The JEE Main 2026 Qualifying cutoff will be released by NTA, along with the session 2 result, expected to be on April 20, 2026.
The JEE Main Cutoff is the minimum percentile required to qualify for JEE Advanced to be eligible for JoSAA Counselling for NITs, IIITs & GFTIs.
- As the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 is over, and more than 13 lakh candidates appeared for the exam, this shows high competition.
- With a moderate difficulty level & high competition, the qualifying cutoff percentile is expected to be high as well.
- The Expected Cutoff for the General category is 93.5–95.0, for EWS 80.5–82.5, for OBC 79.5–81.5, for SC 61.0–63.0, and for ST 47.5–50.0.
In Top NITs, the closing rank will be AIR 1,000-1,200, in lower NITs/GFTIs, candidates can get admission with AIR Upto 40,000 to 50,000.
For B.Tech, there are 60,000+ B.Tech seats in different institutes, 24,000+ in NITs, 9,000+ in IIITs, and 25,000+ in GFTIs.
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Key Summary
- In this Article, we have discussed the JEE Main Cutoff 2026, including the Qualifying Marks and Percentiles for NITs, IIITs & GFTIs
- For Admissions in top NITs, you should get a 99.2 to 99.6 percentile, around 180 to 210 marks.
- The GFTI cutoff varies with lots of factors, with the rank range till 20,000 in top colleges.
- If you have a home state quota, then your cutoff will have a relaxation of up to 30 to 50%, but in high competition states, the advantage is less.
- For top colleges, a good score is 180+ marks, whereas with 120+, you can get into GFTIs and Newer NITs.
- The Cutoff for the SC/ST Category has the highest relaxation, with ranks of more than 1 lakh+ as compared to the general category.
What is the JEE Main Cutoff 2026?
The JEE Main Cutoff will be calculated by using normalised percentile, not the raw marks, for balancing the difficulty among various shifts.
- In JEE Main Qualifying cutoff & admission cutoff will be different.
- The qualifying percentile will be used for eligibility, whereas the JoSAA Closing ranks will decide the actual admission cutoff.
JoSAA Opening and Closing Ranks PDFs
| Rounds | IITs | NIT | IIIT | GFTI |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Round 1 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| Round 2 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| Round 3 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| Round 4 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| Round 5 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
| Round 6 | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF | Download PDF |
*These are directly taken from JoSAA’s official website, josaa.nic.in.
Ques. What Is a Good Score to Get Admission Through JEE Main?
Ans. A Good JEE Main Score will depend on the college you’re targeting.
- By scoring 200+ Marks, there will be strong chances for admission in Top NITs and IIITs in top branches like CSE, ECE.
- By 170 to 200 Marks, with a 96–98 percentile, admission can be possible in mid-tier NITs, IIITs, and popular core branches.
- With 140 to 170 marks, candidates can get admission in NITs/GFTIs for Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, and EE.
Ques. How did the difficulty level of JEE Main papers impact the cutoff changes across 2023, 2024, and 2025?
Ans. The Difficulty level of JEE Main will affect your percentile directly.
- In 2023, the exam was moderate, so the cutoff was a bit stable.
- In 2024, the exam was easy to moderate, which has increased the cutoff due to higher scores.
- In 2025, the exam was moderate, the cutoff increased, even though the mathematics was tougher.
Also, Check:
JEE Main 2026 Category-Wise Cutoff
As per the previous year analysis, the qualifying percentile is expected to be high, because of higher participation as more than 13 lakh candidates appeared, with high competition for limited seats in NITs, IIITs and GFTIs.
As per @WeWonAcademy, the category-wise expected cutoff marks of JEE Main 2026 are:
JEE Main Cutoff for General Category
- The CSE & IT branches in the top NITs/IIITs are expected to close the AIR between 1,500 and 12,000, which requires around 98 to 99.7th percentile.
- For the ECE & Electrical branch, the closing rank is between 6,000 and 28,000, with the required percentile of around 96 to 98.5.
