Can two people jointly own a property with unequal shares?

Yes, joint ownership doesn't have to be a 50-50 split — the sale deed can specifically state each co-owner's respective share, reflecting your actual contribution, and this recorded share will generally govern each of your rights and entitlements to the property going forward, including on eventual sale or partition.

It's important to have this clearly documented in the sale deed itself at the time of purchase, rather than relying on an informal understanding, since a deed that's silent on shares is often presumed to mean equal ownership, which could create disputes later if that wasn't your actual intention.

Beyond the sale deed, you may also want to consider a separate co-ownership agreement between yourselves addressing practical matters — like what happens if one of you wants to sell your share, or how maintenance costs and any rental income will be split — since the sale deed alone typically won't cover these operational details.