JEE Main 2026 cutoff is the minimum percentile or rank you need to qualify, get JEE Advanced eligibility, and secure a seat at NITs, IIITs, or GFTIs. NTA released the qualifying percentile after the Session 2 result on April 25, 2026. JoSAA Round 1 seat allotment was published on June 13, 2026, listing opening and closing ranks for all 31 NITs, 26 IIITs, and 38 GFTIs.
JoSAA Round 1 closing ranks for JEE Main 2026 went live on June 13, 2026 at josaa.nic.in. Round 2 seat allotment is scheduled for June 18, 2026.
Here is what the latest JEE Main 2026 cutoff data shows you at a glance.
- The JEE Advanced qualifying percentile for the General category was set at 93.10, in line with the 2025 mark.
- The JoSAA Round 1 closing rank for CSE at NIT Trichy (Home State, Open) closed at 680, tighter than 720 last year.
- For CSE at NIT Surathkal (Other State, Open), the Round 1 closing rank stands at around 1,280.
- The EWS qualifying percentile sits at 80.38, while OBC-NCL is at 79.43.
- JoSAA conducts 6 rounds of seat allotment, followed by CSAB Special Rounds in August.
- About 14.75 lakh students registered for JEE Main 2026, the highest in the exam’s history.
- The cutoff for female-pool supernumerary seats at top NITs is around 800 ranks looser than the General Open list.
| Direct Link to JEE Main JoSAA Round 1 Cutoff 2026 (Out) | JEE Main 2026 Qualifying Percentile Cutoff (Out) |
| JoSAA 2025 Round-Wise Cutoff | JoSAA 2024 Round-Wise Cutoff |
Key Summary
- The JEE Main 2026 qualifying cutoff was released by NTA on April 25, 2026 along with the Session 2 result.
- JoSAA Round 1 seat allotment is now live, with closing ranks published for every NIT, IIIT, and GFTI institute.
- The top three NITs by CSE closing rank are NIT Trichy, NIT Surathkal, and NIT Warangal.
- You need a percentile above 99.5 in General to target CSE at a top-5 NIT through JoSAA.
- Reserved category cutoffs are lower, with SC closing around 61 percentile and ST around 48 percentile for JEE Advanced eligibility.
- JoSAA runs 6 rounds; CSAB Special Rounds in August fill the leftover NIT, IIIT, and GFTI seats.
What is JEE Main Cutoff 2026?
The JEE Main 2026 cutoff is the minimum score, percentile, or rank you must clear to move ahead in the admission process. NTA sets the qualifying percentile for each category. JoSAA uses the All India Rank from JEE Main to fix opening and closing ranks for every NIT, IIIT, and GFTI seat.
JEE Main has two cutoffs that students often confuse. The first is the qualifying percentile, which decides if you make the cut for JEE Advanced. The second is the admission cutoff, which is the closing rank for a specific branch at a specific institute.
For the 2026 cycle, NTA released the qualifying percentile on April 25, 2026 after the Session 2 result. JoSAA opened Round 1 seat allotment on June 13, 2026, putting out closing ranks for the entire NIT, IIIT, and GFTI system.
Qualifying Cutoff vs Admission Cutoff
The qualifying cutoff is the percentile threshold NTA fixes to decide JEE Advanced eligibility. The top 2.5 lakh students across categories clear this cut. The admission cutoff is set during JoSAA counselling and is the lowest All India Rank that landed a seat in a particular round.
You can clear the qualifying cutoff and still miss the admission cutoff for your dream branch. The qualifying cut just lets you sit for JEE Advanced or enter JoSAA counselling. The admission cut decides where you actually study.
