Applicants to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) who are Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) or Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) are not required to take the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2023, according to a statement from the exam's sponsor, IIT Guwahati.
They are eligible to directly sit for the JEE Advanced 2023 exam. According to the new regulation, which only applies to international students, OCI and PIO students, even those enrolled in Indian universities, are eligible to sign up immediately for the JEE Advanced 2023.
The IIT Guwahati brochure states that foreign national candidates who have completed or are completing 10+2 level in India or abroad at the time of registering for JEE (Advanced) 2023 are not required to write JEE (Main) 2023 and may register for JEE (Advanced) 2023 directly subject to fulfilling other eligibility requirements.
"Candidates who are not citizens of India (by birth or naturalisation) and/or are holders of OCI/PIO cards are treated as foreign nationals," the statement makes clear.
In addition to the 2,50,000 Indian national applicants who are eligible to sit in JEE (Advanced) 2023, all overseas candidates would be taken into consideration, the statement read.
With the implementation of this new regulation, OCI or PIO students will be able to enrol in IITs through the 10% supernumerary seats designated for foreign nationals rather than through the regular pool of seats for Indian students.