IISER Thiruvananthapuram IAT 2026 Round 1 cutoff is expected to close around 100 to 115 marks (out of 180) for Open category students, based on IAT 2025 Round 1 trends where the General category closing rank was 2381.

The Indian Institutes of Science Education and Research admit students to the 5-year BS-MS Dual Degree program through the IISER Aptitude Test (IAT). IAT 2026 was conducted on June 7, 2026, with over 1.86 lakh students appearing for approximately 2,343 BS-MS seats across all IISERs. Counselling registration for IAT 2026 is expected in the last week of June 2026, with Round 1 allotment at IISER Thiruvananthapuram to follow shortly after. The expected closing scores below are based on IAT 2025 Round 1 closing rank analysis; official scores will be published with the allotment list.

  • IAT 2026 is out of 180 marks (60 questions, +3 for correct, –1 for wrong answers).
  • Expected Round 1 closing score for Open category: approximately 100–115 marks.
  • Expected closing score for OBC-NCL and EWS categories: approximately 85–100 marks.
  • Expected closing score for SC category: approximately 62–75 marks.
  • Expected closing score for ST category: approximately 48–62 marks.
  • IISER Thiruvananthapuram has a total BS-MS seat intake of approximately 320 seats across four science streams.
  • All score predictions are based on IAT 2025 Round 1 trends and are not official figures.
Direct Link – IISER IAT 2026 Admission Portal iiseradmission.in

IISER TVM IAT 2026 Expected Round 1 Cutoff Score by Category

The table below shows expected Round 1 closing scores for IAT 2026 at IISER Thiruvananthapuram, derived from IAT 2025 closing rank analysis. Reserved categories generally have 20–60 marks lower cutoffs than the Open category. Official closing scores will be released with the Round 1 allotment list on the official portal.

Category Expected Closing Score – Round 1 (out of 180) Score to Target Safely
Open (General) 100 – 115 125+
OBC-NCL 85 – 100 108+
EWS 85 – 100 108+
SC 62 – 75 82+
ST 48 – 62 68+
Open-PwD 40 – 55 60+

The “Score to Target Safely” column gives a buffer above the expected cutoff range, offering a high probability of Round 1 allotment. Students scoring within the expected range sit at the borderline and may receive a seat in Round 2 or later rounds if Round 1 closes above their score. A score of 150+ marks is considered a strong target for securing any stream at IISER Thiruvananthapuram with high confidence. All figures are expected based on IAT 2025 trends.


IAT 2025 Round 1 Closing Ranks at IISER Thiruvananthapuram

The table below shows the official IAT 2025 Round 1 category-wise closing ranks for the BS-MS program at IISER Thiruvananthapuram. These confirmed ranks are the primary reference for estimating 2026 cutoffs. Ranks here are category-wise merit ranks (not All India Rank) within each category’s separate merit list.

Category IAT 2025 Round 1 Closing Rank IAT 2025 Final Round Closing Rank
Open (General) 2381 6506
OBC-NCL 1563 3171
EWS 576 ~1200 (estimated)
SC 665 ~1500 (estimated)
ST 338 ~800 (estimated)
Open-PwD 53859 Not available

The gap between Round 1 and the final round closing rank shows how far the merit list travels across all rounds. For General category, seats were still available up to rank 6506 by the final round, meaning students who did not get a seat in Round 1 still had opportunities in subsequent rounds. Final round ranks for EWS, ST, and Open-PwD are estimated based on available data.


IISER Thiruvananthapuram 2026 Seat Details

IISER Thiruvananthapuram offers the 5-year BS-MS Dual Degree program in four core science streams with a total intake of approximately 320 seats for 2026. Seats are filled through two channels: IAT and JEE Advanced. Category-wise reservation follows Government of India norms (27% OBC-NCL, 15% SC, 7.5% ST, 10% EWS). The table below is based on the 2025 seat matrix.

Subject Stream Approx. Total Seats Open OBC-NCL EWS SC ST
Biological Sciences ~80 32 22 8 12 6
Chemical Sciences ~80 32 22 8 12 6
Mathematical Sciences ~80 32 22 8 12 6
Physical Sciences ~80 32 22 8 12 6
Total ~320 128 88 32 48 24

PwD seats are horizontal reservations within each vertical category and are not listed as separate additional seats. The official 2026 seat matrix will be published on iiseradmission.in before Round 1 allotment. Students applying through IAT and JEE Advanced compete in separate seat pools within the same total intake.


