NCET 2026 SC and ST students need a minimum of 288 marks out of 640 (45%) to qualify, with expected closing scores in the final counselling round ranging from 288 to 340 depending on the institution and programme.
With the NCET 2026 result declared by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the 4-year Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP) counselling is set to begin across Regional Institutes of Education (RIEs), IITs, NITs, and over 77 Central and State participating institutions. Of the 58,995 students who appeared in NCET 2026, those in the SC and ST categories compete for reserved seats on a separate category-wise merit list. Every participating institution follows Government of India reservation norms, allocating 15% of ITEP seats to SC and 7.5% to ST students in every programme.
- NCET 2026 total marks: 640 (160 questions, +4 for correct, -1 for incorrect answer)
- SC and ST qualifying mark: 288 out of 640 (45% of total marks)
- General and EWS qualifying mark: 320 out of 640 (50% of total marks)
- SC reserved seats: 15% of ITEP seats at every participating institution
- ST reserved seats: 7.5% of ITEP seats at every participating institution
- Total students appeared in NCET 2026: 58,995 out of 73,608 registered (80.14% attendance)
| Direct Link: NCET 2026 Official Portal (Result Out) |
NCET 2026 Qualifying Cutoff for SC and ST Categories
The qualifying cutoff is the minimum score every student must achieve to appear on the merit list and be eligible for NCET 2026 counselling. SC and ST students need 288 marks (45%) while General and EWS students need 320 marks (50%). Meeting this threshold places the student on the category-wise merit list, but admission to a specific institution depends on how many qualified students in that category opt for the same institution and programme. The table below shows the category-wise qualifying marks for NCET 2026.
| Category | Qualifying Percentage | Qualifying Marks (out of 640) |
|---|---|---|
| General | 50% | 320 |
| EWS | 50% | 320 |
| OBC-NCL | 45% | 288 |
| SC | 45% | 288 |
| ST | 45% | 288 |
| PwD | 45% | 288 |
SC and ST students are ranked independently on their own category merit list. The closing rank in the final counselling round is the rank of the last SC or ST student allotted a seat at a given institution and programme. At highly competitive IITs, even SC and ST closing ranks are steep because each IIT holds only 7 to 8 SC seats and 3 to 4 ST seats for ITEP.
Reserved Seats for SC and ST at NCET 2026 Participating Institutions
Every NCET 2026 participating institution allocates 15% of ITEP seats to SC students and 7.5% to ST students under Central Government reservation norms. An additional 5% horizontal reservation applies to PwD students across all categories. The table below shows estimated SC and ST seats at major NCET 2026 institutions based on their declared ITEP intake.
| Institution | Total ITEP Seats | SC Seats (15%) | ST Seats (7.5%) |
|---|---|---|---|
| RIE Bhopal | 150 | 22 | 11 |
| RIE Ajmer | 150 | 22 | 11 |
| IIT Kharagpur | 50 | 7–8 | 3–4 |
| IIT Bhubaneswar | 50 | 7–8 | 3–4 |
| IIT Jodhpur | 50 | 7–8 | 3–4 |
| IIT Ropar | 50 | 7–8 | 3–4 |
| NIT Warangal | 50 | 7–8 | 3–4 |
| NIT Calicut | 50 | 7–8 | 3–4 |
| NIT Jalandhar | 50 | 7–8 | 3–4 |
| NIT Agartala | 50 | 7–8 | 3–4 |
RIEs allocate seats on a region-wise basis. SC and ST students from the home region of an RIE — for example, students from Madhya Pradesh or Chhattisgarh for RIE Bhopal, or students from Rajasthan and Gujarat for RIE Ajmer — compete within a smaller regional SC or ST pool and face lower effective competition than out-of-region applicants. If ST seats at any institution go unfilled after the final round, those seats are converted to SC as per NCTE guidelines.
