What is the Difference Between IIT and JEE?
Curious about the difference between IIT and JEE? Since you asked this question, there must be some lingering doubt about it. No problem, we will clear all your doubts right away.
JEE stands for Joint Entrance Exam. It is an all-India level entrance examination taken to get admission into engineering colleges like IITs, NITs and other colleges.
IIT stands for Indian Institute of Technology, which is the name of India’s most prestigious engineering colleges situated across various states.
The JEE exam is divided into two parts JEE Main and JEE Advanced. Let us now understand the difference between IIT and JEE.
What is IIT?
IIT stands for Indian Institutes of Technology. These are a group of autonomous institutions focused on engineering and technology education in India. Currently, there are 23 IITs across the country, regarded as some of the most prestigious engineering colleges in India.
IITs offer a range of undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs in fields related to engineering and technology. Popular courses at IITs include Computer Science and Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Aerospace Engineering.
What is JEE?
JEE, or Joint Entrance Examination, is a national-level entrance test conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to undergraduate engineering programs in various institutions across India. The exam is split into two parts: JEE Main and JEE Advanced.
JEE Main is the first phase of the exam, conducted multiple times a year as a computer-based test. It evaluates candidates on their knowledge of Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.
JEE Advanced is the second stage and is for candidates who qualify in JEE Main. This test is also computer-based and assesses the candidate’s understanding of Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics at a more advanced level.
Difference between IIT and JEE - End of All Confusion
JEE is the entrance examination you will need to crack to get admission into one of the 23 IITs and other colleges participating in the admission procedure.
JEE is the examination you take, and IIT (Indian Institute of Technology) refers to any of the colleges you will get admission to based on your score in the JEE exams, which is a two-part examination.
Hope this explains the difference between IIT and JEE. It is to be understood that IIT and JEE are not distinctly different from each other, rather they move hand in hand with mutual cooperation with each other.
Are State JEE Exams Different Anyway?
Clarity is crucial when navigating through entrance exams, especially considering other exams like the state engineering exams in West Bengal, and the West Bengal Joint Entrance Exam, also using the 'JEE' suffix. Ensure precision in identifying the specific exams you're preparing for.
Avoid elementary errors, and remember that JEE encompasses disciplines like BE/BTech, B.Arch, and B.Planning.
This distinction prevents confusion and ensures accurate preparation for your targeted exams.
Disparities between IIT JEE and JEE
Wondering what exactly is the difference? IIT JEE and JEE refer to the same examination you take to get into the IITs. Do not get confused with the Joint Entrance Exams of other States, they are also shortened as JEE but come prefixed with the name of the State, for example, West Bengal JEE.
As mentioned before, JEE stands for Joint Entrance Exam. It is a highly competitive examination with over 9 lakh candidates appearing each year. Out of these 9 lakh applicants, only 12,000 qualify to get into IITs. Quite staggering, right? But you need to have a clear picture of the competition and prepare accordingly.
This is primarily the difference between IIT and JEE.
Difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced
Once you have understood the difference between IIT and JEE, know that the Joint Entrance Exam is divided into two parts. The first exam is Main and the second exam is Advanced.
JEE Main is the first examination you will need to appear for if getting into the IITs is your dream. This exam is conducted by the NTA (National Testing Agency) and this year will be held from January 23rd to January 31st, 2025.
If you get the qualifying marks (to be announced later) for JEE Main, you are eligible for the JEE Advanced examination.
The difference in the structure of both these examinations is not considerable. However, there is a significant difference in the difficulty level.
What Happens After JEE?
After you sit for the Joint Entrance Exam Main and get your score, you may or may not have qualified for JEE Advanced.
If you do qualify for JEE Main, you may sit for JEE Advanced. Depending on the various outcomes, there are some options for you.
What Happens with the JEE Main Score?
JEE Main is the first round of the screening examination. After the IIT JEE Main examination, you will score an All India Rank. With that Rank you will be eligible for the following:
Admission into any of the 32 NITs (National Institutes of Technology).
Admission into any of the 18 IIITs (Indian Institution of Information Technology).
Admission into any of the 19 CFTIs (Centrally Funded Technical Institutes).
Admission into any other participating engineering colleges.
Eligibility for the IIT JEE Advanced exam.
Eligibility for NITs, IIITs and CFTIs
Admission into any of the B.E./B.Tech/B.Arch/B.Planning courses in the NITs, IIITs and CFTIs will be through the Central Seat Allocation Board.
The eligibility for NITs, IIITs and CFTIs is given below:
An All India Rank in JEE Main.
A score of at least 75% marks in the 12th standard examination.
Candidates will have to be in the top 20 percentile in the class 12 examination/Qualifying examination conducted by the respective Boards.
For SC/ST candidates, the qualifying marks would be 65% in the class 12 examination/qualifying examination.
This is the eligibility requirement for admission into any NITs, IITs and CFTIs.
