Pallavi Smart For the first time, more than 10,000 women have qualified for admission to Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), with nearly one in four female candidates clearing JEE-Advanced 2026 -- their highest pass rate on record, according to data analysed by The Indian Express . The data shows that the number of women qualifying for IITs has jumped nearly 89 per cent, from 5,356 to 10,107, since 2019 -- after a supernumerary seats scheme to improve their representation in IITs took effect.