NEET, JEE Main 2022: Age, application number to factor in tie-breaking

NEET, JEE Main 2022: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has brought back the age factor as one of the criteria for breaking ties in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) 2022 and the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2022. The NTA was following this till 2020 but in a major shift, it dropped the age criterion from the tie-breaking policy last year.

The NTA has added another feature in the tie-breaking policy of NEET 2022 and JEE Main 2022– application numbers in ascending order. This means if two candidates score the same marks or percentile in the entrance examinations and their ties cannot be resolved using other methods, the one who applied for the exam before will be given priority in the merit list.

Method for breaking tie in JEE Main 2022

Tie between candidates obtaining equal scores in paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech) will be resolved in the following manner in descending order:

1. NTA score in Mathematics, followed by

2. NTA score in Physics

3. NTA score in Chemistry

4. Candidate with less proportion of a number of attempted incorrect answers and correct answers in all the subjects

5. Candidate with less proportion of a number of attempted incorrect answers and correct answers in Mathematics

6. Candidate with less proportion of a number of attempted incorrect answers and correct answers in Physics

7. Candidate with less proportion of a number of attempted incorrect answers and correct answers in Chemistry

8. The candidate older in Age followed by

9. Application Number in ascending order

A similar method will be used for JEE Main paper 2. Candidates can refer to the information bulletin to find out the details.

Method for breaking tie in NEET 2022

The candidate obtaining higher marks/percentile score in Biology (Botany & Zoology) will be given preference in the merit list, followed by

Candidate obtaining higher marks/percentile Chemistry

Candidate obtaining higher marks/percentile in Physics

Candidate with less proportion of the number of attempted incorrect answers and correct answers in all the subjects in

Candidate with less proportion of a number of attempted incorrect answers and correct answers in Biology

Candidate with less proportion of a number of attempted incorrect answers and correct answers in Chemistry

Candidate with less proportion of a number of attempted incorrect answers and correct answers in Physics

Candidate older in age, followed by

Application number in ascending order

In NEET 2020, two candidates – Odisha’s Soyeb Aftab and Uttar Pradesh’s Akanksha Singh – had scored 720 out of 720, but the former was given the all India rank 1 due to his older age.

In the following year, the NTA had dropped the age factor for determining ranks and multiple candidates had secured the top ranks based on it.

However, the NTA later said the age criterion will factor in the counselling process.

This year, the agency will use the age limit and application numbers as two criteria for determining the ranks.