CHENNAI: Engineering aspirants in the State can expect lower admission cut-offs this year following a massive drop in Class 12 centums.

Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry saw a sharp decline in perfect scores, driven by tough question papers and a rigorous six-layer evaluation process.

Data shows Mathematics centums fell from 3,022 last year to 732, while Physics dropped from 1,125 to just 105. Educator Jayaprakash Gandhi said cut-offs could dip by 2 to 4 marks for high-scorers (above 180) and up to 8 marks in the 160-170 range. “While agriculture and fisheries courses may see a similar slide, arts and commerce cut-offs are expected to remain stable,” he added.