Based on the experts' JEE Main 2026 Paper analysis for January and April sessions, a score of 220+ is expected to be around the 99.5+ percentile, with an expected JEE Main rank in the range of 50-2500.

  • The 98+ percentile requires 160-175+ marks, while 150+ marks generally aim for the 98+ percentile and a 13,000-18,000 rank range.
  • NTA uses a normalised method to calculate the percentile due to varying difficulty levels across the shifts. This means 160 marks in session 1 may be different from 160 marks in JEE Main Session 2.
  • Difficult shifts are usually converted to a higher percentile. For example, 170+ marks might secure a 99+ percentile in difficult shifts.

To get admission to top NITs, you need to have 99+ percentile, which is equivalent to 180+ marks with 5000-10000 JEE Main rank.

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Marks vs Percentile vs Rank in JEE Main 2026

JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile vs Rank

  • The jump from 150 marks to 200 marks may increase the percentile to 2-3 points, but there will be huge increase the rank range of around 25,000 to 10,000. This is because large number of students fall in this score range making the competition very high.
  • Scores above 240+ will be in 99 percentile because very few students score this high. For example, moving from 240 to 260 marks can push your percentile from around 99.6 to 99.9+, and your rank can improve from roughly 3,000-5,000 to within the top 1,000.
  • A one-percentile difference near the 99 percentile mark can make a 2000 rank difference.
Raw Marks (out of 300) Expected Percentile Approx AIR Range Competition Band
250+ 99.7 - 100 Top 5,000 Top 0.3% (Elite zone)
220 - 249 99.3 - 99.7 5,000 - 12,000 Top NIT / IIIT CSE
180 - 219 98 - 99.3 12,000 - 25,000 NIT CSE / ECE range
150 - 179 95 - 98 25,000 - 70,000 Core NIT branches
120 - 149 90 - 95 70,000 - 1.5 lakh GFTIs / Mid-tier colleges
100 - 119 85 - 90 1.5 - 2 lakh Qualifying range
Below 100 Below 85 2 lakh+ Low percentile band

Also Read: How to Calculate JEE Mains Percentile from Marks?

JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile vs Rank

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Ques. What is the difference between marks, percentile, and rank in JEE Main 2026?

Ans. Marks are the raw score calculated as (correct × 4) − (wrong × 1) out of 300. Percentile is a normalised score showing the percentage of candidates who scored equal to or below you in your session. JEE Main Rank (AIR) is your position in the national merit list calculated from the best percentile across both sessions, and it is the metric colleges actually use for admission.

Category-Wise Expected Cutoff Percentile vs Marks vs Number of Qualified for JEE Advanced 2026

  • General category has the highest cutoff (94-95 percentile) and the largest share of qualifiers, showing intense competition.
  • OBC-NCL and EWS cutoffs stay around 80 percentile, while SC/ST drop to 50-65 percentile due to reservation benefits.
  • Despite different cutoffs, only 2.5 lakh candidates qualify for JEE Advanced.
Category Expected Percentile Range Approx. Qualified Candidates Notes
General 93.5 - 95.0% 1,45,000 - 1,55,000 Majority of qualified candidates
OBC-NCL 79.5 - 81.5% 35,000 - 40,000 Represents 27% of seats
EWS 80.5 - 82.5% 8,000 - 10,000 Represents 10% of seats
SC 61.5 - 64.0% 45,000 - 50,000 Represents 15% of seats
ST 48.0 - 50.5% 15,000 - 18,000 Represents 7.5% of seats
PwD 0.01%+ 2,000 - 3,000 Represents 1% of seats (horizontal)

Also Read:

Ques. What percentile is needed for JEE Advanced?

Ans. General category usually needs around 93–95 percentile, while reserved categories have lower cutoffs. Around 2.5 lakh students qualify overall.

Ques. Why do marks change for the same percentile?

Ans. Because paper difficulty is different in each shift. Tough shifts need fewer marks, while easy shifts need higher marks for the same percentile.

Shift-Wise Marks vs Percentile - January & April Sessions 2026

  • The marks vs percentile in JEE Main 2026 vary across shifts due to differences in paper difficulty.
  • NTA uses a normalisation process to ensure fairness, so students in tougher shifts are not at a disadvantage.

Below is the shift-wise analysis for both January and April sessions based on expert estimates.

