility criteria:

1. Performance in JEE Main: Candidates must qualify the JEE Main exam by attaining the minimum cutoff score set by the NTA.



The cutoff score for JEE Main is determined based on various factors, including the total number of candidates, the difficulty level of the exam, and the number of available seats. The NTA follows a normalization process to determine the cutoff score, ensuring fairness among different sessions and shifts.



The cutoff score for JEE Advanced is not pre-determined or announced before the JEE Main results. It is based on the top 2,50,000 candidates (including all categories) who qualify in JEE Main. These candidates are eligible to appear for the JEE Advanced exam.



Apart from meeting the cutoff score in JEE Main, candidates must also fulfill the following additional eligibility criteria to appear for JEE Advanced:

1. Age Limit: General category candidates must have been born on or after October 1, 1996. There is a relaxation of 5 years for candidates belonging to SC, ST, and PwD categories.

2. Number of Attempts: Candidates can attempt JEE Advanced a maximum of two times in consecutive years.

3. Class 12th or Equivalent Exam: Candidates must have passed their Class 12th or equivalent examination in either 2020 or 2021. Those appearing in 2022 are also eligible.

4. Qualifying Examination: Candidates must have appeared for their qualifying examination (Class 12th or equivalent) for the first time in either 2020 or 2021.

In conclusion, to be eligible for the JEE Advanced exam, candidates must meet the minimum cutoff score in the JEE Main exam, which is determined by the NTA. The cutoff score varies each year and is based on factors such as the total number of candidates and the difficulty level of the exam. Additionally, candidates must fulfill other eligibility criteria related to age, number of attempts, and qualifying examination.