The expected ITICAT 2026 qualifying cutoff for SC and ST students is 150 marks out of 300 (50%), with trade-wise closing marks ranging from 150 to 188 depending on trade demand and available reserved seats.
The Bihar ITI Common Admission Test (ITICAT) 2026, conducted by the Bihar Combined Entrance Competitive Examination Board (BCECEB), declared rank cards on June 4, 2026. SC and ST students benefit from reserved seats across all participating government ITIs in Bihar. The expected trade-wise closing marks below are based on 2023 and 2024 trends and will be updated once BCECEB officially publishes counselling cutoffs.
- SC and ST qualifying cutoff for ITICAT 2026 (expected): 150 marks out of 300 (50%).
- Electrician and Fitter are historically the most competitive trades even within SC and ST reserved seats.
- ST students face comparatively lower competition due to a smaller applicant pool in Bihar, resulting in lower closing marks in most trades.
- ITICAT 2026 rank card was released on June 4, 2026; counselling dates will be announced separately by BCECEB.
- Students scoring well above 150 marks have better chances in high-demand trades at top government ITIs in Patna, Muzaffarpur, and Bhagalpur.
| Direct Link to ITICAT 2026 Official Portal | Click Here |
ITICAT 2026 Category-wise Qualifying Cutoff
BCECEB releases a minimum qualifying cutoff for each category. Students who score at or above this threshold enter the merit list and become eligible for counselling. ITICAT 2026 carries a total of 300 marks — 150 MCQs at 2 marks each, with no negative marking. The qualifying cutoffs below are expected to follow the same pattern as 2023.
| Category | Expected Qualifying Cutoff (%) | Expected Qualifying Marks (out of 300) |
|---|---|---|
| General | 60% | 180 |
| OBC | 55% | 165 |
| SC | 50% | 150 |
| ST | 50% | 150 |
| EWS | 55% | 165 |
| PwD | 40% | 120 |
Qualifying the cutoff only makes you eligible for counselling — actual seat allotment depends on your rank within the category and the closing marks at which each trade and institute fills its reserved seats.
Previous Year ITICAT SC and ST Cutoff (2023)
The table below shows the last officially confirmed category-wise qualifying cutoff from ITICAT 2023. This is the primary reference for projecting the 2026 SC and ST cutoffs, as the percentage-based thresholds have remained stable across recent editions.
| Category | Qualifying Cutoff — 2023 | Marks Required (out of 300) |
|---|---|---|
| General | 60% | 180 |
| OBC | 55% | 165 |
| SC | 50% | 150 |
| ST | 50% | 150 |
| EWS | 55% | 165 |
| PwD | 40% | 120 |
SC and ST students share the same qualifying threshold (50%), but the actual closing marks at counselling differ because ST seats are far fewer in number, reducing competition within that reserved pool. Students from both categories who score 20 or more marks above the qualifying threshold are considered safe for most trades.
Expected Trade-wise Closing Marks for SC Category 2026
The trade-wise closing marks for SC students depend on how many students apply for each trade and the number of SC-reserved seats available. All figures below are expected estimates based on 2023–2024 trends and are subject to change once official counselling cutoffs are released by BCECEB.
| Trade | SC Expected Closing Marks (out of 300) | Competition Level |
|---|---|---|
| Electrician | 168 – 188 | High |
| Fitter | 162 – 182 | High |
| Mechanic Motor Vehicle | 158 – 178 | Moderate–High |
| COPA | 155 – 172 | Moderate–High |
| Welder (Gas and Electric) | 153 – 170 | Moderate |
| Diesel Mechanic | 152 – 168 | Moderate |
| Turner | 151 – 165 | Moderate |
| Plumber | 150 – 162 | Low–Moderate |
| Wireman | 150 – 159 | Low |
| Carpenter | 150 – 156 | Low |
SC students aiming for top government ITIs in Patna, Muzaffarpur, or Gaya should target scores 10–20 marks above the trade-level estimates shown above, as institute-specific closing marks at premier centers are consistently higher than state averages.