Previous Year Official JEE Main Cutoff
The table below shows the official JEE Main qualifying percentile across five years, sourced from the NTA scorecard PDF released after each Session 2 result.
| Year | General | OBC-NCL | EWS | SC | ST | PwD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 93.10 | 79.43 | 80.38 | 61.15 | 47.90 | 0.0018 |
| 2025 | 93.10 | 79.43 | 80.38 | 61.15 | 47.90 | 0.0018 |
| 2024 | 93.23 | 79.67 | 81.32 | 60.09 | 46.69 | 0.0018 |
| 2023 | 90.78 | 73.61 | 75.62 | 51.97 | 37.23 | 0.0014 |
| 2022 | 88.41 | 67.01 | 63.11 | 43.08 | 26.78 | 0.0031 |
Source: JEE Main Official Notification, NTA
The General category cutoff has hovered near 93 percentile for three years in a row. The reserved category cuts moved up sharply between 2022 and 2024. SC tightened from 43.08 to 60.09 percentile in that window, a jump of nearly 17 percentile points. The 2025 and 2026 cuts have stayed steady, signalling a saturation in the qualifying band.
Ques. Does clearing the qualifying cutoff guarantee a seat at an NIT?
Ans. No. The qualifying cutoff only makes you eligible for JEE Advanced and JoSAA counselling. To get a seat at an NIT, your rank must be within the closing rank of your chosen branch and category. The two cutoffs work at different stages of the admission cycle.
Ques. Will the JEE Main 2026 cutoff stay close to 2025 levels?
Ans. The qualifying percentile is already steady at 93.10 for General. The JoSAA Round 1 closing ranks for top NITs have tightened slightly. The shift is mostly driven by the higher registration count of about 14.75 lakh in 2026.
JEE Main Cutoff 2026: Important Dates
The JEE Main 2026 cutoff timeline runs from the Session 1 result in February to the final JoSAA round in late July. Below is the full schedule of cutoff-linked events, with upcoming dates first.
| Event | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| JoSAA Round 2 Seat Allotment | June 18, 2026 | Upcoming |
| JoSAA Round 3 Seat Allotment | June 24, 2026 | Upcoming |
| JoSAA Round 4 Seat Allotment | July 1, 2026 | Upcoming |
| JoSAA Round 5 Seat Allotment | July 8, 2026 | Upcoming |
| JoSAA Round 6 (Final) Seat Allotment | July 16, 2026 | Upcoming |
| CSAB Special Round 1 | August 5, 2026 | Upcoming |
| CSAB Special Round 2 | August 14, 2026 | Upcoming |
| JEE Main Session 1 Exam | January 22 – 29, 2026 | Over |
| JEE Main Session 1 Result | February 12, 2026 | Over |
| JEE Main Session 2 Exam | April 2 – 9, 2026 | Over |
| JEE Main Session 2 Result and Qualifying Cutoff | April 25, 2026 | Over |
| JoSAA Registration and Choice Filling | June 3 – 11, 2026 | Over |
| JoSAA Round 1 Seat Allotment | June 13, 2026 | Over |
The next big date for cutoff watchers is June 18, 2026, when JoSAA Round 2 closing ranks go live. Closing ranks usually loosen after Round 1 as students with high preferences accept and freeze. The final JoSAA round on July 16 is the last chance to bag an NIT or IIIT seat through the main counselling.
Factors Affecting JEE Main Cutoff 2026
The JEE Main cutoff is not a fixed number. It moves every year based on a mix of paper difficulty, candidate strength, and seat supply. Here are the factors that shaped the 2026 cutoff.
- Number of candidates registered. Around 14.75 lakh students registered for JEE Main 2026, up from 14.15 lakh in 2025. A larger pool pushes the qualifying percentile and tightens closing ranks at top NITs.
- Paper difficulty across both sessions. NTA uses percentile normalisation to balance the two sessions. A harder Session 2 paper raises the percentile of students who scored well in Session 1.
- Seat intake at NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. The total seat count across all 95 participating institutes is about 41,000. Any new seat addition or branch launch shifts closing ranks downward in that branch.
- Reservation policy and category split. Reserved category seats follow GoI norms. A change in EWS or OBC-NCL reservation directly moves category-wise closing ranks.
- Branch demand patterns. CSE and AI-ML branches now draw the top 5,000 ranks across NITs. Core branches like Mechanical and Civil see closing ranks loosen each year.
