# IIT Kanpur Director Hints At Third Attempt For JEE Advanced And Expresses Concern Over Coaching Culture

> IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agrawal has hinted that the number of attempts for the JEE Advanced exam could be increased to three in the coming years. He also expressed deep concern over the exam's growing dependence on expensive coaching centers.

**Type:** article · **Category:** Career · **Published:** 2026-10-18 · **Source:** TrendKia
**Canonical:** https://trendkia.com/en/career/jee-advanced-mein-teesre-prayas-par-vichar-manindra-agrawal-ne-coaching-ki-bhumika-par-jatai-chinta-49112 · **Language:** English
**Tags:** JEE Advanced, IIT Kanpur, Manindra Agrawal, Engineering Entrance, Coaching Culture, Education Policy

Considered one of the toughest engineering entrance tests in the country, the rules governing the JEE Advanced examination are currently under review for potential restructuring. Discussions are underway indicating that students might soon be granted up to three attempts instead of the existing limit of two. For a long time, lakhs of young aspirants across the nation have been demanding an extension in the attempt limits, citing the disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic and other exceptional hardships. Addressing this vital matter, IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agrawal has provided a significant indication that has sparked fresh discussions across academic circles.

## Current Regulations and the Student Petition
Under the prevailing guidelines, an applicant is permitted to take the JEE Advanced exam for a maximum of two consecutive years, specifically the year they pass their 12th board exams and the immediately following year. Following the special relaxations granted during the coronavirus outbreak, students have persistently demanded that this concession be made a permanent three-attempt policy. Recently, over 12,000 candidates signed an online petition to amplify this demand, bringing the matter back into active public debate. This has ignited widespread discussions regarding whether the current pattern of the examination has become overly dependent on commercial coaching institutes.

## The Stance of the IIT Director
During an event, IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agrawal openly acknowledged that while no immediate changes are being implemented right away, the prospect could certainly be explored over the coming years. He did not rule out the possibility of introducing a third attempt in the future. Academic experts note that if this policy eventually materializes, it will offer immense relief to candidates who struggle with unforeseen setbacks during their initial academic windows.

## Deep Concerns Over Coaching Dependency
Director Manindra Agrawal voiced serious apprehension over the reality that JEE Advanced has progressively transformed into an examination that relies almost entirely on rigorous coaching. The prevailing consensus among aspirants is that cracking this test without enrolling in expensive coaching programs has become exceedingly difficult. This dynamic places severe mental and financial stress on bright students coming from ordinary and economically weaker backgrounds. To counteract this trend, the IIT administration is actively brainstorming structural changes to the exam format to diminish the dominance of coaching syndicates and promote genuine conceptual understanding over rote learning.

## Reforming the Exam Pattern and Moving Away From Rote Learning
Educational experts emphasize that merely increasing the number of attempts will not completely resolve the underlying systemic challenges. It is essential to align the JEE Advanced pattern with foundational school education and conclusive thinking skills. Students preparing for the examination are advised not to rely solely on shortcuts provided by coaching centers, but rather to strengthen their fundamentals using NCERT textbooks and focus on conceptual clarity. The IITs are increasingly designing questions that demand mental agility and problem-solving capabilities rather than mere memorization.

## Who Stands to Benefit and Potential Drawbacks
If the three-attempt rule is officially enforced in the future, it will predominantly aid brilliant students from remote or rural regions who receive accurate guidance about the competitive exam at a slightly later stage. Furthermore, students who lose an attempt due to severe illness, family emergencies, or uncontrollable external factors will be able to re-attempt the test without fearing the complete derailment of their careers. Conversely, some analysts caution that introducing a third attempt might encourage students to spend an additional year preparing, thereby increasing the financial burden of coaching fees on their families.

## What this means for you
The possibility of policy revisions in the JEE Advanced examination will directly impact lakhs of engineering aspirants and their families across the nation.

- **Across India:** Engineering aspirants nationwide can expect a potential third attempt in the future, providing crucial relief to candidates from remote areas. This shift will particularly benefit students who lose an attempt due to unforeseen personal or medical emergencies.
- **Impact on Coaching:** Structural changes in the exam pattern could curb the overwhelming dominance of commercial coaching institutes. This will assist talented students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds in succeeding without needing to spend heavily on exorbitant coaching fees.

## Why this happened
The deliberation over revising JEE Advanced rules and introducing a third attempt stems from persistent student demands and growing structural flaws within the testing system.

- **Student Petitions:** Following special relaxations granted during the COVID-19 pandemic, over twelve thousand students campaigned through an online petition demanding a permanent third attempt.
- **Coaching Dominance:** The examination format has evolved to become so heavily dependent on coaching that cracking it without expensive preparation has become extremely difficult for ordinary families.
- **Administrative Review:** The IIT administration is actively examining ways to dismantle rote-learning tendencies and foster genuine conceptual clarity through revised question patterns.

## Questions & Answers

### 1. How many attempts are currently allowed in the JEE Advanced exam?
Under existing rules, a candidate can take the JEE Advanced examination a maximum of two times, which includes the year of passing 12th board exams and the immediately following year.

### 2. Is there a possibility of getting a third attempt in JEE Advanced?
IIT Kanpur Director Manindra Agrawal has indicated that the proposal for a third attempt could be considered in the coming years.

### 3. What step have students taken regarding the third attempt demand?
Recently, more than twelve thousand aspirants signed an online petition to strongly advocate for a permanent third attempt in the JEE Advanced examination.

### 4. What concern did the IIT Director raise regarding the coaching culture?
Director Manindra Agrawal acknowledged that the exam has become entirely dependent on coaching, placing heavy financial and mental pressure on children from ordinary families.

### 5. What kind of changes are expected in the future exam pattern?
The IIT administration is deliberating on a pattern shift that evaluates fundamental conceptual and analytical thinking rather than promoting rote memorization.

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