JEECUP 2026 Cutoff Comparison: 2024 vs 2025 Closing Ranks by Category and Group

Government Polytechnic Kanpur’s Electrical Engineering branch closed at rank 1 in General category during JEECUP 2024 counselling — and with approximately 4.2 lakh students appearing for JEECUP 2025, competition at top colleges remained equally intense.

JEECUP cutoffs operate at two levels: a qualifying marks threshold that determines eligibility for counselling, and college-branch-category closing ranks published after each round. Comparing 2024 and 2025 data helps you set realistic targets before JEECUP 2026 counselling begins. Both years’ official Opening and Closing Rank (OR-CR) data are published on the JEECUP portal at jeecup.admissions.nic.in.

• JEECUP 2024 General (UR) qualifying cutoff: 77.3 marks
• Group A (Engineering and Technology) closing ranks at top government polytechnics were in single digits for high-demand branches in 2024
• OBC qualifying threshold was near-equal to General at 77.0 marks in 2024, reflecting intense cross-category competition
• SC category qualifying cutoff was 68.5 marks in 2024, with SC and ST thresholds easing slightly in 2025
• JEECUP 2025 and 2024 official OR-CR data are both available on the JEECUP official portal for round-wise reference

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JEECUP Cutoff: Qualifying Marks vs Closing Ranks

Students often conflate two separate cutoff metrics for JEECUP. Understanding both is essential before reading the comparison data.

• Qualifying Marks Cutoff: The minimum score in the JEECUP paper that makes you eligible to register for counselling. Set by the exam authority and varies by category.
• Closing Rank (OR-CR): The last rank at which a seat was allotted in a specific college, branch, and category during a counselling round. A closing rank of 9 means only the top 9 students secured that seat. This is the key metric for predicting admission chances.

The official portal publishes OR-CR PDFs after every counselling round, covering all groups — Group A (Engineering), Group E (Pharmacy and Bio-Tech), Group H (Lateral Entry Pharmacy), Group B (Agriculture Engineering), and others. Always check the OR-CR data for your specific group, college, branch, and category combination.

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Category-Wise Qualifying Cutoff: 2024 vs 2025

The table below compares the JEECUP qualifying cutoff marks by category for 2024 (official data) and 2025 (based on available trend data from the official portal).

General and EWS category qualifying thresholds rose between 2024 and 2025, meaning students in these categories needed higher scores to enter counselling. OBC, SC, and ST thresholds eased slightly. The near-parity between General (77.3) and OBC (77.0) qualifying marks in 2024 reflects how competitive the OBC applicant pool has become. For JEECUP 2026, students in General and EWS categories should target above 80 marks to stay safely above the qualifying bar based on these trends.

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Group A College Closing Ranks 2024

Group A (Engineering and Technology) is the most competitive group in JEECUP. The table below shows 2024 closing ranks for top government polytechnics in General category — these are the primary benchmark for JEECUP 2026 seat planning.

Government Polytechnic Kanpur is the hardest Group A college to secure a seat in — its Electrical and IT branches closed at ranks 1 and 9 respectively in 2024. Based on 2024 and 2025 trends, students targeting top Group A government colleges should aim for a JEECUP 2026 rank under 100 in General category for their preferred branch. For SC category students, the corresponding closing ranks are numerically higher, making seats relatively more accessible — the official OR-CR PDFs carry category-specific figures for each round.

The wide range at Lucknow Polytechnic (107 to 43,547 in 2024) reflects branch-level variation within the same college. CS and IT branches close far earlier than less popular trades such as Textile or Chemical Engineering. When building a preference list, rank branches within a college rather than just ranking colleges.

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Group-Wise Competition Overview 2024 vs 2025

JEECUP covers multiple groups for different diploma streams. The level of competition varied across groups in 2024 and showed these patterns going into 2025.

Group E (Diploma in Pharmacy) saw a noticeable uptick in competition between 2024 and 2025, driven by growing student interest in healthcare careers. Group A Engineering remains the most competitive group by closing rank due to seat volume and institutional brand. Group K and Group C have comparatively relaxed cutoffs and are viable alternatives for students with moderate JEECUP scores who still want a government polytechnic seat.

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Factors Affecting JEECUP 2026 Cutoff

Several variables will determine whether 2026 cutoffs rise above or ease below the 2024–2025 range.

• Total Applicants: Approximately 4.2 lakh students appeared for JEECUP 2025. A further rise in 2026 would intensify competition for limited government college seats.
• Seat Intake: Any increase in seat capacity at government polytechnics eases closing ranks; a freeze or reduction tightens them.
• Paper Difficulty: An easier JEECUP 2026 paper allows more students to clear the qualifying threshold, raising overall rank competition and driving closing ranks lower at top colleges.
• State Reservation Norms: UP polytechnic admissions follow OBC (27%), SC (21%), ST (2%), and EWS (10%) reservations — these directly cap the General category seats available at each college and branch.
• Number of Counselling Rounds: More rounds generally ease closing ranks as unfilled seats from earlier rounds become available to a wider rank pool in later rounds.

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How to Use This Data for JEECUP 2026

Use the 2024 and 2025 data as your primary planning reference for JEECUP 2026 counselling.

1. Set a rank target per college-branch pair: If your goal is IT at Government Polytechnic Kanpur, target a rank under 10 in General category based on the 2024 closing rank of 9.
2. Check your category’s closing rank separately: SC and OBC closing ranks at the same college are numerically higher, meaning more students can qualify. Download the category-specific OR-CR PDFs from the official portal for your benchmark.
3. Build a layered preference list: Identify options at multiple rank bands — under 100, under 1,000, and under 10,000 — to maximise allotment chances across rounds.
4. Track round-wise 2026 data in real time: JEECUP 2026 Round 1 closing ranks will be your most accurate reference point. Ranks typically ease by Round 2 and Round 3 as seats vacated by students who accepted offers elsewhere become available.

The official OR-CR tool at jeecup.admissions.nic.in lets you filter by counselling round, institute type, college, course, and category. Always verify closing ranks directly from this official source before finalising your JEECUP 2026 preference list.