Over 10,000 girls qualified in JEE Advanced 2026 for first time, says IIT Roorkee
Roorkee, June 6
Over 10,000 girls qualified for IITs via JEE Advanced 2026 for the first time, recording the highest-ever pass rate among female aspirants, said IIT Roorkee on Friday.
Highlighting the growing participation of women in technical education, IIT Roorkee said, "The trend reflects the growing participation of young women in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) education, with the number of female candidates appearing for JEE Advanced increasing significantly in recent years."
On the significance of the achievement, the institute noted, "The record qualification figures highlight the expanding talent pool of women aspiring to pursue engineering and technology education at the country's premier institutions."
IIT Roorkee added, "While we strive for an even better ratio, this achievement represents a significant step towards greater gender diversity in technical education and reinforces the ongoing transformation of India's STEM ecosystem through broader access, opportunity and participation."
Meanwhile, Arohi Deshpande of the IIT Delhi zone was the top-ranked woman candidate, obtaining 280 out of the 360 marks. She got the 77th rank in the Common Rank List (CRL).
The results of JEE Advanced 2026 have been announced on June 1, with Subham Kumar from the IIT Delhi zone securing All India Rank (AIR) 1. He topped the examination with 330 marks out of a total of 360.
According to an official release, Kabir Chhillar secured second place with 329 marks, and Jatin Chahar secured third place with 319 marks. The top three belonged to the IIT Delhi zone, marking a clear dominance of the zone in the exam results.A total of 1,87,389 registered in JEE (Advanced) 2026, and out of which 1,79,694 candidates appeared in both papers 1 and 2 in JEE (Advanced), held on May 17. In this exam, 56,880 candidates have qualified. Of the total qualified candidates, 10,107 are female candidates.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Honestly, while this is a good step, the ratio is still far from ideal. Out of 56,880 qualified candidates, only 10,107 are girls - still less than 20%. We need more systemic changes in how girls are encouraged to pursue STEM from school level. Many parents still think engineering is for boys. Token celebrations won't fix deep-rooted societal bias.
So proud of Arohi Deshpande! 280 out of 360 marks and rank 77 in CRL - that's exceptional. But let's not forget the coaching industry that makes this possible. The fact that both top scorers are from IIT Delhi zone shows how much geography and access to good coaching matters. Rural students, especially girls from small towns, still struggle immensely. We need more online resources and regional coaching centers.
Great achievement for the nation! 🇮🇳 But does anyone else think that the emphasis on 'girls qualifying' is a bit patronizing? We should celebrate all candidates equally. That said, it's good to see numbers improving. My daughter is in Kota right now for JEE prep - these results give us hope. But the pressure on these kids is immense. Hope IITs provide proper mental health support.
Interesting report. Coming from the US, we don't have a single exam that determines so much of a person's future. While 10,000+ girls qualifying is impressive, I wonder about the opportunity cost - are these students missing out on holistic development during their high school years? Still, India's focus on STEM is admirable. Good luck to all the new IITians!
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