Expected Trade-wise Closing Marks for ST Category 2026
Bihar’s ST population is considerably smaller than SC, which means ST-reserved seats across government ITIs face lower applicant pressure. This results in lower closing marks for ST students in most trades compared to SC. The estimates below are based on 2023–2024 trends and will be updated once official counselling data is published.
| Trade | ST Expected Closing Marks (out of 300) | Competition Level |
|---|---|---|
| Electrician | 160 – 178 | High |
| Fitter | 156 – 174 | High |
| Mechanic Motor Vehicle | 154 – 170 | Moderate–High |
| COPA | 152 – 168 | Moderate |
| Welder (Gas and Electric) | 151 – 165 | Moderate |
| Diesel Mechanic | 150 – 163 | Moderate |
| Turner | 150 – 160 | Low–Moderate |
| Plumber | 150 – 157 | Low |
| Wireman | 150 – 154 | Low |
| Carpenter | 150 – 152 | Low |
In districts with a higher concentration of ST communities — such as Jamui, Banka, and Kaimur — demand for ST-reserved seats at local ITIs may be higher, and closing marks at those specific institutes could exceed the state-level estimates above.
Factors Affecting ITICAT 2026 SC and ST Cutoff
Several variables shape the final closing marks for SC and ST reserved seats each year. Knowing these helps you plan which trade and institute to target during counselling.
- Number of SC and ST applicants: A rise in the applicant count directly increases competition within the reserved category and raises closing marks.
- Seat intake per trade: Trades with a larger absolute number of SC or ST reserved seats absorb more students and tend to have lower closing marks.
- Overall paper difficulty: If the 2026 exam is harder than previous years, average scores fall and closing marks for all categories shift downward.
- Participating institutes: Any addition of new government ITIs to the ITICAT 2026 counselling pool increases total reserved seats and eases cutoffs.
- Institute location and reputation: Government ITIs in major cities consistently see higher closing marks even for SC and ST reserved seats due to greater demand.
- Round-wise seat reallocation: Unfilled reserved seats in Round 1 may be reallocated in subsequent rounds, potentially changing effective closing marks from round to round.
ITICAT 2026 SC and ST Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What is the expected qualifying cutoff for SC category in ITICAT 2026?
Ans. Based on the 2023 official cutoff pattern, SC students are expected to need at least 150 marks out of 300 (50%) to qualify for the ITICAT 2026 counselling process. Actual seat allotment closing marks will be higher for competitive trades like Electrician and Fitter.
Ques. What is the expected qualifying cutoff for ST category in ITICAT 2026?
Ans. The expected qualifying cutoff for ST students is also 50% or 150 marks out of 300, the same threshold as SC. However, closing marks for specific trades tend to be lower for ST students because fewer students compete for ST-reserved seats in Bihar.
Ques. Which trade has the highest competition for SC students in ITICAT 2026?
Ans. Electrician and Fitter are historically the most competitive trades for SC students, with expected closing marks of 168–188 and 162–182 out of 300 respectively based on previous year trends.
Ques. Do SC and ST students have separate merit lists in ITICAT 2026?
Ans. Yes. BCECEB prepares separate category-wise merit lists for ITICAT. SC and ST students are ranked within their own reserved category lists, and seat allotment from reserved seats follows these separate merit lists during each round of counselling.
Ques. When will the official ITICAT 2026 counselling cutoff be released?
Ans. The ITICAT 2026 rank card was released on June 4, 2026. The round-wise counselling schedule and trade-institute-specific closing marks for each category will be announced separately by BCECEB on the official website at bceceboard.bihar.gov.in.
Ques. Can an ST student be allotted an SC reserved seat if ST seats are unfilled?
Ans. No. SC and ST reserved seats are separate categories under Bihar government reservation norms. Unfilled ST seats undergo reallocation within the ST category across counselling rounds before any cross-category transfer, as per BCECEB counselling rules.
Comments