JEE

No, you cannot pursue a B.Sc degree at an IIT without taking the JEE exam, as the primary route for admission to undergraduate programs at IITs, including B.Sc degrees, is through the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced. However, there is a specific exception: IITs do offer B.Sc programs (such as B.Sc in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, etc.), but these are usually available at a few IITs, and admission to these courses also requires qualifying the JEE Advanced exam. The general eligibility criteria for B.Sc courses at IITs are similar to those for B.Tech programs, with candidates needing to clear JEE Mains first, followed by JEE Advanced. So, if you're interested in a B.Sc programme at IIT, you will still need to take the JEE Mains and JEE Advanced exams, as there are no alternative routes for direct admission to these courses without them.

With a score of 966 out of 1000 in your board exams and 55% in JEE Mains, your chances of securing a seat at SASTRA University depend on several factors, including the specific course you're applying for and the current year's cutoff trends. SASTRA University typically considers both the JEE Mains score and the board exam marks for admissions, with a higher emphasis on board marks. A score of 966 out of 1000 is highly competitive, and it could significantly improve your chances, especially if you're applying for popular courses like Computer Science or Electronics. However, a 55% in JEE Mains may be a bit lower than the ideal range, as top universities often prefer higher JEE scores for engineering admissions. While it's possible to get a seat, your chances would be better if your JEE score aligns more closely with the typical cutoff range. I would recommend checking the specific course-wise cutoffs for the current year on the SASTRA University website and considering alternate pathways like the university's internal exam, if applicable.

JSPM University, Pune is a relatively new institution, established in 2023 as a state private university. The university offers undergraduate and postgraduate courses, including B.Tech, MBA, LLB, and MCA, and admissions are strictly based on entrance exams such as JEE Main or MHT CET for B.Tech programs. The university focuses on providing various career-oriented opportunities, including internships and placements, with 150+ companies visiting the campus for recruitment?

With respect to your JEE Mains percentile (66%), you might get better admission chances through MHT CET as this percentile generally does not rank very high in JEE Main.

With a 12th-grade score of 64% and a JEE percentile of 22, you will find it difficult to get admitted to top-tier colleges for Computer Science Engineering (CSE) as most top institutions like NITs, IIITs, and other central universities ask for higher JEE scores. However, there are numerous other avenues and institutions through which you can pursue CSE with the qualifications you have now.
 Possible Options:
State-Level Engineering Colleges:

State counseling processes often have colleges with lower cutoffs for JEE scores. Check your state's counseling platform (e.g., BCECE for Bihar) for engineering colleges that accept JEE scores and offer CSE.
Colleges in states like Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, or Madhya Pradesh may also have options.
Private Universities and Colleges:

Many private institutions offer CSE programs and consider direct admission based on 12th-grade marks or through their own entrance exams.
Examples include:
Amity University: direct admission possible with 12th marks.
SRM Institute of Science and Technology: either through SRMJEE or direct entry
VIT University: prefers VITEEE score but also gives direct entry to some courses
Chandigarh University: accepts JEE and gives entry based on 12th performance.
Manipal Academy of Higher Education: gives entry based on MET exam but management quota is also there.

There are many choices for students with low percentiles in JEE Main for good placement in B.Tech in AI. While institutes like IITs prefer high ranks, they provide the quality institute that gives the AI programs by taking in relatively low scores. A few of these options are:

1. NIT Goa and NIT Hamirpur: The institutes take students at ranks above 70,000 and thus offer scopes in AI-related fields.
2. Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs): Institutions such as IIIT Vadodara,  IIIT Kalyani, and IIIT Una are also taking admissions even after rank is 30,000 to 70,000.
3. Private colleges: Many private engineering colleges have B.Tech. in AI, such as KCC Institute of Technology and Management, BIMTECH, etc. Even here, employment and placement-oriented courses are preferred.

A majority of these colleges also enjoy good industry relationships and offer a lot of internship opportunities, which, in turn, increase the prospects of handsome placements after graduation. Again, do verify the latest trends in cut-offs as well as admission details on the websites of the respective colleges too.