IISER IAT 2026 Expected Cutoff for SC Category

IISER IAT 2026 expected SC category cutoff is in the range of 45–58 marks out of 180, based on previous year trends.

The Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research Aptitude Test (IAT) 2026 is scheduled for June 22, 2026. After the result is declared, IISER Admission releases category-wise merit lists for BS-MS dual degree admissions across all seven IISERs. SC students benefit from 15% reservation under Government of India norms, and the SC cutoff is typically 20–30 marks lower than the general category cutoff each year.

• IISER IAT 2026 exam date: June 22, 2026
• Total marks: 180 (60 questions × 3 marks each; ?1 for wrong answers)
• SC reservation: 15% of total seats at each IISER
• Expected SC cutoff 2026: 45–58 marks (based on 2024 trends)
• Cutoff varies by IISER institute and seat availability in each round

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IISER IAT SC Category Cutoff 2026 Overview

IISER IAT 2026 will be conducted on June 22, 2026. After the result is published, IISER Admission releases category-wise merit lists on its official portal. The SC cutoff is the minimum score at which all SC-reserved seats in a given IISER are filled. Students at or above this score receive an admission offer and are called for document verification.

Based on previous year trends, the expected SC category cutoff for IISER IAT 2026 is 45–58 marks out of 180. The actual figure depends on exam difficulty, total applicants, and the seat matrix for each institute. The table below summarises key parameters:

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Previous Year IISER IAT SC Cutoff Trends

Tracking past cutoffs is the most reliable way to estimate the 2026 SC figure. The table below shows approximate IISER IAT SC category cutoff trends from 2022 to 2024 based on available data. Treat these as planning references, not official values.

The trend shows a gradual rise in SC cutoff year on year, driven by increasing participation in IAT. If the 2026 paper is of moderate difficulty similar to 2024, the SC cutoff is expected to land near the upper end of the 45–58 range. All figures above are based on previous year trends.

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IISER-wise Expected SC Cutoff 2026

Cutoffs differ across IISERs based on seat availability and applicant demand. IISER Pune and IISER Kolkata have historically had higher SC cutoffs than newer IISERs such as Tirupati and Berhampur. The table below provides expected 2026 SC cutoff ranges by institute, derived from 2024 trends:

These are expected figures based on 2024 trends and will be updated once IISER releases the official 2026 cutoff. Students scoring above 55 marks improve their chances at multiple IISERs including Pune and Kolkata, while those scoring 40–50 marks may find seats at IISER Berhampur or Tirupati.

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Factors Affecting IISER IAT 2026 SC Category Cutoff

The final SC cutoff is not fixed in advance. Several real-time factors shape it each year:

• Number of SC applicants: More SC students appearing raises competition and can push the cutoff higher.
• Paper difficulty: A harder 2026 paper leads to lower overall scores and a correspondingly lower SC cutoff.
• Available SC seats: Each IISER allocates exactly 15% of its intake to SC students; fewer seats mean a tighter cutoff.
• Multiple merit list rounds: If SC seats go unfilled in round 1, a second or third merit list is released with a lower effective cutoff.
• Exam pattern changes: Any change in question count, marking scheme, or subject weightage directly affects score distribution and the resulting cutoff.

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How IISER IAT SC Category Cutoff Is Determined

IISER prepares separate merit lists for each reservation category after the IAT result is declared. For SC students, the process follows these steps:

1. All IAT scores of SC applicants who applied to a specific IISER are collected from the portal.
2. Scores are ranked from highest to lowest within the SC applicant pool for that institute.
3. The minimum score at which all SC-reserved seats are filled becomes the SC cutoff for that IISER.
4. Students at or above the cutoff receive an admission offer and are called for document verification.
5. If SC seats remain vacant after round 1, a second merit list is released with a lower cutoff.

SC students scoring 45 marks or above in IISER IAT 2026 have a reasonable chance of securing a seat in at least one IISER, based on past trends. Targeting 55 marks or more significantly broadens your IISER choices, including the older and more established institutes.