CURRENT AFFAIRS | JUNE 2, 2026
For the first time in the history of the IIT-entry examination, more than 10,000 girls have cleared JEE Advanced. According to data analysed by The Indian Express, of the 40,562 female candidates who appeared in JEE Advanced 2026, 10,107 — a pass rate of 24.9% — qualified, up sharply from 7,964 (19.4%) in 2023. The headline ranker among the female cohort is Arohi Deshpande of Pune, who secured All India Rank 77 with a perfect 360 out of 360.
Constitutional & Legal Framework
- Article 15(3) — enabling provision allowing the State to make special provisions for women and children.
- Article 21A — Right to Education (read with the RTE Act, 2009).
- National Education Policy, 2020 — proposes a Gender Inclusion Fund and gender parity targets.
- JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority) — body that since 2018 has reserved 20% supernumerary seats for female candidates at IITs.
- Indra Sawhney v Union of India (1992) — landmark reservation jurisprudence.
The surge is largely attributable to a policy intervention. Until 2017-18, women’s representation at IITs had been stuck below 8%. JoSAA’s introduction of 20% supernumerary seats for female candidates in 2018 changed the calculus. By 2026, the target had been comfortably met. Prof. Shalabh of IIT Kanpur, organising chairman of JEE Advanced 2026, confirmed that this year’s 20% representation target was achieved.
CLAT Angle — Article 15(3), affirmative action, and educational equity
Supernumerary seats for women are a textbook application of Article 15(3) read with Article 14’s equality guarantee. Candidates should be familiar with Indra Sawhney (1992), the 50% reservation ceiling, the creamy-layer doctrine, and how NEP 2020’s gender-inclusion framework sits within constitutional affirmative-action jurisprudence. Note also the distinction between JoSAA (engineering) and MCC (medical) allocation councils.
Top Female Rankers — JEE Advanced 2026
| Name | AIR / IIT |
| Arohi Deshpande (Pune) | 77 — IIT Bombay (360/360) |
| Madhuriya Sravya | 111 — IIT Madras |
| Sanvi Patidar | 158 — IIT Delhi |
| Aashi | 781 — IIT Roorkee |
| Anushka Agrawal | 859 — IIT Guwahati |
| Agrima Singh | 3,857 — IIT Kanpur |
Beyond the supernumerary policy, new IIT programmes in artificial intelligence, data science, biotechnology, and energy & environment have drawn larger female cohorts. India produces approximately 16 lakh engineering seats every year against just 1.3 lakh MBBS seats — and the disappearance of capitation fees from engineering admissions has further widened access. The IIT system, with 23 institutes, increasingly resembles in scale and stature what AIIMS represents in medicine.
Mnemonic — “JoSAA opens the door”
JoSAA · Over 20% supernumerary seats · Since 2018 · Article 15(3) basis · Arohi Deshpande (AIR 77, 360/360). Five letters, one milestone — 10,107 girls in 2026.
Practice Quiz — 10 CLAT-Style Questions
Click an option to reveal the answer and explanation.
