JAM 2026 Cutoff: Paper-Wise Qualifying Marks vs JAM 2025

IIT JAM 2026 qualifying cutoff marks — released by IIT Bombay on March 21, 2026 — show Biotechnology at 42.30 and Economics at 40.63 as the highest thresholds among all seven papers for General category students.

JAM 2026, conducted by IIT Bombay, is the qualifying exam for M.Sc. and Integrated Ph.D. programmes at IITs and IISc. The qualifying cutoff marks determine which students enter the merit list and become eligible for JOAPS counselling. This analysis covers paper-wise qualifying marks for JAM 2026, a direct comparison with JAM 2025, and a three-year trend for key papers.

• JAM 2026 covers seven papers: BT, CY, EN, GG, MA, MS, and PH — each with its own qualifying threshold.
• Biotechnology surged from 24.46 (JAM 2025) to 42.30 (JAM 2026) — the largest single-year jump across all papers.
• Chemistry dropped from 25.83 to 18.65 and Mathematics fell from 19.90 to 12.65 between 2025 and 2026.
• OBC-NCL/EWS students qualify at 90% of the General cutoff; SC/ST/PwD students qualify at 50% of the General cutoff.
• Economics remained the highest-cutoff paper in both 2025 and 2026, holding above 40 marks for General category.

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JAM 2026 Paper-Wise Qualifying Cutoff Marks

The table below lists the official qualifying cutoff marks released by IIT Bombay for all seven JAM 2026 test papers across three category groups. Scoring at or above these marks places you in the JAM 2026 merit list and makes you eligible for JOAPS counselling.

JAM is scored out of 100 marks. Meeting the qualifying cutoff does not guarantee admission — your AIR within the merit list and seat availability at each institute determine the final outcome.

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JAM 2026 vs JAM 2025: Paper-Wise Comparison

JAM 2026 was conducted by IIT Bombay and JAM 2025 by IIT Delhi. The comparison below covers General category qualifying marks only. Four papers rose and three fell year over year, with Biotechnology recording the most dramatic swing in either direction.

Biotechnology’s cutoff jumped by 17.84 marks — the steepest increase across any JAM paper in recent memory — pointing to a noticeably easier BT paper in 2026. Conversely, Mathematics fell by 7.25 marks and Chemistry by 7.18 marks, reflecting tougher question sets in JAM 2026. Mathematical Statistics rose by 4.58 marks, continuing an upward movement. Economics held steady near the 40-mark level for the second consecutive year.

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Three-Year Cutoff Trend (2024–2026)

For the four papers where JAM 2024 data is available, the three-year trend reveals volatility in Biotechnology and Economics alongside relative stability in Chemistry and Mathematics.

Key observations from the three-year data:

• Biotechnology alternates sharply: high in 2024 (44.46), low in 2025 (24.46), high again in 2026 (42.30). This paper is highly sensitive to question difficulty each cycle.
• Chemistry held steady in 2024 and 2025 (around 25) before dropping to 18.65 in 2026 — a pattern worth tracking if you are preparing for JAM 2027.
• Economics surged from 24.64 in 2024 to above 40 in 2025 and 2026, suggesting a growing and well-prepared candidate pool for this paper.
• Mathematics fluctuates between 11 and 20, remaining one of the lower-cutoff papers by absolute marks across all three years.

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Category-Wise Relaxation in JAM 2026

JAM applies a uniform category-based relaxation formula across all papers. OBC-NCL and EWS students must secure at least 90% of the General cutoff for their paper. SC, ST, and PwD students must secure at least 50% of the General cutoff. This formula has been consistent across JAM 2024, 2025, and 2026.

For example, in Physics (PH): General cutoff is 12.04, OBC-NCL/EWS cutoff is 10.83, and SC/ST/PwD cutoff is 6.02. In Economics (EN): General is 40.63, OBC-NCL/EWS is 36.56, and SC/ST/PwD is 20.31.

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Factors That Influence JAM Cutoff

JAM qualifying cutoffs are not predetermined — they reflect how the student pool performs each year. Key factors include:

• Paper difficulty: The most direct driver. An easier paper raises average scores and pushes the qualifying mark upward, as seen with Biotechnology in 2026.
• Number of students who appeared: A larger pool of well-prepared students can compress the score distribution toward higher ranges.
• Total seats available: More seats at participating institutes can marginally lower the effective competition threshold.
• Conducting IIT’s question-setting approach: Paper setters differ each year. JAM 2026 was conducted by IIT Bombay; JAM 2025 by IIT Delhi; JAM 2024 by IIT Madras.
• Growth in subject-specific preparation: Rising coaching interest in subjects like Economics and Biotechnology may have lifted average scores in those papers.

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What to Do After Qualifying the JAM 2026 Cutoff

Qualifying the JAM 2026 cutoff places you in the merit list. Here is what follows:

1. Download your JAM 2026 scorecard from the JOAPS portal at jam2026.iitb.ac.in. It shows your score, qualifying status, and All India Rank (AIR).
2. Submit the admission form on JOAPS during the designated window. List your preferred M.Sc. programmes and participating institutes in order of preference.
3. Participate in seat allotment rounds. Each round publishes a list; you must accept or opt to upgrade within the deadline. The final seat allotment round for JAM 2026 is scheduled around June 30, 2026.
4. Report to your allotted institute with original documents: JAM 2026 scorecard, qualifying degree mark sheets, category certificate (if applicable), and a valid photo ID.