January 2026 Session - Shift-Wise Estimated Marks for Key Percentiles

  • Easier shifts (like Jan 21 Shift 2) required higher marks for the same percentile.
  • Tough shifts (like Jan 22 Shift 2) had lower marks due to normalisation.
  • Overall, 99 percentile ranged between 153 to 186 marks, depending on shift difficulty.
Date & Shift (2026) 99 %ile 98.5 %ile 98 %ile 97.5%ile 97 %ile
JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 21 Jan Shift 1 167 154 144 137 130
JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 21 Jan Shift 2 171 157 147 139 132
JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 22 Jan Shift 1 158 144 134 126 120
JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 22 Jan Shift 2 155 143 131 126 120
JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 23 Jan Shift 1 158 145 135 127 121
JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 23 Jan Shift 2 163 150 139 132 126
JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 24 Jan Shift 1 162 150 141 134 127
JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 24 Jan Shift 2 160 146 137 128 121
JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 28 Jan Shift 1 161 149 138 132 126
JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 28 Jan Shift 2 162 150 140 133 126

Source: JEE Main 2026: Safe Score for 9X Percentile | MathonGo | Anup Sir

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April 2026 Session - Shift-Wise Estimated Marks for Key Percentiles

  • Tough shifts (Apr 8 S2, Apr 2 S2, Apr 6 S1) required lower marks for the same percentile, for example, 158-162 for 99%ile, showing tougher papers.
  • Moderate shifts (Apr 2 S1, Apr 5 S1, Apr 4 S1) will have balanced cutoffs, with 99%ile around 170-174 marks.
  • Easiest shifts (Apr 5 S2, Apr 6 S2) will require a higher mark to secure the 99th percentile, maybe around 187-189
  • Overall trend: As difficulty decreases, marks required for the same percentile increase sharply, especially above 95 percentile due to higher competition at the top.
Percentile Apr 8 S2 Apr 2 S2 Apr 6 S1 Apr 2 S1 Apr 5 S1 Apr 4 S1 Apr 4 S2 Apr 5 S2 Apr 6 S2
99 158 160 162 170 172 174 175 187 189
98 145 148 148 158 160 162 155 167 170
97 132 136 138 142 145 147 148 157 160
96 125 128 128 132 135 137 140 141 145
95 115 118 118 122 125 128 130 131 135
94 104 105 110 112 117 118 120 124 125
90 85 89 92 94 97 98 100 104 105
80 58 61 63 64 67 68 71 74 75
70 40 41 43 44 47 48 51 54 55
Difficulty Tough Tough Tough Moderate Moderate Moderate Easy to Moderate Easy Easy

Source: Marks vs Percetile Apr YouTube Video

Check: JEE Main 2026 April Easiest Shift Marks vs Rank

Ques. Which shift is best in JEE Main?

Ans. There is no “best” shift. Normalisation ensures all shifts are treated fairly.

Ques. Should I worry about getting a tough shift?

Ans. No, tough shifts usually get higher percentile for lower marks, so it balances out.

What is a good score in JEE Main session 2 2026?

  • A “good score” in JEE Main isn’t the same for everyone; it depends on your goal, whether you want to qualify for JEE Advanced or get into top NITs/IIITs.
  • After Session 2, your best percentile from both sessions is used to decide your final rank.

Based on expert analysis, here’s what can be considered a good score in JEE Main Session 2:

Score Range (Marks) Expected Percentile Approx. AIR (Rank) What It Means / Admission Prospects (General Category)
250+ 99.9+ Top 1–2,000 Excellent – Top IITs via Advanced, premium NIT CSE
220–249 99.7 – 99.89 2,000 – 5,000 Very Good – Good NITs/IIITs (CSE/ECE possible)
200–219 99.0 – 99.69 5,000 – 12,000 Good – Core branches in top NITs, strong IIITs
180–199 98.0 – 98.99 12,000 – 25,000 Decent – Mid-tier NITs, many IIITs/GFTIs
160–179 96.5 – 97.99 25,000 – 45,000 Average – Newer NITs, lower branches
140–159 94.0 – 96.49 45,000 – 70,000 Safe for lower NITs/GFTIs
120–139 90.0 – 93.99 70,000 – 1,20,000 Basic qualification, private/state colleges
100–119 ~85 – 90 1,20,000+ Minimum for many private options

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Ques. What is considered a good score in JEE Main?

Ans. A score above 200 is generally good and can get you into top NITs or IIITs. Higher scores improve your chances for better branches

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