Marks drop, hopes rise: Lower cut-offs boost chances for engineering aspirants in Maharashtra

Students from Ram Narain Ruia College, Matunga, celebrate HSC exam results last week. Pic/Shadab Khan

There has been a significant drop in the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE), Pune's top 20 percentile cut-off marks for the Std XII (HSC) Science stream in 2025. These percentile cut-offs are crucial for students aiming to qualify for national-level entrance exams such as the IIT-JEE, IIIT, and NITs, where eligibility is linked to being in the top 20 percentile of a recognised board.

According to a circular signed by MSBSHSE Secretary Devidas Kulal, the 2025 cut-offs have fallen sharply across all categories compared to 2024. For the General and EWS categories, the cut-off has dipped from 378 to 361, a 17-mark drop. The OBC-NCL category cut-off fell by 15 marks, from 383 to 368. The SC and ST categories saw the steepest decline - 20 marks each - dropping from 364 to 344 (SC) and 366 to 346 (ST).

Officials believe the drop reflects a dip in overall performance, possibly due to post-pandemic academic challenges, increased stress, or changes in exam patterns. While it signals a performance gap, it also gives marginal students a better chance at cracking engineering and professional exams.

According to JEE eligibility norms, candidates must either score 75 per cent marks in Std XII (65 per cent for SC, ST, PwD) or be in the top 20 percentile of their board. The percentile is calculated based on Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, a language subject (whichever has higher marks), and one additional subject with the highest score.

Improvement exam window

To help students enhance their scores, the board has opened the application window for the 2025 HSC Improvement Exam. Students who passed in February/March 2025 can reappear in one or more subjects. The better of the two scores - original or improvement - will be considered as final.

Online applications begin in the second week of May and will stay open for 10-15 days. Students must upload their mark sheet, a scanned photo and signature, and pay the fees via the official site: [mahahsscboard.in](https://mahahsscboard.in). Only those who have passed in all subjects are eligible. Students who failed must apply through the supplementary exam route.

Supplementary in June-July

Sharad Gosavi, state board chairman, said, "To save the academic year, we held the HSC exam earlier this year. The improvement exam will also be held early." Supplementary exams will be held in June-July, with results expected by September, giving students time to update records for admissions.

Application deadlines

Regular fee: May 7 to May 17
Late fee: May 18 to May 22
Eligible candidates include repeaters, private students, ITI students, and those appearing for grade improvement. After submission, schools must send fees to the divisional board by May 23 and submit student lists and prelists by May 26.

Students have three chances to improve marks

>> June-July 2025
>> Feb-March 2026
>> June-July 2026

No extensions will be granted

The board has urged students to choose subjects wisely and fill out forms carefully, warning that errors could lead to disqualification. Schools and junior colleges have been asked to support students through the process.