Low Rank in JEE Main? Don’t Worry – Here’s How You Can Still Study Engineering with Scholarships

Picture Kabir, a talented Class 12 student with dreams of becoming a computer science engineer. He began preparing for JEE Main in Class 11 and devoted two years to rigorous study. Despite his dedication, his JEE Main exam did not go as planned, and he had to manage with a low rank. Disheartened by the outcome, Kabir faced a tough period but found the strength to move forward. Determined to pursue a BTech degree, he found colleges that were willing to accept him, but the astronomically high tuition fees and living expenses were out of his reach. Kabir did not want to waste this God-given opportunity, thus he started looking for ways to fund his education. That’s when he learned about the scholarships for engineering students, which became his lifeline. He found himself eligible and applied, which enabled him to pursue his dream course without facing any financial constraints. If you find yourself in a similar situation, you might want to explore scholarships designed for students with low JEE Main ranks. 

What is Low Rank in JEE Main?

A rank in JEE Main is considered low when it is not good enough to get admission to premier institutes like NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. You can determine whether your rank is low or not after the counselling rounds for admission are over. The last rank for admission is different for all colleges, courses and is determined by the category a student belongs to. So, if you belong to the open category, then the last rank to get admission to a NIT in 2024 was 940500, while for IIITs it was 67091 and 534773 rank for GFTIs. Similarly, for ST category students, the last rank to get admission in 2024 was 45933 in NITs, 5504 in IIITs, and 36343 in GFTIs.

Category	Last Rank for Admission in 2024 at NITs	Last Rank for Admission in 2024 at IIITs	Last Rank for Admission in 2024 at GFTIs
Open	940500	67091	534773
SC	132222	12681	69036
ST	45933	5504	36343
EWS	100431	11091	86290

Below, we have provided the last rank for admission for open category students in India at IIITs, NITs, and GFTIs.

Best Scholarships for Engineering Students in India

Even if you have a low JEE Main 2025 score and you are studying engineering in a regular college, you are eligible for some of the best scholarships. With these, you do not have to worry about funding your education. So, check the list below to find out about the best scholarships for engineering even after a low JEE Main score. 

