The Joint Entrance Examination- Mains (JEE Mains) is one of the biggest competitive entrance exams that are conducted in India. The National Testing Agency is responsible for conducting the JEE Main exam. It offers admission to top engineering colleges like NITs, IIITs and GFTIs. Choosing the right board and course plays a crucial role as it helps students with their JEE main exam preparation.
This Story also Contains
- CBSE Board
- State Board
- CBSE vs State Board Performance in JEE Main
- CBSE vs Maharashtra Board
- Conclusion
CBSE vs State Board – Which is Best for JEE Mains Preparation?
Many students ask questions like which board is better for preparing for JEE Mains 2025. The most common dilemma is choosing between CBSE and the state board. Below, we have provided a detailed analysis of CBSE vs state board, which board is best for JEE mains.
CBSE Board
The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) curriculum is specially designed in a way that helps students with preparation for competitive exams like JEE mains, NEET etc. NCERT is highly recommended for JEE Mains preparation.
The CBSE board follows the NCERT books for CBSE classes 11 and 12 in chemistry, physics and mathematics subject. Hence, CBSE is highly recommended for students who want to appear for competitive exams like JEE Mains.
State Board
Most state boards have their own curriculum and do not cover all the topics that are needed for preparing for the JEE Mains examination. Students will have to take extra lessons to catch up, while some might come across language issues. Since many state boards conduct their board exams in their language.
However, if a student is studying under state boards like Tamil Nadu Board and Maharashtra Board that also follow NCERT textbooks, he/she will have more advantages as compared to other state boards that do not follow NCERT.
CBSE vs State Board Performance in JEE Main
Both the CBSE and the state board are good. Many CBSE curriculum and state boards follow the NCERT textbook, which is also followed by the JEE Main 2025 syllabus. Below, we have provided data analysis of CBSE and the state board as per the 2018 report. Students can use it as a reference to check out which board suits them the most.
Board Name | No. of Students Registered | No. of Students Passed | No. of Students Admitted |
CBSE | 71,403 | 17,820 | 6,600 |
TSBIE | 14,559 | 2,853 | 1,298 |
BIEAP | 14,017 | 2,374 | 998 |
MSBSHSE | 12,983 | 2,307 | 853 |
MPBSE | 3,823 | 469 | 192 |
GSEB | 3,540 | 427 | 121 |
JAC | 710 | 59 | 16 |
CBSE vs Maharashtra Board
Below, we have provided a comparison between the CBSE board and the Maharashtra board using 2018 candidate demographics for student reference.
Board | Students registered % | Students qualifying % | Students admitted % |
CBSE Board | 43.32 | 55.71 | 55.18 |
Maharashtra Board | 7.88 | 7.21 | 7.13 |
CBSE vs Maharashtra Board Data Analysis
As per the 2018 report, the students from the CBSE board have performed better as compared to the Maharashtra board students. The qualifying percentage of CBSE board students is higher than the students who registered for the examination. While the Maha board students’ qualifying percentage has decreased. This shows that students have underperformed in the JEE main examination.
Conclusion
To pass the JEE mains exam, students must be aware of the basic concepts of physics, chemistry and mathematics. As we know, the CBSE board follows the NCERT curriculum, which aligns perfectly with the JEE mains syllabus. It gives CBSE an advantage as compared to the state board.
However, both the CBSE and State board are good. It depends on students, their skills and hard work. The board might give them a bit of an advantage, but in the end, what matters is how a student has prepared for the examination. To pass in the JEE mains, they must build a strong foundation, study and practice every day.