- Overall, around 97 to 99th percentile is the safe score for the top branches in NITs/IIITs.
| Branch (Top NIT/IIIT) | Expected Closing Rank Range | Expected Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| CSE | 1,500 – 8,000 | 98.5 – 99.7 |
| IT/AI | 3,000 – 12,000 | 98 – 99 |
| ECE | 6,000 – 18,000 | 97 – 98.5 |
| Electrical | 10,000 – 28,000 | 96 – 97.5 |
| Mechanical | 18,000 – 45,000 | 94 – 96 |
| Civil/Core | 30,000 – 70,000 | 92 – 94 |
JEE Main Cutoff for OBC-NCL
- The Cutoff for OBC CSE can close between 4,000 and 18,000, which requires around 97 to 99th percentile.
- IT/AI and ECE Branches extends upto 25 to 40k ranks, giving high admission chances for candidates scoring in the 94th to 98th percentile.
- With the reservation benefits, the admissions can increase, but still, for top branches 95+ percentile is required.
| Branch | Expected Closing Rank (OBC) | Expected Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| CSE | 4,000 – 18,000 | 97 – 99 |
| IT/AI | 8,000 – 25,000 | 96 – 98 |
| ECE | 15,000 – 40,000 | 94 – 96.5 |
| Electrical | 25,000 – 55,000 | 92 – 95 |
| Mechanical | 45,000 – 90,000 | 90 – 93 |
| Civil/Core | 70,000 – 1,40,000 | 88 – 91 |
JEE Main Cutoff for EWS
- The Closing range for CSE & IT will be upto 15,000 to 22,000 ranks, with around 96 to 99 percentile, for top NIT/IIIT branches.
- Some branches can get admission till 1.2 lakh ranks, which shows admission chances are open till 88 to 93 percentile.
| Branch | Expected Closing Rank (EWS) | Expected Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| CSE | 3,500 – 15,000 | 97 – 99 |
| IT/AI | 7,000 – 22,000 | 96 – 98 |
| ECE | 12,000 – 35,000 | 94 – 96 |
| Electrical | 20,000 – 50,000 | 92 – 95 |
| Mechanical | 40,000 – 85,000 | 90 – 93 |
| Civil/Core | 65,000 – 1,20,000 | 88 – 91 |
JEE Main Cutoff for SC
- For SC Candidates, the CSE closes for 90,000 ranks and with the required percentile of 90+ for the top NIT Branches.
- The Core branches exceeds upto 3 to 5 lakh ranks, as per which the 70 to 85 percentile can get you a seat by JoSAA.
| Branch | Expected Closing Rank (SC) | Expected Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| CSE | 25,000 – 90,000 | 90 – 96 |
| IT/AI | 40,000 – 1,20,000 | 88 – 94 |
| ECE | 70,000 – 2,00,000 | 85 – 92 |
| Electrical | 1,00,000 – 2,80,000 | 82 – 90 |
| Mechanical | 1,80,000 – 3,50,000 | 78 – 85 |
| Civil/Core | 2,50,000 – 5,00,000 | 70 – 80 |
JEE Main Cutoff for ST
- The Closing rank for CSE will be upto 1.8 lakh ranks, which suggests candidates with 85 to 93 percentiles can get admission in top branches for different NITs/IIITs.
- The Civil branches will extends upto 6 to 7 lakh ranks, showing admission possibilities for around 65 to 80 percentiles.
| Branch | Expected Closing Rank (ST) | Expected Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| CSE | 60,000 – 1,80,000 | 85 – 93 |
| IT/AI | 90,000 – 2,50,000 | 82 – 90 |
| ECE | 1,50,000 – 3,50,000 | 78 – 88 |
| Electrical | 2,00,000 – 4,50,000 | 75 – 85 |
| Mechanical | 3,00,000 - 6,00,000 | 70 – 80 |
| Civil/Core | 4,00,000 – 7,00,000 | 65 – 75 |
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Ques. What percentile is needed for top NITs like Trichy, Warangal & Surathkal in 2026?
Ans. In Top NITs, the branches like CSE, ECE, and other branches like AI/ML have the highest cutoff.
- As per the previous year's analysis, the expected percentile range for 2026 will be 98.5-99.5, which can differ according to seat type and category.
