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The Print
4 days ago
- Science
- The Print
JEE Advanced 2025 results: IIT cutoffs drop to three-year low
Every year, the IITs announce the minimum aggregate marks and subject-wise marks for admission, which are calculated based on the total marks obtained in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry in the JEE (Advanced) exam. Candidates have to satisfy both subject-wise and aggregate qualifying marks to be included in the rank list. The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) (Advanced) 2025 was conducted by IIT Kanpur on 18 May. A total of 1,80,422 candidates appeared for the exam, of which 54,378 (approximately 30.1 percent) have qualified. The pass percentage has increased this year from 26.7 percent last year when 48,248 out of 1,80,422 candidates had qualified. New Delhi: The minimum cutoff for admissions to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) has dropped significantly this year to a three-year low, falling nearly 10 percentage points—from 30.34 percent last year to 20.56 percent—according to the JEE (Advanced) results announced on Monday. The minimum aggregate cutoff for the general category this year is 20.56 percent, which is 10 percentage points lower than last year's 30.34 percent. Earlier, a similar drop was seen in 2020, when it dropped to 17.42 percent amid the Covid pandemic, down from 25 percent in both 2019 and 2018. In 2021, the minimum cutoff remained at 17.5 percent, and in 2022, it further declined to 15.28 percent. However, it rebounded to 23.89 percent in 2023 and rose to 30.28 percent in 2024. While IIT Kanpur officials declined to comment on the reasons behind this year's drop, teachers and experts attributed the decrease to the perceived difficulty of JEE Advanced 2025. Although the overall exam pattern remained consistent, certain sections—particularly Physics and Mathematics—were reported to be more challenging than in previous years. 'Both physics and mathematics exams were tough comparatively and it is due to this that the cutoff has gone down,' a physics teacher at Prudence coaching in Kota said. Keshav Agarwal, President of the Coaching Federation of India, said this year's Physics paper raised serious concerns among both students and educators. 'Around five questions were challenged by candidates, following which one was dropped and the answer to another was revised. Such issues not only undermine the credibility of a highly competitive exam but also cause significant stress and confusion among aspirants,' he said. 'We hope that such fundamental oversights are addressed proactively, and the sanctity of the examination is upheld—not just through its difficulty level, but through its fairness and precision,' he said. Meanwhile, a professor at IIT Delhi said that there were approximately 17,700 seats available across the IITs, and at least three candidates need to be shortlisted for each seat for counselling. 'It's possible that the exam was more difficult this year, leading to a dip in student performance. As a result, the cutoff may have been lowered to ensure the required number of candidates were eligible for counselling,' the professor added. Also Read: To use or not, is no longer the question. From IITs to DU, universities are fighting unethical AI use Cutoff, minimum marks dropped across all categories According to data shared by IIT Kanpur, the minimum aggregate marks required to make the merit list dropped across all categories this year. For the general category, the cutoff fell from 109 marks last year to 74 this year. For OBC candidates, it decreased from 98 to 66 marks, while for SC and ST candidates, it dropped from 54 to 37 marks. The minimum marks per subject also declined, falling from 10 to 7 marks for the general category, with similar decreases observed across other categories. In percentage terms, the minimum aggregate cutoff for the OBC category dropped from 27.30 percent last year to 18.5 percent this year. For SC and ST candidates, it fell from 15.17 percent to 10.28 percent. Rajit Gupta from the IIT Delhi zone is the top ranker in the Common Rank List (CRL), having scored 332 out of 360 marks. Devdutta Majhi from the IIT Kharagpur zone is the top-ranked female candidate with a CRL of 16, securing 312 out of 360 marks. Of the 54,378 candidates who qualified this year's exam, 17,511 (approximately 32.2 percent) are from the general category (including PwD), 12,822 (23.6 percent) from the OBC category (including PwD), 12,528 (23 percent) from the SC category, and 5,017 (9.2 percent) from the ST category. The remaining candidates qualified under the EWS category. The counselling process for IIT admissions is set to begin on Wednesday. (Edited by Tony Rai) Also Read: 'Everything at stake' for Indian students as US pauses visa interviews amid social media vetting plan
Time of India
15-05-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Developers expand senior living footprint as occupancy, lifestyle preferences drive growth
NEW DELHI: With India's senior population expected to grow by 121% by 2050 and urban over-50s set to comprise 38% of the population, according to a recent report by Capgemini , developers are scaling up urban senior housing across metros and large cities. Ashiana Housing , one of the early entrants in the space, is ramping up its investments in cities like Chennai, Delhi NCR, Pune, and Bengaluru. 'We've seen strong market response. In places like Chennai and Delhi, we don't even have units left to rent or resell,' said Ankur Gupta, joint managing director of the company. "We're planning 4–6 new senior living projects this year and expanding from one to multiple projects per location." Srijan Realty, in partnership with Primus Senior Living, launched its first senior project in Kolkata, with a ₹100 crore investment. 'We see demand rising in Kolkata's EM Bypass, Rajarhat and New Town. We're creating experience-led communities with integrated healthcare, smart monitoring, and senior-specific design,' said Keshav Agarwal, director of the company. Antara Senior Care , backed by Max Group, is expanding its senior living model from Dehradun and NCR to Chandigarh and Gurugram Phase 2, with an annual development target of 1.5 million sq. ft. "We're seeing strong demand from NRIs, HNIs, and tier-I city seniors,' said Rajit Mehta, managing director & CEO of the company. For all three developers, demand has shifted toward lifestyle services and medical infrastructure. 'Today's buyers are proactive, planning communities around social connection, comfort, and on-call care,' said Gupta. Capgemini's findings show 46% of Indian seniors are prioritizing experiences over real estate upgrades, indicating a strong tailwind for senior living models focused on community, convenience, and health infrastructure. 'Senior living is no longer about just real estate—it's about lifestyle and care,' said Shreya Anand, director at Vedaanta Senior Living . The company is investing ₹300 crore over the next three years to expand its footprint across South India and emerging tier-2 cities like Coimbatore, Mysuru, and Thrissur. Anantharam Varayur, co-founder of Manasum Senior Living , echoed a similar sentiment: 'We've restructured operations to focus on affordability without compromising care. We've cut costs by 25–30% through direct hiring and in-house training, while also enhancing resident service quality.' Both developers are addressing healthcare as a core pillar. Manasum has tied up with hospitals such as Sparsh and BGS Global, offering 24/7 nursing, on-site healthcare, and priority hospital access. Vedaanta offers a layered care system, blending in-house medical teams with technology-based wellness tracking. 'Our integrated townships offer seamless transitions from independent to assisted care,' Anand said. These operators are aligning with the Capgemini report's observation that aging societies will drive consumer shifts away from asset accumulation toward lifestyle services. With the majority of respondents indicating a desire for experience-led living, developers are leaning into personalization, flexible leasing, and community-based living formats. What's clear is that India's senior housing market is transitioning from niche to necessity—and the new age of aging will demand more than just homes.