- Female pool supernumerary seats. NITs reserve 20 percent supernumerary seats for female candidates. This pulls the female-only closing rank below the General Open list by 500 to 900 ranks.
- Round-wise withdrawals. Students who upgrade from JoSAA to IIT seats in later rounds free up NIT seats. Round 4 to Round 6 closing ranks usually open up by 500 to 1,500 ranks.
JEE Main 2026 JoSAA Round-Wise Cutoff
JoSAA conducts 6 rounds of seat allotment for JEE Main 2026. The closing rank for a branch loosens with each round as top-rankers accept IIT seats and free up NIT and IIIT slots.
Round 1 closing ranks went live on June 13, 2026. Round 2 to Round 6 will run through June and July. The table below shows the Round 1 closing rank for CSE at top NITs, along with the projected Round 6 figure based on last year’s drift.
| Institute | Branch | Round 1 Closing Rank | Expected Round 6 Closing Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIT Trichy | CSE (HS Open) | 680 | 720 – 760 |
| NIT Surathkal | CSE (OS Open) | 1,280 | 1,350 – 1,450 |
| NIT Warangal | CSE (OS Open) | 1,690 | 1,800 – 1,900 |
| NIT Calicut | CSE (OS Open) | 3,420 | 3,600 – 3,800 |
| NIT Rourkela | CSE (OS Open) | 4,580 | 4,800 – 5,100 |
| MNIT Jaipur | CSE (OS Open) | 4,210 | 4,400 – 4,650 |
| MNIT Allahabad | CSE (OS Open) | 3,830 | 4,000 – 4,250 |
Source: JoSAA Round 1 Seat Allotment 2026
The Round 1 closing rank at NIT Trichy CSE tightened by 40 ranks from 720 last year to 680 this year. The same trend shows up at NIT Surathkal, where CSE closed at 1,280 against 1,310 in 2025.
JEE Main Cutoff 2026 for Top NITs
The top NITs by JEE Main 2026 closing rank are NIT Trichy, NIT Surathkal, NIT Warangal, NIT Calicut, and NIT Rourkela. Each pulls the toughest CSE closing rank in its quota. Here is the flagship branch cutoff at the top 10 NITs based on Round 1 data.
| NIT | Flagship Branch | Quota | Round 1 Closing Rank (General) |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIT Trichy | CSE | HS | 680 |
| NIT Surathkal | CSE | OS | 1,280 |
| NIT Warangal | CSE | OS | 1,690 |
| NIT Calicut | CSE | OS | 3,420 |
| MNIT Allahabad | CSE | OS | 3,830 |
| MNIT Jaipur | CSE | OS | 4,210 |
| NIT Rourkela | CSE | OS | 4,580 |
| VNIT Nagpur | CSE | OS | 4,820 |
| NIT Kurukshetra | CSE | OS | 5,150 |
| NIT Durgapur | CSE | OS | 6,640 |
NIT Trichy stays the most competitive NIT for CSE, especially under the Home State quota. NIT Surathkal pulls the toughest Other State CSE closing rank. If you sit between rank 4,000 and 7,000, the mid-tier NITs like VNIT Nagpur and NIT Kurukshetra are realistic targets.
JEE Main Branch-Wise Cutoff 2026
The branch you pick decides how tough the closing rank gets. CSE is the toughest across every NIT. Core branches like Civil and Mechanical close at much higher ranks, opening doors for mid-rank students.
Here is the JEE Main 2026 Round 1 closing rank for popular branches at NIT Trichy, NIT Surathkal, and NIT Warangal under the General (Other State) category.
| Branch | NIT Trichy | NIT Surathkal | NIT Warangal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science | 1,140 | 1,280 | 1,690 |
| Artificial Intelligence and Data Science | 1,720 | 1,890 | 2,310 |
| Electronics and Communication | 2,810 | 3,120 | 3,520 |
| Electrical and Electronics | 4,560 | 5,030 | 5,890 |
| Mechanical Engineering | 7,820 | 9,140 | 10,320 |
| Chemical Engineering | 9,510 | 11,260 | 12,830 |
| Civil Engineering | 13,420 | 15,620 | 17,140 |
| Metallurgical Engineering | 18,560 | 21,340 | 23,890 |
CSE and AI branches close within the first 2,500 ranks at every top NIT. If you target Mechanical or Chemical at NIT Trichy, a rank below 10,000 keeps you in the safe zone. Civil and Metallurgy at the same institute accept ranks up to 18,000 in Round 1.
