JEE vs. state engineering exams: Which one should you focus on?

Engineering is the keyway to most of the careers in the world. Engineering acts as the base for all the top technologies. We can develop numerous technologies in blockchain, artificial intelligence, machine learning, and automation with the help of engineering sciences. All these branches are termed circuited branches in engineering.

Apart from that, there are many other non-circuit branches in engineering, namely mechanical, civil, industrial, etc. Their job markets are very high and always demanding. No wonder why engineering is the dream for so many students out there.

In this article, let us see what examinations we should have to take to get admitted into engineering colleges and pursue the dream of being a successful engineer. This article will focus on whether we need to take the generalised engineering examination, which is JEE, or the state entrance examinations, which differ depending on the university.

What is an engineering entrance exam?

An entrance exam can be defined as a test that one needs to take to get admitted into educational institutions. Similarly, an engineering exam is a ticket to enter into top engineering colleges and universities. Various entrance exams are being held across the country, even worldwide.

Moreover, these exams are mainly classified into state entrance exams and central entrance exams in our nation. State engineering entrance exams are conducted either by the state or by the universities themselves, and there are many such exams in that regard for each state. Similarly, most students prefer two common central engineering entrance exams: GATE (after undergraduation, for applying in post graduation courses) and JEE (for getting admission in undergraduate courses). There are two forms of JEE exams. One is JEE Main, and the other is JEE Advanced.

JEE Main and JEE Advanced

After finishing the 12th standard, the engineering aspirants will be taking JEE Mains. It acts as the pathway for IITs and NITs. Once the students have cleared the JEE Main examination, the next step is to clear JEE Advanced, the final exam.

Below provided is the tabulation of the difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced:

There are three papers that one needs to answer in JEE Main. They are given below:

1. Paper 1: It is a BE / BTech paper. The aspirants can write this paper only using a computer since it is a computer-based test (CBT).
2. Paper 2 A: Paper 2 A is a BArch paper. The candidates need to write Part 1 and Part 2 in CBT mode. These two sections contain the Mathematics test and Aptitude test, respectively. Part 3 of this paper contains a Drawing test. It needs to be done on paper since its mode is pen and paper. The students attempt this section on an A4 size drawing sheet.
3. Paper 2 B: This paper is a B.Planning paper. This paper can be attempted in CBT mode only. There are three sections. Part 1 of this paper contains a Maths test, whereas Part 2 consists of an Aptitude test. The third section, which is Part 3, contains Planning-based questions.

The marking scheme of JEE 2022 is very simple. For every right answer, the candidates get 4 marks, whereas, for every wrong one, they get a negative (- 1) mark.

State-level entrance exams

Each state conducts State-level entrance exams in our country. There are one or more than one exams for every state. The government of the particular states holds these exams. The main objective of such examinations is to admit qualified students into UG programs in polytechnic, engineering, allied health science, and certain other programs. They offer state quota seats for eligible candidates. 

Some of the state-level exams are provided below:

1. TANCET

TANCET is Tamil Nadu Common Entrance Test, a state-level entrance exam conducted by the TN government. It is conducted so that the PG aspirants can get admitted into any engineering or management courses. The candidates who got qualified after completing this exam will get admission into top universities across the state of Tamil Nadu.

2. MH CET

MH CET is the Maharashtra Common Entrance Test, a state-level entrance examination conducted by the government of Maharashtra. This exam could potentially admit the students into technology, engineering, and pharmacy courses. Several private and government colleges offer all these courses across Maharashtra. The regulation of this test is done by Govt. of Maharashtra’s State Common Entrance Test Cell.

3. KCET

KCET is Karnataka Common Entrance Test, a state-level exam organised by KEA (Karnataka Examinations Authority). The other names of this test are KCET or Kar CET. It provides opportunities for candidates and helps them get admitted into engineering and pharmacy courses inside the state of Karnataka.

4. CET Delhi

CET Delhi (Delhi Polytechnic) is offered by the Delhi Department of Training and Technical Education. It is a state-level examination mainly for aspirants seeking admissions in diploma courses for engineering and non-engineering courses. It also enables the students to obtain admission into the second year of engineering diploma programs in various Delhi institutions.