Name of Scholarship	Eligibility Criteria	Benefits	Application Link
AICTE-Saksham Scholarship Scheme	Must be an Indian national Must have a benchmark disability of 40% or more Admitted to 1st year or 2nd year (via lateral entry) of a degree/diploma program in an AICTE-approved institution Annual family income must be less than ₹8 lakh	A one-time scholarship of ₹50,000 per year for the duration of the course	Application link to be activated
AICTE Pragati Scholarship for Girls	Must be a female Indian national Admitted to the 1st year of a diploma/degree program or 2nd year via lateral entry at an AICTE-approved institution Annual family income must be below ₹8 lakh Up to two female members per family can apply for this scholarship	10,000 scholarships are awarded annually, 5,000 each for diploma and degree programs. Selected students receive ₹50,000 per year until course completion.	Application link to be activated
AICTE – Swanath Scholarship Scheme (Technical Diploma/Degree)	Must be an Indian national Must be a ward of COVID-19 victims (lost one or both parents) or a Shaheed of Armed Forces/Central Paramilitary Forces Enrolled full-time in the 1st to 4th year of a degree/diploma program at an AICTE-approved institution Annual family income must be below ₹8 lakh	A one-time scholarship of ₹50,000 per year for the duration of the course	Application link to be activated
HDFC Bank Parivartan’s ECSS Programme	Indian nationals pursuing Classes 1 to 12, diploma, ITI, polytechnic, graduation or postgraduate courses (general or professional) in recognised institutions in India. Minimum 55% marks in the previous qualifying exam. Annual family income must be less than Rs 2.5 lakh. Preference is given to students facing recent personal or family crises that impact their ability to continue their education.	Scholarships up to ₹75,000	Application link to be activated
Infosys Foundation STEM Stars Scholarship Program	Applicants must be Indian female students enrolled in the 1st year of B.Tech, MBBS, B.Pharm, BDS, or 1st/2nd year of Integrated/Dual Degree (B.Tech + M.Tech) programs at top NIRF-ranked institutes. They must have completed Class 12 The applicant’s family income must be ₹8 lakh or less, and the applicant should not be receiving any other scholarship for the same expenses.	The selected student will get a scholarship of up to ₹1 lakh per annum	Application link to be activated
HOPE Engineering Scholarship by Schaeffler India	Open to female students across India, with preference given to those with physical disabilities. Applicants must have scored over 60% in Class 12 (Science) and be enrolled in the first year of an engineering program at a recognised college. Preference will be given to branches like CSE, IT, EEE, ECE, Mechanical, Production, Instrumentation, Mechatronics, and Automobile. Family income must be below ₹5 lakh per annum.	Students will receive a ₹50,000 worth scholarship to fund their education.	Application link to be activated
Flipkart Foundation Scholarship	The candidate must be studying in the first year of a STEM course One of the parents of the candidate must be a kirana shop owner The annual family income should be less than ₹5 lakhs A minimum of 60% marks in class 12 is needed	Students will get a fixed scholarship amount of ₹50,000	Apply Now
U-Go Scholarship Program	Young women across India pursuing professional graduation courses (e.g., teaching, nursing, pharmacy, medicine, engineering, law, etc.) are eligible in any year except the final year. They must have scored at least 70% in Class 10 & 12. The family income must be below ₹5 lakh per annum.	For Teaching Courses – ₹40,000 per year for two years For Nursing and Pharma Courses – ₹40,000 per year for four years For three-year courses such as BCA, BSc, etc. – Up to ₹40,000 per year for 3 years For Engineering, MBBS, BDS, Law, Architecture Courses, etc. – ₹60,000 per year for four years.	Application link to be activated
OP Jindal Engineer & Management Scholarships	Applicants must be among the top 3 students in each year of Civil, Electrical, Mechanical, or Metallurgical Engineering Or the candidate must be among the top 10 in each year of Management.	Engineering students will receive ₹80,000 per year Management students will receive ₹1.5 lakhs per year.	Application link to be activated
Nirankari Rajmata Scholarship Scheme	Applicants must be regular students at a recognised institution, admitted through a competitive exam, and enrolled in one of the following disciplines: Engineering, Medicine, Architecture, MBA/PGDM, CA (after CPT), CFA (after Foundation), LLB, and Journalism & Mass Communication. They must have scored at least 90% in Class 12 and have a family income below ₹3.5 lakh per year. To renew the scholarship, students must maintain a minimum of 75% marks annually.	Selected candidates will receive a full tuition fee waiver, up to ₹75,000 per year.	Application link to be activated
Swami Dayanand Education Foundation Merit-cum-Means Scholarship	Applicants must be 19 (1st year) or 20 (2nd year), pursuing undergraduate degrees in fields like Engineering, Medical, Architecture, or other programs. They must have studied at government/government-aided schools and meet academic criteria: 1st year: 80% in CBSE or 70% in other boards (Class 12) and 2nd year: CGPA of 8.0 or above Annual family income must be below ₹8 lakh.	₹20,000 to ₹50,000 per year will be provided depending on JEE Main rank	Application link to be activated
JM Sethia Merit Scholarship Scheme	The candidate must have scored 75% marks in class 12. 20% of scholarships are reserved for students with disabilities, students with excellence in extra-curricular activities, and Economically Weaker Section (EWS) category students.	₹600 per month for up to three years	Application link to be activated
PKC WEnyan Scholarship Program	An applicant must be a final-year graduate student pursuing a B.Sc/BTech./BE./BPharm or equivalent degree Must be a female candidate from Maharashtra Belongs to a marginalised community/low-income group	A monthly scholarship of up to ₹10,000 for 3 months	Application link to be activated
Bharti Airtel Scholarship Program	Must be studying in a UG/5-year integrated courses in fields like Electronics, Telecom, IT, Computer Science, Data Science, Aerospace, and Emerging Technologies (AI, IoT, AR/VR, Machine Learning, Robotics) at top 50 NIRF engineering institutes.   The applicant must be an Indian citizen and resident.   Family annual income should not exceed ₹8.5 Lakh.   Should not be receiving other scholarships or grants supported by the Bharti Airtel Foundation.	100% scholarships are provided for the full duration of UG courses, including integrated courses, up to 5 years (subject to renewal criteria).   Hostel and mess fees are offered to eligible scholars; support for those staying in PGs or outside hostels aligns with the institute’s hostel/mess charges.   Scholars also receive a laptop.	Application link to be activated

Low Rank in JEE Main? Consider These Exams Instead

If you dream of getting admission to BE/BTech, BPlan, or BArch but your JEE Main score is too low, then worry not. There is a way to get admission to the best engineering colleges in India without using your JEE Main score. You can do that by appearing for the other engineering entrance exams, such as WBJEE, KCET, GUJCET, MHT CET, etc. Below, we have provided details of a few popular entrance exams that are the best alternative to JEE Main.

CUET UG

It is an all-India level entrance examination for admission to top universities. The Common University Entrance Test (CUET) UG is conducted once every year by the National Testing Agency (NTA). In 2024, the exam was conducted in pen-and-paper and computer-based modes across 379 cities in India, and 11,13,610 students appeared for the exam. Some of the top universities in India that accept CUET UG scores for admission are Aligarh Muslim University, Assam University, Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University, Banaras Hindu University, Central University of Andhra Pradesh, Central University of Gujarat, Cluster University of Jammu, Central University of Punjab, Central University of Rajasthan, etc.