Ques. Which branch has the lowest cutoff at NITs in 2026?
Ans. Metallurgical, Mining, and Production Engineering branches close at the highest ranks across NITs. At NIT Trichy, Metallurgy closed Round 1 at around 18,560 for General Other State. These branches are best suited for students with ranks above 15,000 who still want an NIT tag.
JEE Main Cutoff 2026: All India vs Home State Quota
NITs split seats between Home State (HS) and Other State (OS) quotas. About half the seats go to HS students. The rest open to All India applicants. The HS quota cutoff is usually looser than the OS cutoff, giving you a clear edge at your state’s NIT.
NIT Trichy CSE under HS closed at 680 in Round 1. The same branch under OS closed at 1,140, a gap of 460 ranks. The home state cushion can be even larger at less-competitive NITs.
| Institute | Branch | HS Closing Rank | OS Closing Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIT Trichy | CSE | 680 | 1,140 |
| NIT Surathkal | CSE | 820 | 1,280 |
| NIT Warangal | CSE | 910 | 1,690 |
| NIT Calicut | CSE | 1,840 | 3,420 |
| MNIT Jaipur | CSE | 2,360 | 4,210 |
| NIT Rourkela | CSE | 2,580 | 4,580 |
If you live in Tamil Nadu, the HS quota at NIT Trichy gives you 460 extra ranks of room for CSE. Students in Odisha get a 2,000-rank cushion at NIT Rourkela. Always check both quotas before locking your JoSAA preferences.
JEE Main Category-Wise Cutoff 2026
NTA publishes the JEE Main qualifying cutoff separately for each category. Reserved category cuts are lower, but the closing ranks at NITs still tighten across categories as competition rises. The table below lists the 2026 qualifying percentile alongside Round 1 closing ranks for CSE at NIT Trichy.
| Category | Qualifying Percentile | NIT Trichy CSE Closing Rank (HS) |
|---|---|---|
| General | 93.10 | 680 |
| General-EWS | 80.38 | 110 |
| OBC-NCL | 79.43 | 240 |
| SC | 61.15 | 140 |
| ST | 47.90 | 60 |
| PwD | 0.0018 | 30 |
Reserved category closing ranks at top NITs look small in number. They sit within the category-specific rank list, not the All India list. A category rank of 240 in OBC-NCL means you are inside the top 240 OBC candidates, which still demands a strong percentile.
JEE Main Previous Year Cutoff Trends
The JEE Main cutoff has moved on a tight band for the General category over five years. Reserved category cuts have shown a wider swing, mostly between 2022 and 2024. Looking at trend lines helps you predict where the 2026 figures may land in coming rounds.
The JoSAA closing rank for CSE at NIT Trichy across five years tells a clear story of growing competition.
| Year | NIT Trichy CSE (HS Open) | NIT Surathkal CSE (OS Open) | NIT Warangal CSE (OS Open) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (R1) | 680 | 1,280 | 1,690 |
| 2025 | 720 | 1,310 | 1,740 |
| 2024 | 790 | 1,390 | 1,830 |
| 2023 | 880 | 1,520 | 2,010 |
| 2022 | 940 | 1,640 | 2,180 |
The NIT Trichy CSE closing rank tightened from 940 in 2022 to 680 in 2026 Round 1, a shift of 260 ranks across five years. NIT Surathkal saw a similar move, closing 360 ranks tighter over the same window. NIT Warangal tightened by 490 ranks. Each step downward signals more aspirants pushing into the sub-2,000 rank band.