Subject-wise Demand and Strategy at IISER Thiruvananthapuram

IISER Thiruvananthapuram counselling is preference-based: you rank combinations of [IISER + subject stream] and seats fill in merit order. Stream demand at IISER TVM based on IAT 2025 trends is shown below. Listing a lower-demand stream higher in your preferences can improve your Round 1 chances if your score is near the borderline.

Subject Stream Demand Level (Based on 2025 Trend) Strategic Note
Physical Sciences High Most competitive stream; seats fill earliest in Round 1
Mathematical Sciences High Strong demand, especially from PCM students
Biological Sciences Moderate to High Popular among PCMB students; slightly easier than Physics
Chemical Sciences Moderate Lowest demand among four streams; broader preference coverage

If your IAT score places you near the borderline for IISER TVM, list Chemical Sciences or Biological Sciences higher in your preference order to maximise your Round 1 allotment chances. Switching streams later in the program is possible through IISER TVM’s interdisciplinary curriculum structure.


Factors Affecting IAT 2026 Cutoff at IISER Thiruvananthapuram

The actual Round 1 closing score may differ from the expected range. Key factors that shape the cutoff each year are listed below.

  • IAT 2026 paper difficulty: A harder paper lowers raw scores across all students and reduces the closing score. If IAT 2026 was tougher than 2025, cutoffs may ease slightly.
  • Total applicants: Over 1.86 lakh students sat for IAT 2026. A larger applicant pool raises competition and can push cutoffs up by a few marks.
  • Seat matrix changes: Any increase in seats at IISER TVM for 2026 will lower the closing score.
  • Preference order by students: Students who rank IISER Pune or Kolkata ahead of IISER TVM may leave TVM seats unfilled in Round 1, pushing seats deeper into the merit list.
  • Withdrawal rate after Round 1: Students who accept a Round 1 offer and then withdraw free additional seats for subsequent rounds, reducing the advantage of Round 1 cutoffs for borderline students.

IISER Thiruvananthapuram IAT 2026 Cutoff FAQs

Ques. What is the expected Round 1 cutoff score for Open category at IISER Thiruvananthapuram IAT 2026?

Ans. Based on IAT 2025 trends, the expected Round 1 closing score for Open category students at IISER Thiruvananthapuram is approximately 100 to 115 marks out of 180. The IAT 2025 Round 1 General category closing rank at IISER TVM was 2381. Official figures for 2026 will be published with the allotment list.

Ques. What is the total marks for IAT 2026?

Ans. IAT 2026 is out of 180 marks. The exam has 60 questions (15 each from Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Physics). Each correct answer carries +3 marks and each wrong answer carries a penalty of –1 mark. IAT 2026 was held on June 7, 2026.

Ques. When will IAT 2026 Round 1 seat allotment at IISER Thiruvananthapuram be released?

Ans. IAT 2026 counselling registration is expected in the last week of June 2026, with Round 1 seat allotment to follow. Check the official portal at iiseradmission.in for exact dates and the allotment list once released.

Ques. How many BS-MS seats does IISER Thiruvananthapuram offer for 2026?

Ans. IISER Thiruvananthapuram has a total BS-MS seat intake of approximately 320 seats spread across Biological, Chemical, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences (˜80 seats per stream), based on the 2025 seat matrix. These seats are split between the IAT and JEE Advanced channels.

Ques. What was the IAT 2025 Round 1 closing rank for SC category at IISER Thiruvananthapuram?

Ans. The official IAT 2025 Round 1 SC category closing rank at IISER Thiruvananthapuram was 665 (category-wise rank). Based on this, the expected equivalent closing score for SC students in IAT 2026 Round 1 is approximately 62 to 75 marks out of 180.

Ques. What is a safe IAT 2026 score for IISER Thiruvananthapuram?

Ans. A score of 150+ marks out of 180 is considered a strong, safe target for Open category students seeking admission to IISER Thiruvananthapuram. Scoring 125+ significantly improves Round 1 allotment chances. For reserved categories, scoring 20–25 marks above the expected closing score provides a comfortable buffer.