IIT placements panel discusses ban on sharing of JEE Advanced ranks with recruiters

IIT Placements 2026-27: The Indian Institutes of Technology are considering a ban on sharing Joint Entrance Examination (JEE Advanced) ranks with potential recruiters participating in IIT placements, starting from the 2026-27 session. The step, aimed at protecting students from historically-marginalised communities from discrimination, was discussed at a recent meeting of the All IITs Placement Committee (AIPC).

The next academic session of the IITs starts in August and final-year students will be drafting their CVs for the upcoming placement season, said student members of placement cells across IITs.

Sushant Kumar Shrivastava, coordinator, training and placement, IIT BHU Varanasi and co-convenor of AIPC, confirmed that the issue was discussed. “The resolution was discussed in the last AIPC meeting held at IIT BHU, the approval is awaited,” he said. He also added that at IITs, academic brilliance is valued. “We want to ensure that all students have the same experience.”

IIT placements and ‘discrimination’ against SC, ST

Students from across IIT placement cells said the proposal is still under consideration and has not been formally approved. “The discussion is happening, but it is not finalised yet. This policy may be implemented because many companies are discriminating against reserved category students based on JEE Advanced ranks. Hence, this discussion is happening,” an IIT Kanpur student added.

Previously in 2023, Academia360 had reported complaints from IIT Kanpur, Patna and Guwahati students who were asked to declare their places on the Common Rank List (CRL) of JEE Advanced as part of the placement process. Last year, the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) issued notices to IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi after receiving complaints from around 300 students of discrimination based on their ranks in recruitment.

Companies seek JEE Advanced toppers

While many IITs have stopped sharing students' JEE Advanced ranks with recruiters, students across placement cells state some companies continue to use rank-based criteria, restricting interviews to candidates within the top 100 or 1,000 ranks.

A student from the IIT Hyderabad placement cell said complaints from reserved category students at some IITs had prompted discussions within placement bodies and faculty groups. "This issue was discussed. It was discussed to implement a policy from next year onwards, where there will be a strict protocol of not mentioning any student's JEE Advanced rank on their CV," the student said.

The student added that although recruitment decisions are largely based on online assessments and interviews, disclosure of JEE Advanced ranks could influence the chances of some candidates.

"No student thinks they are getting a placement or internship solely on the basis of their rank. However, the disclosure of JEE Advanced ranks for some reserved category students could impact their overall candidature in the interview process," the student said.

IIT Placements 2026: Recruiters, students

Opinions differ on how prevalent rank-based discrimination is during recruitment.

While no such complaints have been reported at IIT Hyderabad, students from the campus acknowledged that some recruiters explicitly seek top-ranked candidates during the placement process.

“Certain international companies … and some very big firms clearly mention that they want students whose JEE rank is under 1,000. So this policy will affect those companies. Leaving a few firms aside, I don't think many companies will be impacted because they do not emphasise JEE Advanced rank so much,” the student added.

Some IITs have stopped sharing. "We don't share JEE ranks at all since the last two years. Students may choose to mention their JEE Advanced rank in their resume. Only a few quant firms ask for it," said a student from the IIT Kanpur placement cell.

The student also stated that companies seeking top rankers often view JEE performance as an indicator of academic ability. However, a student from IIT Hyderabad, added that recruitment decisions should primarily be based on a student's performance and achievements during their time at the IIT rather than an entrance examination score obtained years earlier.