CHENNAI: Despite being part of the southern region known for strong performance in JEE Advanced, Tamil Nadu continues to trail behind with only 23.9% of candidates who appeared from the state clearing the exam this year.
Of the 7,787 students from Tamil Nadu who appeared, only 1,859 qualified - a lower success rate compared to Telangana (5,964), Andhra Pradesh (5,317), and Karnataka (2,915), all of which recorded a pass percentage above 30%.
Across the country, of the 1,80,422 candidates who appeared for the exam, 54,378 cleared it, showing that Tamil Nadu’s pass percentage is also below the national average of 30.1%. Kerala performed marginally lower than Tamil Nadu with 23.3%, while Bihar recorded 20.6%.
When compared to other states and union territories from which at least 1,000 students appeared for the exam, Tamil Nadu ranks third from the bottom above Kerala and Bihar.
However, in absolute numbers, a few more students from Bihar (1,876) cleared the examination. Many states including West Bengal (35.3%), Punjab (34.7%), Rajasthan (34.5%), Haryana (32.3%), and Maharashtra (32.4%) outperformed Tamil Nadu.
Experts attribute the trend to multiple factors, including the dominance of the state board curriculum, broader access to higher education within Tamil Nadu, and a general lack of awareness about the exam. They also note that the number of candidates appearing for and clearing the exam has remained largely stagnant over the years.
Though the state government has revised the school syllabus to align better with national-level entrance exams, experts say it is unclear whether teachers and students have effectively adapted to the changes.
“JEE preparation requires in-depth understanding of concepts. Apart from Chennai and Coimbatore, even cities like Madurai lack quality coaching centres. In contrast, states like Andhra Pradesh and Telangana begin coaching early, giving students an edge,” said B Pavan Kumar, a Physics professor and IIT-JEE coach.
S Vasuki Vinothini, CMD of Kurukshetra IAS Academy, added that many students prefer top government and private engineering colleges within Tamil Nadu, which offer strong placements and research opportunities. She said the government is now working to increase awareness and support for government school students, particularly in rural areas, to improve participation and success in national entrance exams.