IIT Madras introduces fine arts and culture scheme for UG admissions 2025

IIT Madras

The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has become the first IIT in the country to introduce ‘Fine Arts and Culture Excellence’ (FACE) Admissions for its undergraduate programs starting in the academic year 2025-26. This initiative aims to recognize and reward students who have achieved excellence in fine arts and cultural activities.

Addressing the press conference, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, announced that FACE admissions will create two supernumerary seats per program across all B.Tech. and B.S. courses. Of the two seats, one will be reserved for female candidates, while the other will remain gender-neutral.

To be eligible for the FACE scheme, candidates must meet the following criteria:

• Indian Nationals (including OCI/PIO candidates treated as Indian nationals during JEE Advanced 2025 registration).
• Qualify in JEE (Advanced) 2025 with a rank in the Common Rank List (CRL) or category-wise list.
• Meet the minimum marks required in Class XII as per IIT guidelines.
• Must have received recognition or awards in fine arts and cultural activities listed under Appendix-A.

• Separate Portal: FACE admissions will occur on a dedicated IIT Madras portal (https://jeeadv.iitm.ac.in/face), independent of the JoSAA portal used for general undergraduate admissions.
• Score and Rank: Candidates will be evaluated based on their achievements in fine arts and cultural categories. A FACE Rank List (FRL) will be created, and seat allotments will be made based on this list in multiple rounds.
• Acceptance Options: After being allotted a seat, candidates can either ‘Accept’ or ‘Reject’ the seat. Those accepting must pay the seat acceptance fee and provide proof of withdrawal from JoSAA 2025.

Candidates must demonstrate their cultural achievements through recognized awards, certifications, or performances. Some of the notable awards include:

• Pradhan Mantri Rashtriya Bal Puraskar under Arts and Culture.
• National Bal Shree Honour for creative arts.
• Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar by Sangeet Natak Akademi.
• National Youth Award in Arts/Culture by the Ministry of Youth Affairs.
• Scholarship to Young Artists (SYA) and Cultural Talent Search Scholarship by the Ministry of Culture.

In addition, active certifications from All India Radio (AIR) or Doordarshan and artists empaneled for Indian festivals abroad are also eligible.