- For CSE, the targeted percentile should be 99.4, as the seats are limited and demand is high.
Ques. Are GFTIs Easier to Get Than NITs and IIITs?
Ans. Yes, for a lot of Candidates, GFTIs are easier than NITs and IIITs, because of lower cutoffs and a few applications for each seat.
- The Top branches in GFTIs will close between 40,000 and 90,000 ranks, whereas for NITs/IIITs, the ranks are higher.
- GFTIs offer more seats in Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, and Electrical, extending admission chances.
JEE Main Category-Wise Qualifying Cutoff 2026
TheJEE Main Cutoff percentile changes every year as per the total candidates, difficulty & overall performance.
- The General category cutoff is above 93 percentile from 2024, which shows high competition.
- The JEE Main Cutoff will differ for all categories due to the reservation criteria.
JEE Main Cutoff 2026 Percentile
| Category | Expected Qualifying Cutoff (Percentile) | Approx. Marks Range (Out of 300) | Eligibility Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 93.5 – 95.0 | 90 – 100 | JEE Advanced + JoSAA |
| Gen-EWS | 80.5 – 82.5 | 75 – 83 | Category-wise eligibility |
| OBC-NCL | 79.5 – 81.5 | 75 – 81 | Reserved category eligibility |
| SC | 61.5 – 64.0 | 50 – 55 | JEE Advanced eligibility |
| ST | 48.0 – 50.5 | 40 – 45 | JEE Advanced eligibility |
| PwD | 0.001 – 1.0 | < 10 | Eligibility only |
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JEE Main Cutoff for NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs
The JEE Main Cutoff for NITs, IIITs and GFTIs will differ according to the total number of seats in each and the total number of candidates who appeared in JEE Main.
The JEE Main closing ranks will represent the rank at which the candidates will be admitted last for each category, course, and round.
Expected JEE Main Cutoff 2026 for Top NITs
- The JEE Main Cutoff for NITs is high because of limited seats and more demand for CSE.
- With the home-state quota, you can have an advantage of 25 to 40% in the closing ranks.
- In 2026, the cutoff is expected to increase, as the total number of candidates is expected to be more than 14 lakhs.
- With a difference of 5 to 10 marks, your rank can have a major shift.
The table shows the JEE Main 2025 Last Round Closing Cutoff for Computer Science and Engineering across Categories at the top NITs.
| Institute | General (Closing Rank) | OBC (Closing Rank) | SC(Closing Rank) | ST (Closing Rank) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NIT Jalandhar | 16325 | 8919 | 3454 | 3795 |
| NIT Jaipur | 6013 | 1922 | 1369 | 358 |
| NIT Bhopal | 11415 | 4437 | 2905 | 1330 |
| NIT Allahabad | 6562 | 2599 | 1132 | 1280 |
| NIT Agartala | 75417 | - | 8718 | 10738 |
| NIT Arunachal Pradesh | 78084 | 35124 | 26592 | 18929 |
| NIT Calicut | 8428 | 2881 | 4674 | 655 |
| NIT Delhi | 10165 | 7180 | 2093 | 1301 |
| NIT Durgapur | 11587 | 7980 | 1562 | 2230 |
| NIT Goa | 16198 | 12567 | - | 1475 |
Source: JoSAA Counselling
Expected JEE Main Cutoff 2026 for Top IIITs
- The IIITs are most preferred by the candidates for software and AI-based careers.
- The IIITs have more focus on computer science. The New IIITs offer entry below 99.5 percentile.
- The Competition is high in IIITs, which increases their cutoff above NITs. The Seat intake is low, which makes the percentile high.
- In the metro cities, the IIITs will have more than 25 to 30% closing ranks because of high demand for technical jobs.
