JEE Advanced 2025: Key Changes by IIT Kanpur That Increased the Exam Difficulty
JEE Advanced 2025 had one small curveball with a huge effect. Even though the total number of questions was cut down to 96 from 102 in the past year, the level of difficulty of the JEE Advanced 2025 was higher compared to last year. Read below to know how a small change in JEE Advanced 2025 paper 2 resulted in a major impact this year.
JEE Advanced 2025: Key Changes by IIT Kanpur That Increased the Exam Difficulty
IIT Kanpur held the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced 2025 on May 18, witnessed minor but considerable changes in its exam pattern, especially in Paper 2, which surprised most aspirants and increased the overall level of difficulty. Paper 1 remained consistent with past years, whereas it was Paper 2 where the real curveball came, all due to the structural change in the pattern.
Historically, both papers in JEE Advanced consist of four sections in each of the three subjects: Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. But this time around, Paper 2 deviated from tradition by providing just three sections rather than four. Most significantly, matrix match and paragraph-type questions, which are famous for enabling partial scoring and some guessing, were eliminated. They were substituted by more Numerical Answer Type (NAT) questions, or integer-type questions.
LIVE: JEE Advanced Response Sheet 2025 Live Updates: Get JEE Advanced Answer Key Link & Download PDF
Paper 1 followed a similar pattern to last year:
- In section 1, there were 4 Single Correct MCQs (+3 for correct answer, -1 for incorrect, 0 for unattempted).
- In section 2, there were 3 multiple-choice MCQs (+4 ONLY if (all) the correct option(s) is(are) chosen; +3 If all the four options are correct but ONLY three options are chosen; +2 If three or more options are correct but ONLY two options are chosen, both of which are correct; +1 If two or more options are correct but ONLY one option is chosen and it is a correct option; 0 If none of the options is chosen; and −2 In all other cases)
- In section 3, there were 6 Numerical Answer Type questions with +4 for a correct answer, no negative marking.
- Section 4 had 3 Match the Following type questions (+4 for fully correct matches, -1 for any incorrect, 0 for unattempted).
Also Read: IIT Kanpur Will Release JEE Advanced 2025 Response Sheet TODAY; Check Expected Marks vs Rank
In JEE Advanced 2025 paper 2, there were three sections:
- In section 1, there were 4 Single Correct MCQs (+3 for correct answer, -1 for incorrect, 0 for unattempted)
- In section 2, there were 4 multiple-choice MCQs (+4 ONLY if (all) the correct option(s) is(are) chosen; +3 If all the four options are correct but ONLY three options are chosen; +2 If three or more options are correct but ONLY two options are chosen, both of which are correct; +1 If two or more options are correct but ONLY one option is chosen and it is a correct option; 0 If none of the options is chosen; and −2 In all other cases)
- Section 3 had surprises awaiting the candidates. There were 8 Numerical Answer Type questions with +4 for a correct answer, no negative marking.
How Did the Paper 2 Raise the Difficulty Level of JEE Advanced 2025?
There were two major implications in the JEE Advanced 2025 difficulty level due to changes made in paper 2:
More integer-type questions and no Matrix match/paragraph-type questions led to more precise problem solving: Firstly, the NAT format demands precision. Unlike MCQs or matrix match questions, where options can sometimes guide the problem-solving process, integer-type questions required candidates to calculate and input exact answers, sometimes to within two decimal places. This eliminated any chance-based strategies and placed a premium on both accuracy and clarity of concept.
Time management became difficult: Secondly, the increase in NAT questions significantly strained time management. These questions were reported to be more calculative and lengthy, especially in Mathematics. The absence of relatively quicker question types like matrix match or paragraph comprehension meant that students had to spend more time per question, making it difficult to maintain a steady pace throughout the paper.
These changes reflected a deliberate shift in strategy by IIT Kanpur to assess a candidate's depth of understanding and the ability to solve complex problems under pressure, rather than pattern recognition or elimination strategies. As a result, many aspirants found Paper 2 noticeably tougher than Paper 1. The psychological impact of facing a surprising change in pattern mid-way through the exam also affected performance and confidence in some candidates.
Self-study can definitely be enough for preparing for JEE Advanced, but it largely depends on how disciplined, focused, and systematic your approach is. Many students who successfully crack JEE Advanced have done so through self-study, but it requires dedication, strategic planning, and good time management.
- Choose the right study materials. Books like HC Verma (Physics), IIT Chemistry series (Chemistry), and Cengage or TMH for Mathematics are popular among JEE aspirants. Additionally, refer to previous years' question papers and mock tests.
- JEE Advanced is known for testing deep conceptual understanding. So, focus on building strong foundations in basic concepts before moving on to advanced problems.
- Make a realistic timetable and stick to it. Divide time wisely between topics and practice. Set weekly or monthly goals to track your progress.
- Initially, focus on understanding the concepts, and then move to solving problems of varying difficulty. Mock tests and solving previous year papers can be especially useful.
- Consistency is key. Devote a set amount of time each day to study, even if it's just a few hours. Avoid large gaps between study sessions.
- Regularly assess your understanding by taking mock tests and solving previous year papers. This will help identify weak areas and refine your strategy.
- Since you're studying independently, maintaining motivation can be challenging. Break down larger tasks into smaller chunks, celebrate small achievements, and stay focused on your goals.
Self-study can work as effectively as coaching if you're self-disciplined and proactive about addressing doubts. However, many students find that a mix of self-study and structured coaching works best because coaching can provide direction, mentorship, and strategies for tackling competitive exams. Ultimately, the key is to maintain consistency, focus, and clarity in your preparation approach.
It is a very relatable thing. A good score in JEE Advanced will depend on various factors one of them being the cutoff. Further, the cutoff will depend on various factors like the difficulty level, paper pattern, number of seats in the IITs, number of candidtaes taking the exam and so on. Therefore, it is difficult to say what will be a safe score. However, 300+ is a safe score in JEE Advanced if the total marks in the paper are 360.
In 2024, the cutoff has been the highest in recent years. In 2024, the cutoff marks were 109 marks for the Common rank list (CRL) out of 360 marks. For the GEN-EWS and OBC-NCL rank list, the cutoff marks are 98; for SC/ST/Common-PwD/GEN-EWS-PwD/OBC-NCL-PwD/SC-PwD/ST-PwD, is 54 marks and for Preparatory course rank lists, it is 27 marks.
In conclusion, while JEE Advanced has always been designed to test the very best, the 2025 edition underscored this intent even more. The changes introduced by IIT Kanpur pushed candidates to demonstrate not just knowledge, but also composure, time management, and conceptual clarity under stress.
IIT Kanpur will release the JEE Advanced 2025 response sheet on May 22, and the official JEE Advanced answer keys will be available on May 26. The JEE Advanced 2025 result will be out on June 2.
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Candidates will only know their allotted JEE Advanced exam centre after the release of the admit card. There is no way to determine the test centre prior to this. The examination authority assigns a test centre in the city of the candidate's first preference, as specified in the application form. Therefore, candidates can be assured that they will receive a test centre in their chosen first-preference city. However, the specific venue details will be available only on the admit card. Once the JEE Advanced admit card is released, candidates should promptly check their test city and centre information. To avoid any confusion, it is recommended that candidates visit the centre at least once before the exam day.