Source: JoSAA Historical Opening-Closing Ranks
Ques. Will JoSAA Round 6 closing ranks loosen from Round 1?
Ans. Yes. Round 6 closing ranks usually loosen by 100 to 300 ranks at top NITs compared to Round 1. The drift happens because high-rank students upgrade to IIT seats or move within JoSAA. This frees up NIT slots. Mid-tier NITs see bigger drifts of 500 ranks or more.
JEE Main Female Pool Cutoff 2026
NITs and IIITs reserve 20 percent supernumerary seats for female candidates. These seats sit on top of the standard intake and run with a separate, looser closing rank. The female pool gives talented female aspirants a wider gateway into top branches.
| Institute | Branch | Gender-Neutral Closing Rank | Female-Only Closing Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| NIT Trichy | CSE | 1,140 | 2,030 |
| NIT Surathkal | CSE | 1,280 | 2,260 |
| NIT Warangal | CSE | 1,690 | 2,890 |
| NIT Calicut | CSE | 3,420 | 5,140 |
| MNIT Jaipur | CSE | 4,210 | 6,380 |
The female-only closing rank for CSE at NIT Trichy sits 890 ranks looser than the gender-neutral list. NIT Surathkal shows a 980-rank cushion. If you are a female candidate with a rank between 2,000 and 3,000, top-tier NIT CSE is well within reach.
JEE Main Marks vs Rank Linkage
The marks-to-rank link helps you read your scorecard before the rank list goes live. NTA does not publish marks for cutoffs. JoSAA uses the All India Rank, which comes from your final NTA percentile. The table below maps marks to expected General rank for JEE Main 2026.
| Marks Range (out of 300) | Expected NTA Percentile | Expected General Rank |
|---|---|---|
| 286 – 300 | 99.99 – 100 | 1 – 100 |
| 250 – 285 | 99.5 – 99.98 | 500 – 5,000 |
| 220 – 249 | 99 – 99.5 | 5,000 – 12,000 |
| 180 – 219 | 98 – 99 | 12,000 – 25,000 |
| 150 – 179 | 96 – 98 | 25,000 – 50,000 |
| 120 – 149 | 93 – 96 | 50,000 – 95,000 |
| 90 – 119 | 87 – 93 | 95,000 – 1,80,000 |
| 60 – 89 | 75 – 87 | 1,80,000 – 3,50,000 |
If you scored above 250 in JEE Main 2026, your rank likely lands in the top 5,000. That puts NIT Trichy CSE in your reach. A score between 180 and 220 still keeps mid-tier NIT CSE or top-tier core branches open through later JoSAA rounds.
The marks-to-rank mapping shifts each session based on paper difficulty. Treat these figures as a guide, not a guarantee.
JEE Main Tie-Breaking Rules
Two students with the same JEE Main percentile do not get the same rank. NTA applies a fixed tie-breaking order to give every candidate a unique All India Rank. The 2026 tie-breaking sequence stays the same as in past years.
- Higher NTA percentile in Mathematics.
- Higher NTA percentile in Physics.
- Higher NTA percentile in Chemistry.
- Lower ratio of negative responses to positive responses across all subjects.
- Older candidate by date of birth.
- Higher application number.
If you scored well in Mathematics but slipped slightly in other subjects, the tie-breaker can still work in your favour. Mathematics is the first tie-breaker for a reason. NTA gives it the most weight in the score-normalisation logic too.
How to Use JEE Main Cutoff for College Prediction
You can use the JEE Main 2026 cutoff to map your rank against possible NIT, IIIT, and GFTI seats before locking your JoSAA preferences. A clean prediction step keeps you from wasting choices on out-of-reach branches.
- Step 1. Note your final All India Rank and category rank from the NTA scorecard.
- Step 2. Pull the latest JoSAA Round 1 closing rank PDF for your category and quota.
- Step 3. Group institutes into three buckets: safe (your rank sits below the closing rank by a clear margin), realistic (your rank sits near the closing rank), and reach (your rank sits above the closing rank).
