According to Government of India guidelines candidates belonging to certain categories are admitted to seats reserved for all of them based on relaxed criteria. These categories are:

• Other Backward Classes (OBC) if they belong to Non-Creamy Layer (NCL)
• Scheduled Castes (SC)
• Scheduled Tribes (ST)
• Persons with Physical Disability (PD) Benefit of reservation shall be given only to those classes/castes/tribes which are in the respective central list published by the Government of India.

1. SC/ST Candidates 
For the SC and ST categories, 15% and 7.5% seats, respectively, are reserved in every programme in all IITs and ISM Dhanbad.
Candidates belonging to these categories are declared qualified on the basis of a relaxed criterion.

Candidates belonging to SC/ST categories will be required to produce the original caste/ tribe certificate issued by a competent authority in the prescribed format during counseling. Certificates in any other format will not be accepted. Seats remaining vacant in these categories shall not be filled by candidates belonging to any other category.

Attested copies of category certificates must be submitted to the concerned Zonal IIT along with the registration number of JEE (Advanced) -2013 during 8 May - 31 May, 2013.

2. OBC Candidates 
For candidates belonging to OBC (non creamy layer), 27% of the seats are reserved in all IITs, and ISM Dhanbad.

For the purpose of reservation of seats in JEE (Advanced) -2013, a candidate will be considered as OBC only if he/she belongs to the non-creamy layer of the central list of Government of India in OBC category.

In case the reserved seats in this category are not filled, they can be filled by GE category candidates.

Attested copies of category certificates issued after 31 May 2012 by a competent authority in the prescribed format must be submitted to the concerned Zonal IIT along with the registration number of JEE (Advanced) -2013 during 8 May - 31 May, 2013.

3. Persons with Physical Disability (PD) 
In each institute 3% of seats in every category are reserved for PD candidates. For any category of disability (viz., locomotor, visual, dyslexia, speech, and/or hearing) benefit would be given to those who have at least 40% impairment. Leprosy-cured candidates who are otherwise fit to pursue the course are also included in this category. Candidates belonging to this category are qualified on the basis of a relaxed criterion.

PD Candidates will be required to produce the original certificate issued by a district medical board/competent authority in the prescribed format at the time of counselling. Certificates in any other format will not be accepted.

Attested copies of PD certificates must be submitted to the concerned Zonal IIT along with the registration number of JEE (Advanced) -2013 during 8 May - 31 May, 2013.

4. Preparatory Course 
In case the seats reserved for SC/ST/PD candidates are not filled, a limited number of candidates are admitted to a Preparatory Course of one-year duration on the basis of further relaxation of admission criterion.