How is the JEE Main result calculated?

The JEE Main result is calculated based on a process known as normalization, which is used to ensure fairness and equity in comparing candidates’ performances across multiple sessions of the exam. Here’s how it’s done:

• Raw Score Calculation: The raw score for each candidate is calculated first. This is based on the number of correct and incorrect answers in the exam, following the exam’s marking scheme (usually +4 for a correct answer and -1 for an incorrect answer, with no marks deducted for unattempted questions).
• Percentile Scores for Each Subject: A percentile score is calculated for each subject (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) as well as the total. The percentile score represents how a candidate has performed in comparison to all the other candidates who appeared in the same session. It is calculated using the formula:
• Percentile Score=(Number of candidates who scored equal to or less than youTotal number of candidates who appeared)×100

Percentile Score=(Total number of candidates who appeared/Number of candidates who scored equal to or less than you)×100

• Normalization Across Different Sessions: Since JEE Main is conducted in multiple sessions with different question sets, normalization is done to ensure that no candidate gets an advantage or disadvantage due to variations in the difficulty level of different sets. The percentile scores are used for this normalization.
• Final Merit List: The percentile scores from all the sessions are merged to create an overall merit list. In case of a tie (where two or more candidates have the same percentile score), tie-breaking criteria are used, which may include higher scores in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry, and finally the age of the candidates.
• All India Rank (AIR): Based on the combined percentile scores, the All India Rank (AIR) is assigned to each candidate. This rank is used for admissions into various engineering colleges.

The final result of JEE Main, thus, is a combination of the candidate’s raw scores in the exam and the percentile method, which ensures a level playing field for all candidates despite the exam being conducted in different sessions.