NCET 2026 Expected Closing Score for SC and ST in Final Round
The expected closing scores below are based on 2025 counselling trends and are not official NCET 2026 figures. Actual closing ranks and scores will be published by NTA and participating institutions after the NCET 2026 final counselling round concludes. IITs are the most competitive destinations for SC and ST ITEP seats because each holds only 7 to 8 SC and 3 to 4 ST seats. RIEs with 22 SC and 11 ST seats per institution are moderately competitive. NITs and newer Central Universities typically close near the qualifying minimum of 288 marks for reserved categories, especially in later counselling rounds as seats open up through seat conversion.
| Institution | Programme | SC Expected Closing Score (out of 640) | ST Expected Closing Score (out of 640) |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIT Kharagpur | B.Sc. B.Ed. | 310–340 | 290–315 |
| IIT Bhubaneswar | B.Sc. B.Ed. | 290–320 | 288–310 |
| IIT Jodhpur | B.Sc. B.Ed. | 288–310 | 288–305 |
| IIT Ropar | B.Sc. B.Ed. | 288–310 | 288–305 |
| RIE Bhopal | B.Sc. B.Ed. / B.A. B.Ed. | 290–320 | 288–310 |
| RIE Ajmer | B.Sc. B.Ed. / B.A. B.Ed. | 290–315 | 288–305 |
| NIT Warangal | B.Sc. B.Ed. | 288–300 | 288–295 |
| NIT Calicut | B.Sc. B.Ed. | 288–300 | 288–295 |
| NIT Jalandhar | B.Sc. B.Ed. | 288–300 | 288–295 |
SC and ST students scoring near 288 marks have a realistic path to NIT-level and Central University ITEP seats in the final counselling round. As higher-ranked students lock premium institutions in early rounds, SC and ST seats at less popular institutions open up, benefiting students with scores close to the qualifying minimum.
Factors Affecting NCET 2026 SC and ST Cutoff
The final SC and ST closing scores in NCET 2026 counselling are shaped by several variables that students should understand before submitting their preferences.
- Size of the qualified SC and ST pool: With 58,995 students appearing in NCET 2026, approximately 8,850 are estimated to be SC and 4,425 are estimated to be ST based on reservation demographics. A larger qualified pool in a category raises competition and pushes closing scores higher at sought-after institutions.
- Number of reserved seats per institution: IITs with only 7 to 8 SC seats each see intense intra-category competition. RIEs with 22 SC seats and 11 ST seats per institution offer more opportunities and tend to have wider closing score bands.
- NCET 2026 exam difficulty and score distribution: A harder paper compresses scores toward the lower end. This can ease closing score thresholds slightly for reserved categories at moderately competitive institutions.
- Regional allocation at RIEs: SC and ST students from the home region of an RIE compete in a smaller regional pool, which can push the effective closing score lower than the national average for that category.
- Seat conversion in the final round: Unfilled ST seats are converted to SC seats, increasing effective SC availability at certain institutions in the final round and lowering the SC closing score there.
- Number of counselling rounds: As higher-ranked students accept seats at premium institutions, SC and ST vacancies emerge at other institutions in subsequent rounds. Students with scores near 288 should continue participating in all rounds.
NCET 2026 SC ST Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What is the minimum qualifying mark for SC and ST students in NCET 2026?
Ans. SC and ST students must score at least 288 marks out of 640 (45%) in NCET 2026 to appear on the merit list and be eligible for counselling. This is 32 marks lower than the 320-mark threshold for General and EWS students.
Ques. How many seats are reserved for SC students at each NCET 2026 institution?
Ans. 15% of all ITEP seats at every NCET 2026 participating institution are reserved for SC students. For RIEs with 150 seats this is approximately 22 SC seats per institution. For IITs and NITs with 50 seats each, SC students get 7 to 8 seats per institution.
Ques. Can an ST student who scores exactly 288 marks get admission through NCET 2026?
Ans. Yes. A score of 288 meets the minimum qualifying threshold for ST and makes the student eligible for counselling. Admission at this score is most achievable at NITs and newer Central Universities, where ST closing scores are expected to remain near 288 in the NCET 2026 final round, particularly as seats open up through conversion and withdrawal in later rounds.
Ques. What happens to SC and ST seats that are not filled in the NCET 2026 final round?
Ans. Unfilled ST seats are first converted to SC in the final counselling round as per NCTE guidelines. If SC seats also remain vacant, they may be opened to OBC-NCL students. The conversion schedule and eligibility conditions are institution-specific and are announced after each counselling round closes.
Ques. Does home state matter for SC and ST students applying to RIEs through NCET 2026?
Ans. Yes. RIEs allocate seats region-wise, so SC and ST students from the home region of an RIE compete within a smaller regional pool. For example, SC students from Madhya Pradesh or Chhattisgarh applying to RIE Bhopal face less intra-category competition than out-of-region applicants, which can improve their admission chances at a lower NCET score compared to what would be needed at an IIT or NIT.
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