5. GCET

The full form of GCET is the Goa Common Entrance Test. It is a state-level exam conducted to help students get admitted into professional degree courses in architecture, pharmacy, engineering, etc. The Directorate of Technical Education of Goa is the one that organises this test.

Private university entrance exams

Apart from the state and national level exams, many top universities in our country conduct entrance exams to get admitted into them. These are specific tests for each university. Most of the universities that offer such exams are deemed universities.

The students get admitted based on their marks in these tests conducted by private universities. The following are some of the top private university examinations:

• AEEE – Amrita Entrance Examination (Engineering).
• BITSAT – Birla Institute of Technology and Science Admission Test.
• VITEEE – Vellore Institute of Technology Engineering Entrance Exam.
• KIITEE – Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology Entrance Examination.
• GITAM GAT – Gandhi Institute of Technology and Management.
• DTU – Delhi Technical University
• AMUEEE – Aligarh Muslim University Engineering Entrance Exam

The major difference between JEE and state engineering examinations

One huge advantage of appearing for JEE is that it is the most common examination in our country. It is acceptable by India’s top universities like NITs and IITs. Apart from that, the students can use the JEE score to get admitted into other top universities across the country due to its reputation. Therefore, JEE 2022 acts as one big road, with which one can choose the college based on their marks, and they do not need more entrance exams to get admission. 

However, writing state-level examinations have some limitations. One can only choose the college in the same state as their examination. The scores obtained in state-level tests are not valid outside the state and require different exams if the candidates want to join the college in another state. It will just be a hassle for students.

Hence, the students should focus on the JEE examination rather than the state-level ones if they want to join any reputed university in India. It acts as a pathway to obtaining admission anywhere in our country. 

In contrast, if a student has decided for himself and only wants to study at a certain state, he can opt for state level-specific examination. For example, if a Pondicherry student wants to study in his state itself, he can opt to attempt CENTAC, a specific test conducted in Puducherry. 

Conclusion

In conclusion, we have seen everything related to different formats of entrance examinations conducted in our country. We also saw the major differences between national-level vs. state-level examinations. From the above, one can conclude that both the formats have their advantages.

However, the decision is solely based on the choice of the students. If students want to study anywhere in India, they could attempt the JEE exam. Or else, if they want to study in their state or a specific state of their choice, they could opt to write state-level exams. Therefore, the students can choose accordingly.

FAQs

Q. Can I enter an engineering college without clearing the JEE exam?

A. Yes, it is possible to enter engineering institutions without attempting the JEE examination. JEE is an exam conducted by the National Testing Agency of India. It is commonly referred to as NTA. The major purpose of this test is to help students obtain admission to any of the top-tier institutions across the nation. Almost all universities accept JEE scores.

However, it is not mandatory to obtain seats in engineering colleges. It is only compulsory for IITs and NITs, and other national-level institutions. Many colleges give seats to students based on their 12th standard cutoff marks.

Q. What if I fail in the JEE Mains?

A. There is nothing to worry about even if you fail in JEE. You will be provided with a few options, with which you could choose one to pursue your engineering dream. You could either retake the exam or go on attempting any state-level or university-level examinations. In India, many deemed universities conduct their examinations.

Q. For which domain is JEE necessary?

A. JEE, also known as Joint Entrance Examination, is a test conducted for the students who want to pursue their careers in engineering and technology at any of the top-ranked universities in our country. 

Q. Mention some of the private university entrance exams.

A. Many of the top private institutions in India have their entrance exams. If students score sufficient marks, they can get admitted into such universities. 

Below mentioned are some of the private university examinations conducted throughout the country:

• BITSAT
• AEEE
• SRMJEEE
• VITEEE
• AMUEEE
• DTU

Q. What is the state engineering service exam?

A. ESE, also known as Engineering Services Examination, is an exam organised by UPSC to help recruit engineers. They hire engineers in four domains, specifically in mechanical, civil, electrical & electronics, and telecommunications, especially for techno-managerial posts.