- Step 4. Fill at least 60 JoSAA preferences. Place reach options at the top, realistic in the middle, safe at the bottom.
- Step 5. Cross-check the Round 6 closing rank from last year. Use it as a buffer for your safe picks.
The JoSAA portal allows up to 100 preferences. Use that headroom. Even a slim 1,000-rank gap can decide between a top-3 NIT and a mid-tier institute. Plan your fillings with both the qualifying percentile and admission cutoff in mind.
JEE Main Cutoff 2026 FAQs
Ques. When was the JEE Main 2026 cutoff released?
Ans. NTA released the JEE Main 2026 qualifying percentile on April 25, 2026 along with the Session 2 result. JoSAA published the Round 1 closing ranks for NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs on June 13, 2026.
Ques. What is the JEE Main 2026 qualifying cutoff for General category?
Ans. The General category qualifying percentile for JEE Advanced eligibility is 93.10 in 2026. This is the same level as 2025. Around 2.5 lakh students across categories cleared this cut.
Ques. What rank do you need for CSE at NIT Trichy in 2026?
Ans. The JoSAA Round 1 closing rank for CSE at NIT Trichy under Home State Open is 680. Other State applicants need a rank within 1,140. The closing rank may loosen by 40 to 80 ranks by Round 6.
Ques. How many JoSAA rounds will there be for JEE Main 2026?
Ans. JoSAA conducts 6 rounds of seat allotment for JEE Main 2026. After Round 6 ends on July 16, CSAB Special Rounds run in August. These special rounds fill the leftover seats at NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.
Ques. What is the difference between qualifying cutoff and admission cutoff?
Ans. The qualifying cutoff is the NTA percentile you need to clear JEE Advanced or enter JoSAA counselling. The admission cutoff is the lowest All India Rank that landed a seat in a specific branch at a specific NIT during JoSAA.
Ques. Is the JEE Main cutoff different for boys and girls?
Ans. The qualifying percentile is the same for all genders. But NITs and IIITs reserve 20 percent supernumerary seats for female candidates. The female-only closing rank is usually 500 to 900 ranks looser than the gender-neutral list for top branches.
Ques. Will the JEE Main 2026 cutoff rise in later JoSAA rounds?
Ans. Closing ranks usually loosen, not tighten, across JoSAA rounds. Top-rank students upgrade to IIT seats through JEE Advanced or shift within JoSAA. This frees up NIT slots, pushing closing ranks up by 100 to 1,500 ranks by Round 6.
Ques. What is the JEE Main cutoff for SC and ST students in 2026?
Ans. The SC qualifying percentile is 61.15 and the ST qualifying percentile is 47.90 in 2026. These are the JEE Advanced eligibility cuts. Admission cuts for SC and ST seats at NITs are set on the category rank list.
Ques. Can you get an NIT seat with a 95 percentile in JEE Main 2026?
Ans. A 95 percentile maps to a rank near 75,000. NIT seats in core branches like Civil, Metallurgy, or Mining at smaller NITs are still possible at this rank. Top-tier CSE seats are out of reach at this percentile.
Ques. How are JEE Main tie-breaking rules applied in 2026?
Ans. NTA breaks ties first on Mathematics percentile, then Physics, then Chemistry. If the tie still holds, the candidate with fewer negative responses gets the higher rank. Date of birth and application number are the final tie-breakers.
Ques. What is the home state cutoff advantage for NITs?
Ans. The Home State quota cutoff is looser than the Other State cutoff at the same NIT. At NIT Trichy CSE, the HS quota closes at 680 while OS closes at 1,140, a cushion of 460 ranks. The gap can stretch to over 1,500 ranks at mid-tier NITs like NIT Rourkela.
Ques. Where can you check the JEE Main 2026 cutoff PDF?
Ans. The qualifying percentile PDF is on the official NTA website at jeemain.nta.nic.in. JoSAA Round-wise closing rank PDFs go live at josaa.nic.in after each round. Both portals also carry the tie-breaking notice and reservation policy details.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
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