KEAM 2025 Rank List Battle: How Will This Affect Engineering Admissions?

The KEAM 2025 Rank List Dispute: What’s the Issue?
The KEAM 2025 rank list, released on July 1, faced immediate backlash after authorities amended the mark calculation formula just an hour before publishing the results. The change reportedly favored Kerala state board students, leading CBSE students to challenge it in court.

Key Events in the Controversy:
Original Prospectus (Feb 2025): Marks were calculated in a 1:1:1 ratio (Maths, Physics, Chemistry) with a 50% weightage for board exams and 50% for KEAM scores.
Last-Minute Change (July 1): The government revised the formula to a 5:3:2 ratio (Maths:Physics:Chemistry), giving more weightage to Maths.
High Court Intervention: CBSE students filed a petition, and the Kerala HC canceled the revised list, ordering a re-release based on the original formula.
Supreme Court Appeal: State board students then approached the SC, challenging the HC’s decision.

Why Did Kerala Change the Formula?
The government claimed the old system disadvantaged state board students, many from modest backgrounds. A Standardisation Review Committee recommended the change to ensure a level playing field.


Impact on KEAM 2025 Results
The revised formula significantly altered the rank distribution:
Top 5,000 Ranks (Revised List):
2,539 Kerala board students
2,220 CBSE students
Previous Year (KEAM 2024):
2,785 CBSE students in top 5,000
2,034 Kerala board students
This shift shows how policy changes can drastically affect competitive exam rankings, raising concerns about fairness and transparency.


Sample Q&A on KEAM Controversy (For Exam Prep)
Q: Why are CBSE students protesting the KEAM 2025 rank list?
A: They argue the last-minute change in mark calculation unfairly favored Kerala state board students.
Q: What was the original marks ratio for KEAM 2025?
A: 1:1:1 (Maths, Physics, Chemistry) with 50% weightage each for board and entrance exams.
Q: How did the Kerala government justify the formula change?
A: They claimed it corrected a disparity disadvantaging state board students.
Q: What was the court’s decision on the revised rank list?
A: The Kerala HC canceled it, ordering a re-release under the original rules.
Q: How did the new formula impact rank distribution?
A: More Kerala board students secured top ranks compared to previous years.