Engineering Exam: What You Need to Know About IIT JEE, Seats, and Prep in 2025

When you’re preparing for an engineering exam, a high-stakes entrance test in India that determines admission to top engineering colleges like the IITs. Also known as JEE Main or JEE Advanced, it’s not just about memorizing formulas—it’s about solving problems under pressure, managing time, and staying consistent for months. Every year, over 1.5 million students take the JEE, but only about 18,000 get into an IIT. That’s less than 1.2% acceptance rate. It’s not luck. It’s strategy.

The IIT seats, the total number of undergraduate engineering positions across all 23 IITs in India. Also known as IIT admission capacity, they’re split between general, OBC, SC, ST, and EWS categories—and even between home state and all-India quotas. If you’re aiming for Computer Science at IIT Bombay, you’ll need a rank under 500. At IIT Madras or IIT Delhi, it’s closer to 800–1,000. But if you’re from a state with a high home quota, your cutoff might be lower. That’s why knowing your state’s reservation rules matters as much as your score.

And it’s not just about the exam. The real challenge starts after you clear JEE. You need to manage stress, avoid burnout, and build real problem-solving skills—not just practice papers. That’s why top performers don’t just study 12 hours a day. They study smart: analyzing mistakes, revisiting weak topics, and taking timed mock tests that mimic the actual exam pressure. Some of the best prep happens in cities like Kota, Hyderabad, and Delhi—but the right environment depends on your learning style. Do you need the chaos of a coaching hub? Or a quieter space to focus?

You don’t need to be a math genius to crack the engineering exam. Most questions test logic and application, not advanced calculus. You need to understand how to break down a problem, spot patterns, and eliminate wrong options fast. That’s why so many students who struggled in school end up ranking high—they learned how to think, not just memorize.

And if you’re wondering what comes after the exam? Engineering degrees like B.Tech are among the toughest in India, according to CBSE students. The pressure doesn’t stop when you get in. But if you’ve made it this far, you’ve already proven you can handle it. Below, you’ll find real advice from students and teachers who’ve been through it: how many hours to study, which IITs are hardest to get into, what salary you can expect after graduation, and how to avoid common mistakes that cost people their ranks.