New Delhi, Apr 7, 2016 (PTI) : Class XII marks will not be a factor for determining rankings in the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) for admissions to engineering undergraduate courses from next year.

HRD Ministry officials today said the decision was taken by the Ministry after a committee set up by IIT Council submitted recommendations on changes in the JEE pattern, which were put in the public domain for wide consultations.

"After examining the Ashok Mishra Committee's report and public feedback, MHRD has decided on a few changes in the JEE pattern for 2017. The present system of allotting 40 per cent weightage to Class XII marks for determining ranks in JEE shall be dispensed with," an official said.

"Class XII scores will be a crucial parameter only for determining the eligibility criteria for the exam," the official added.

To qualify for appearing in exam, students need to have at least 75 per cent marks or be in top 20 percentile in Class XII examination. SC, ST students should have 65 per cent marks. "All other JEE examination systems shall remain unchanged," the official said.

The committee had in November recommended major changes in the JEE structure, including setting up of a National Testing Service to conduct tests for shortlisting about four lakh students for the exam.

The Committee of Eminent Persons had submitted its report on November 5. Its recommendations were aimed at weaning IIT aspirants away from the dependence on coaching institutes.

The Ministry had put the Committee's recommendations in the public domain for wide consultations and decided that the JEE 2016 be conducted in the manner it was held in 2015, with an enhanced intake from 1.5 lakh to 2 lakh in the JEE (Advanced) stage.