IIT Council Proposes Adaptive JEE Advanced with Ability-Based Exam Pattern

In an effort to make the JEE Advanced examination more student-friendly and less stressful, the IIT Council has proposed exploring an adaptive testing format for the exam. Under this model, questions would be generated dynamically and adjusted in real time based on a candidate’s performance and ability.

The proposal was discussed during an IIT Council meeting held on August 25, 2025, the minutes of which were released recently. The Council recommended that an expert committee examine the feasibility, logistics, and impact of introducing adaptive testing in JEE Advanced.

As an initial step, the Council suggested conducting an optional pilot adaptive test ahead of the JEE Advanced 2026 examination. The pilot would help collect performance data and enable the formulation of a phased roadmap with defined timelines for a possible transition to adaptive testing.

The IIT Council, chaired by Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, includes directors of all IITs and chairpersons of their Boards of Governors. The meeting was held after a gap of two years.

According to the meeting minutes, IIT Kanpur Director Prof Manindra Agrawal highlighted concerns about the current exam structure, the growing influence of the coaching industry, and the emotional and financial stress faced by students and families. He emphasised the need for an exam that better evaluates critical thinking, reasoning, and aptitude rather than rote preparation.

In an adaptive exam system, candidates would begin with simpler questions, and the difficulty level would progressively increase based on correct responses. Over time, the system would accurately assess a student’s capability level. Prof Agrawal noted that such a model could reduce coaching dependency, enhance fairness, and allow for secure and flexible testing environments.

The Council recommended that a panel led by the JEE Apex Board (JAB) and IIT Kanpur further examine the proposal, including the development of tools capable of generating questions across varying difficulty levels. It also suggested holding a free mock test two months before the actual exam, which is usually conducted in May. In 2025, over 1.8 lakh candidates appeared for JEE Advanced, with 54,378 students qualifying.

Meanwhile, the Council also addressed concerns around student mental health amid recent suicides at IITs. It recommended the creation of sanctioned posts for mental health professionals, including counsellors, psychologists, and psychiatrists, across IIT campuses. IIT Gandhinagar has been tasked with designing a structured framework for these posts, including promotion pathways and quality assessment mechanisms.

Officials noted that while IITs currently follow different counselling models, efforts are underway to create a uniform and sustainable mental health support system, which will be presented at the next IIT Council meeting.