so I scored 78% in Maharashtra boards but according to josaa(out of 500) I calculated my marks and they were 74.7%. so would I be able to crack the 20 percentile criteria? I am planning to take a drop. or should I give the improvement exam? are ther good nits/iiits which do not require the 75%?

If you have scored 78 percent in the Maharashtra State Board and want to calculate your eligibility or normalized marks for JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority) counselling, it’s important to note that JoSAA considers percentile scores from JEE Main and not board exam percentages directly. However, board exam marks are used to check eligibility criteria, especially for IIT admissions, where a student must be in the top 20 percentile of their board or must have scored at least 75 percent aggregate marks (or 65 percent for SC, ST, and PwD candidates).

Now, when students attempt to convert their board percentage (like 78%) to a score out of 500, it's often done unofficially to compare with CBSE or other boards. But JoSAA and NTA do not officially provide any such conversion. For JEE admissions:

Your JEE Main percentile and rank are the primary factors for admission.

Your board percentage is only used to verify your eligibility for admission (especially for NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs, where you must have passed the Class 12 exam).

If you believe there’s a mismatch or confusion in your score normalization, it’s best to contact the JoSAA helpdesk or your school examination board for clarification.