MUMBAI: The newly-announced Joint Entrance Exam (Main) 2013 which determines entry to National Institutes of Technology and centrally-funded engineering colleges will allow three attempts for the students to clear the exam.

It will also be the first stage exam for entry into the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will conduct the exam.

Students can choose to write the test in either online or offline mode.

The offline test would take place on April 7, 2013, while the online tests will be held between April 8 and April 30 next year.

The three-hour exam will have objective type questions and multiple-choice questions.

For each wrong answer, one-fourth of a mark will be cut, but there will be no deductions for not attempting.

Those who finished Class 12 in 2011 or 2012 will also be eligible to appear for next year’s exam, in addition to the 2013 batch.

The marks of Class 12 board exam will also carry weightage from next year.