MHT CET

Students who want to get admission to some of the best colleges in Maharashtra for BE, BTech, B.Pharm, etc, can apply for the MHT CET exam. The Maharashtra Common Entrance Test (MHT CET) is conducted once every year by the State Common Entrance Test Cell, Maharashtra. In 2024, as many as 6,75,377 students appeared for the exam and 93.15% of them passed the exam. MHT CET grants you admission to colleges like MIT WPU, Sardar Patel Institute of Technology, Army Institute of Technology, CT Mumbai, KJ Somaiya Institute of Technology, VJTI Mumbai, College of Engineering Pune, and many others.

WBJEE

The West Bengal Joint Entrance Examination (WBJEE) is for admission to engineering and pharmacy courses in West Bengal. In 2024, as many as 1,13,492 students appeared for the exam, and 1,12,963 passed, which means 99.53% of the students passed the exam. WBJEE scores are accepted by top colleges and universities across West Bengal. Notable institutions include Jadavpur University, Calcutta University, MAKAUT, Narula Institute of Technology, Heritage Institute of Technology, Institute of Engineering and Management, NSHM Institute of Engineering and Technology, among others. 

KCET

Do you want to get admission to Presidency University, BIT Bangalore, UVCE Bangalore, BMSCE Bangalore, and other such top colleges? If you nodded yes, then you need to appear in the KCET exam. The Karnataka Common Entrance Test (KCET) is a state-level entrance examination in Karnataka, which is conducted by the Karnataka Examinations Authority (KEA).

GUJCET

Gujarat Common Entrance Test (GUJCET) is one of India’s top engineering entrance examinations, and students can get admission to the best engineering colleges in Gujarat. It is conducted every year by the Gujarat Secondary and Higher Secondary Education Board (GSEB). Some of the colleges that accept GUJCET scores are Nirma University, Government Engineering College, Bhavnagar, Sigma Engineering College, Sardar Patel College of Engineering, etc.

TS EAMCET

TS EAMCET or TG EAPCET is an engineering exam for admission to colleges and universities in Telangana. In 2024, a total of 3,55,182 students appeared for the TS EAMCET exam. Through this exam, you can get admission to some of the top colleges like Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTUH), Koneru Lakshmaiah Education Foundation, Hyderabad, Vardhaman College of Engineering, University College of Engineering, Osmania University, etc. 

AP EAMCET

AP EAMCET or AP EAPCET is a state-level entrance examination for admission to Engineering, Agriculture, and Pharmacy courses. In 2024, a total of 3,62,851 students applied for the exam and 2,58,374 students appeared for the engineering stream exam, while for the agriculture & pharmacy exam, 80,766 students appeared. After qualifying the AP EAMCET, students can get admission to colleges like KL University Guntur, Vignan’s Foundation for Science Technology and Research, Andhra University College of Engineering, JNTUK Kakinada, MB College of Engineering and Technology, VRSEC Vijayawada, etc.

KEAM

Kerala Engineering Architecture Medical (KEAM) is a state-level entrance exam for admission to BE/BTech, architecture and medical courses. It is conducted once every year, and in 2024, 79,044 students appeared in the exam. Some of the popular colleges accepting KEAM scores are the College of Engineering Trivandrum, the Government Engineering College Thrissur, the Government College of Engineering Kannur, etc. 

CG PET

Chhattisgarh Pre-Engineering Test (CG PET) is a BE/BTech entrance examination conducted by the Chhattisgarh Professional Examination Board (CPEB). Approximately, a total of 19,820 candidates registeres and 12,490 candidates appear in the exam every year. Through CG PET students get access to colleges like Rungta College of Engineering and Technology, Bhilai, Amity University Raipur, etc.

Also Read: Scholarships for Engineering Students in India 2025 – College Scholarships

FAQs

Can I still get admission into an engineering college with a low JEE Main rank?

Yes, many private engineering colleges accept students with low JEE Main ranks. These colleges have less competitive admission processes compared to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.

What types of scholarships are available for students with low JEE Main ranks?

Several merit-cum-need-based scholarships are available for engineering aspirants. Top options include Dr. Reddy's Foundation, Sashakt Scholarship, OP Jindal Engineering & Management Scholarships, Infosys Foundation, STEM Stars Scholarship Program, Nirankari Rajmata Scholarship Scheme, HDFC Bank Parivartan's ECSS Programme, U-Go Scholarship, and Flipkart Foundation Scholarship.

How can I find scholarships for engineering courses if I have a low rank?

Explore scholarships on government portals, private CSR initiative websites, and financial aid sections of engineering colleges. Buddy4Study is also a helpful platform to find curated scholarship options.

Can state-level or management quota seats help if I have a low JEE rank?

Yes, state counselling rounds and management quota seats are viable alternatives for students with low JEE Main ranks to secure admission into engineering programs.

Is there a limit to how many engineering scholarships I can apply for?

You can apply for multiple scholarships. However, some programs restrict applicants from receiving more than one scholarship simultaneously for the same academic course.