Olympiad Toppers Enter IIT Kanpur Without JEE Advanced
Kanpur, August 2025: In a first-of-its-kind move, the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur (IIT-Kanpur) has admitted five students directly into its BTech and BS programmes without requiring them to clear the JEE Advanced examination. Instead, the admissions were granted on the basis of the students’ exceptional performance in international science Olympiads and training camps.
A New Admission Pathway
This initiative is part of IIT-Kanpur’s effort to recognize and nurture exceptional talent that may not fit into the conventional JEE framework.
“We initiated this channel to admit bright students who may not be able to do well in JEE Advanced due to their preoccupation with Olympiad training. We hope this will encourage more students to take Olympiads seriously and bring laurels to the country,” said Prof. Manindra Agrawal, Director of IIT-Kanpur.
Wider IIT Participation
The move comes at a time when several IITs are opening alternative admission routes to diversify student intake:
IIT-Madras has launched Sports Excellence Admission (SEA) and Science Olympiad Excellence Admissions (SCOPE).
IIT-Gandhinagar has introduced its own Olympiad-based admissions.
IIT-Bombay will admit students to its BS Mathematics programme through the Indian National Mathematical Olympiad (INMO) pathway.
A Step Towards Inclusivity
Experts say this marks a significant shift in India’s higher education admission landscape. By moving beyond JEE Advanced, IITs are:
Encouraging Olympiad participation.
Recognizing diverse talents in science, mathematics, and sports.
Making the system more inclusive for bright students with varied academic journeys.
Key Takeaway: The admission of Olympiad toppers into IIT Kanpur without JEE Advanced could inspire other IITs and top universities to adopt multi-channel admission systems, ensuring that excellence in different domains gets its due recognition.