JEE Main 2026 OBC-NCL qualifying cutoff for Session 2 is 80.9232583 percentile — students at or above this mark are eligible to register for JEE Advanced 2026.
NTA released the JEE Main 2026 result and official category-wise cutoff on June 26, 2026. For OBC-NCL (Other Backward Classes – Non-Creamy Layer) students, the qualifying percentile has risen steadily from 67 percentile in 2022 to 80.92 percentile in 2026, reflecting year-on-year growth in competition. Students who clear the OBC-NCL cutoff can register for JEE Advanced 2026 and participate in JoSAA counselling for NITs, IIITs, and CFTIs. The best NTA score across Session 1 and Session 2 is considered for the final merit list.
- JEE Main is held for 300 total marks (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics — 100 each).
- Official JEE Main 2026 OBC-NCL cutoff: 80.9232583 percentile — up from 79.43 in 2025 and the first time it has crossed 80.
- OBC-NCL students get 27% reservation in NITs, IIITs, and other CFTIs.
- The best of Session 1 and Session 2 NTA scores determines cutoff eligibility.
- A valid OBC-NCL certificate is mandatory for category benefits at the JoSAA counselling stage.
JEE Main 2026 OBC Cutoff: Overview
NTA declares two distinct cutoffs after JEE Main results. The first is the JEE Advanced qualifying cutoff (percentile-based), which determines who gets to sit for JEE Advanced 2026. The second is the JoSAA admission cutoff (rank-based), released during counselling rounds for NITs, IIITs, and CFTIs. For OBC-NCL students, both cutoffs apply at different stages of the admissions process.
| Cutoff Type | What It Decides | Released By |
|---|---|---|
| JEE Advanced Qualifying Cutoff | Eligibility to appear in JEE Advanced 2026 | NTA with Session 2 result |
| JoSAA NIT/IIIT Closing Rank | Admission to NITs, IIITs, CFTIs | JoSAA during counselling rounds |
The OBC-NCL cutoff for JEE Main 2026 is 80.9232583 percentile. Students above this score qualify for JEE Advanced 2026. Those below can still apply to NITs and IIITs through JoSAA counselling, subject to branch-specific closing ranks for the OBC-NCL category.
Year-wise OBC-NCL Cutoff Trends
The table below shows the official JEE Main OBC-NCL qualifying cutoff percentile over five years, alongside General, EWS, SC, and ST category cutoffs. Tracking this trend reveals the consistent upward pressure on the OBC-NCL cutoff driven by a growing applicant pool.
| Year | General (CRL) | OBC-NCL | EWS | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | ~93.5 | 80.9232583 | ~82–83 | ~60–62 | ~44–46 |
| 2025 | ~93.5 | 79.4313582 | ~81 | ~59–61 | ~43–45 |
| 2024 | 93.2362181 | 79.6757881 | 81.3266412 | 60.0996874 | 44.0347805 |
| 2023 | 90.7788642 | 75.6229025 | 75.9 | 51.97 | 37.23 |
| 2022 | 88.4121383 | 67.0090297 | 63.1 | 43.08 | 26.77 |
The OBC-NCL cutoff has risen by nearly 14 percentile points in four years — from 67.0 in 2022 to 80.92 in 2026. This is the first year the OBC-NCL cutoff has crossed the 80 percentile mark. The 2026 General category cutoff is approximate, pending official confirmation.
OBC Cutoff Score vs Percentile Estimate
The NTA percentile is not a raw score out of 300 — it reflects the percentage of students you outscored in your session. The table below provides indicative raw score ranges corresponding to the OBC-NCL qualifying percentile zone for JEE Main 2026. Actual conversions depend on session difficulty and total number of students who appeared.
| Percentile Range | Approx. Raw Score (out of 300) | Indicative OBC-NCL Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 83–86 percentile | 110–125 | ~1,40,000 – 1,75,000 |
| 80–83 percentile (2026 OBC Cutoff Zone) | 92–110 | ~1,75,000 – 2,20,000 |
| 76–80 percentile | 78–92 | ~2,20,000 – 2,70,000 |
| 70–76 percentile | 63–78 | ~2,70,000 – 3,40,000 |
If you are an OBC-NCL student who scored approximately 92 marks or above out of 300, you are likely in the qualifying range based on the official 2026 OBC-NCL cutoff of 80.9232583 percentile. These are indicative score-to-percentile mappings and not guaranteed conversions.