JEE Advanced Eligibility
Only around 2 lakh of the 9 lakh applicants who sit for the JEE exam become eligible to appear in the IIT JEE Advanced Examination. The Advanced Exam is conducted by any one of the IITs on a rotational basis. This year IIT Kanpur is conducting JEE Advanced.
The Eligibility for JEE Advanced is as Follows
The candidate must have passed the class 12 examination or equivalent qualifying examination with at least 75% aggregate marks (65% for SC, ST, and PwD).
The candidate will have to be in the top 20 percentile of the successful candidates in their respective Board examinations.
Eligibility for Admission into IITs
So, what makes a candidate eligible for admission into the IITs?
The IITs have specific eligibility criteria for admission, which include:
Age limit
Number of attempts
Year of passing class 12 or equivalent examination
You can always check these out on their respective websites.
The other criteria for admission into the IITs are that the candidates will have to qualify in the JEE Main 2025 and the JEE Advanced 2025.
As an aspirant, you should mentally prepare yourself. Considering the odds, is this really what you want to do? The road to IIT takes serious dedication, hard work and effort. Be very serious and dedicated with your preparation as it will require an investment of considerable time and resources.
What Happens with the JEE Advanced Score?
Marks scored in the IIT JEE Advanced examination make you eligible for the following:
Admission into the IITs (Indian Institute of Technology)
Indian School of Mines (IISM) or IIT (ISM) Dhanbad (new name)
IISER (Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research)
RGIPT (Rajiv Gandhi Institute of Petroleum Technology)
IISc (Indian Institute of Science)
These are the institutes which take you in based on the JEE Advanced score.
Hope you become one of the lucky few who clear both the Main and JEE Advanced!
Chart Your Plan Well in Advance
Hope you have understood the difference between IIT and JEE. What is left for you to do is sit down, have a serious thinking session, and decide for yourself if you are up for the challenge.
Think of what your end game in life is. Do not just drift through life. Find out what your passions really are and pursue your career accordingly. You need to be serious about preparation because if not IITs, then NITs are just as good.
Remember no one can study on your behalf. It is you alone who can decide what you are capable of, so take the help of your parents, teachers, and mentors.
Also Check for IIT JEE Exam Preparation Articles
FAQs on Understanding the Difference Between IIT and JEE
1. Is IIT a JEE?
The name ‘IIT-JEE’ has been replaced with ‘JEE Advanced’; otherwise, nothing much has changed. The rest of the aspects are still the same; only there has been a change in the name of the exam. In JEE Advanced, students sit for clearing the JEE exams to get admitted into one of the reputed IIT colleges in India. While, in order to be eligible for JEE Advanced, aspirants are required to pass the JEE Main.
2. Can I get admitted to one of the IIT colleges without taking the JEE exam?
Yes, it is possible to get admitted to IIT colleges without taking JEE Exams.
However, for that, the students will be mandated to choose any other career apart from B.Tech. This means if a student wants to study B. Tech in any IIT college, then it becomes mandatory for him or her to first qualify for the JEE exams.
3. What is IIT and JEE?
IIT stands for Indian Institutes of Technology, which are premier engineering institutes in India. JEE, on the other hand, refers to the Joint Entrance Examination, the entrance exam for admission to various engineering programs, including those at IITs.
4. How are IIT and JEE related?
IIT is an institute, while JEE is the exam that students need to clear to gain admission to IITs and other prestigious engineering colleges across India.
5. Can I study at an IIT without taking the JEE exam?
No, admission to IITs is primarily based on performance in the JEE exam. Clearing the JEE is a prerequisite for securing a seat in an IIT.
6. Are there other engineering colleges apart from IITs that accept JEE scores?
Yes, several other engineering colleges, including NITs (National Institutes of Technology) and IIITs (Indian Institutes of Information Technology), accept JEE scores for admission to their programs.
7. Which is better, IIT or JEE?
While both IITs and JEE hold high prestige, they serve different purposes. IITs provide a broad education with a strong emphasis on research, whereas JEE mainly focuses on the undergraduate admission process.
8. Can I join IIT without JEE?
Although JEE Main and JEE Advanced are the primary routes for IIT admission, there are other options available. Alternative exams like GATE, CAT, UCEED, and CEED offer pathways to specific IIT programs without needing to take JEE.
9. Which is better, IIT or NEET?
The choice between IIT and NEET depends on personal preferences. While IIT can be more conceptually demanding, NEET faces intense competition and higher cut-offs. Both exams are challenging in their ways.
10. Can I get into IIT with JEE Mains?
To be eligible for JEE Advanced and gain admission to IITs, candidates must first qualify in JEE Mains. There are 23 IITs in India, offering around 17,000 BTech seats. Aspirants must clear both JEE Mains and JEE Advanced to secure admission.
11. Which IIT is ranked No. 1?
IIT Madras is currently ranked as the top IIT in India.
12. What is the difference between IIT and JEE Mains?
IIT refers to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology, which are top engineering colleges in India. JEE Mains, on the other hand, is the entrance exam conducted for admission to undergraduate programs at IITs and other engineering colleges.