Factors That Influenced the 2026 OBC Cutoff
The OBC-NCL cutoff crossed 80 percentile for the first time in 2026. Several factors drove this shift upward from previous years.
- Rising applicant count: More students registered for JEE Main 2026 than in previous years, intensifying competition for the same number of qualifying slots.
- Fixed qualifying ceiling at 2.5 lakh: NTA selects a maximum of 2,50,000 students across all categories for JEE Advanced, keeping the qualifying bar consistently high each year.
- 27% OBC-NCL reservation share: With more OBC-NCL students appearing each year and competing for the same reserved proportion, the intra-category cutoff rises.
- Session difficulty level: Moderate to tough papers compress high-end score distribution. Even small difficulty fluctuations between Session 1 and Session 2 can shift where the cutoff falls for each category.
- Best-of-two-sessions policy: Students who appeared in both sessions and improved their Session 2 score pushed the overall percentile distribution upward, raising the effective cutoff threshold.
Expected OBC Cutoff for NITs via JoSAA 2026
Students who clear the OBC-NCL qualifying cutoff are eligible to participate in JoSAA 2026 counselling for NIT, IIIT, and CFTI admissions. Closing ranks are released during each round of counselling and differ by institute and branch. The table below shows expected OBC-NCL closing ranks for popular branches at select NITs based on 2024 JoSAA closing rank data.
| NIT | Branch | OBC-NCL Expected Closing Rank (2026) |
|---|---|---|
| NIT Trichy | Computer Science Engineering | ~2,500–3,800 |
| NIT Warangal | Computer Science Engineering | ~3,000–4,800 |
| NIT Surathkal | Computer Science Engineering | ~3,500–5,200 |
| NIT Calicut | Electronics and Communication | ~7,500–10,500 |
| NIT Rourkela | Mechanical Engineering | ~11,000–15,000 |
| NIT Durgapur | Civil Engineering | ~20,000–28,000 |
All NIT closing ranks in the table above are expected figures based on 2024 JoSAA data and may shift during actual JoSAA 2026 counselling rounds. Official closing ranks will be available on the JoSAA portal after each round is completed.
JEE Main 2026 OBC Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What is the official JEE Main 2026 OBC-NCL cutoff percentile?
Ans. The official JEE Main 2026 OBC-NCL qualifying cutoff for JEE Advanced eligibility is 80.9232583 percentile, released by NTA along with the Session 2 result on June 26, 2026.
Ques. Has the JEE Main OBC-NCL cutoff increased in 2026 compared to 2025?
Ans. Yes. The OBC-NCL cutoff rose from 79.4313582 percentile in 2025 to 80.9232583 percentile in 2026. This marks the first time the OBC-NCL qualifying cutoff has crossed the 80 percentile threshold.
Ques. What approximate score out of 300 is needed to clear the OBC-NCL cutoff in JEE Main 2026?
Ans. Approximately 92 marks or above out of 300 is estimated to correspond to the 80.92 percentile OBC-NCL cutoff zone in JEE Main 2026. The precise conversion varies by session difficulty and the total number of students who appeared.
Ques. Which session score is used for OBC-NCL cutoff eligibility in JEE Main 2026?
Ans. NTA uses the best NTA score between Session 1 and Session 2 to determine cutoff eligibility. If you appeared in both sessions, only the higher of your two percentile scores is considered for the OBC-NCL merit list.
Ques. What is the expected OBC-NCL closing rank for NIT Trichy CSE via JoSAA 2026?
Ans. Based on 2024 JoSAA closing rank data, the expected OBC-NCL closing rank for NIT Trichy Computer Science Engineering in JoSAA 2026 is around 2,500–3,800. Actual closing ranks will be published during JoSAA 2026 counselling rounds.
Ques. Where can I check the official JEE Main 2026 OBC cutoff?
Ans. The official JEE Main 2026 OBC-NCL cutoff is available on the NTA JEE Main portal at jeemain.nta.nic.in. You can access the result, category-wise cutoff, and rank card using your application number and date of birth.
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