The table below shows the JEE Main 2025 Last Round Closing Cutoff for Computer Science and Engineering across Categories at top IIITs.
| Institute | General (Closing Rank) | OBC (Closing Rank) | SC (Closing Rank) | ST (Closing Rank) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IIITM Gwalior | 9527 | 3413 | 2092 | 933 |
| IIIT Nagpur | 29123 | 11280 | 7431 | 3785 |
| IIIT Pune | 21029 | 8439 | 5646 | 3128 |
| IIIT Ranchi | 38063 | 14896 | 9351 | 4536 |
| IIIT Chittoor | 26387 | 10575 | 7536 | 3530 |
| IIIT Kota | 27400 | 11048 | 7467 | 3310 |
| IIIT Bhagalpur | 44476 | 16641 | 10415 | 5187 |
| IIIT Bhopal | 27095 | 11401 | 7875 | 3928 |
| IIIT Guwahati | 22739 | 8583 | 5708 | 2799 |
| IIIT MANIPUR | 58080 | 19787 | 11300 | 5495 |
Source: JoSAA Counselling
Expected JEE Main Cutoff for Top GFTIs
- The GFTIs are more accessible than the NITs and IIITs. The Cutoff can vary as per the location, branch and its reputation.
- The Candidates looking to get into government-recognised institutions with lower cutoffs than NITs/IIITs can go for GFTIs.
- The Cutoff for SC/ST candidates is around 40 to 45% lower than the general category ranks.
| Top GFTIs | Expected Percentile | Approx. Marks (Out of 300) |
|---|---|---|
| BIT Mesra | 97.5 – 98.5 | 155 – 185 |
| PEC Chandigarh | 97.0 – 98.0 | 150 – 180 |
| IIEST Shibpur | 96.5 – 97.5 | 140 – 170 |
| Assam University | 94.0 – 96.0 | 120 – 150 |
You can check the JEE Main Cutoffs for NITs, IIITs and GFTIs, in the tables given below:
JEE Main Cutoff for NITs 2026
JEE Main GFTI Cutoff 2026
JEE Main IIIT Cutoff 2026
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Previous Year JEE Main Cutoff Trends
The Previous year JEE Main Qualifying cutoff will show the change in the competition level since the last few years.
- The General category cutoff has increased from 88.41 in 2022 to 93 in 2024, which shows high participation and better performance.
- Since 2024, the cutoff has been stable for all categories.
JEE Main Official Qualifying Cutoffs Percentile
| Year | General (UR) | Gen-EWS | OBC-NCL | SC | ST | PwD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 93.10 | 80.06 | 79.43 | 60.09 | 46.70 | 0.001 |
| 2024 | 93.24 | 81.33 | 79.67 | 60.09 | 46.70 | 0.001 |
| 2023 | 90.78 | 75.62 | 73.61 | 51.98 | 37.23 | 0.001 |
| 2022 | 88.41 | 63.11 | 67.01 | 43.08 | 26.77 | 0.001 |
Source: jeemain.nta.nic.in
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Factors Determining JEE Main 2026 Cutoff Scores
The JEE Main Cutoff 2026 will include both the qualifying percentile & admission ranks. This will be decided after the overall exam performance and participation in both sessions.
Factors Affecting JEE Main Cutoff 2026 are:
- Total Number of appeared candidates: With the higher participation of more than 13 lakh in session 1, the competition has increased, and the cutoff has also increased.
- Higher Difficulty Level: As the difficulty level of the exam was moderate, the percentile scored by candidates will be high, which will increase the cutoff as well.
- Normalisation & Percentile System: As the exam is held in different shifts, NTA will use percentile normalisation, which will affect the marks vs percentile & final cutoff.
- Seats Availability: More than 60,000+ B.Tech Seats are offered in NITs, IIITs and GFTIs. If the seat intake increases along with the number of candidates, the admission cutoff will be high as well.
JEE Main Marks vs Percentile
The Relationship between JEE Main Marks vs Percentile will help the candidates to understand what is their rank as compared to other candidates.
- The admissions are based on percentile and not your raw marks.
- As JEE Main is conducted in different shifts, your percentile can be different even with the same marks.
| Marks Range (Out of 300) | Expected Percentile Range | Performance Band |
|---|---|---|
| 285 – 300 | 99.9 – 100 | Top rankers (AIR < 500) |
| 260 – 284 | 99.7 – 99.9 | Top 1,000 candidates |
| 240 – 259 | 99.3 – 99.69 | Excellent |
| 220 – 239 | 98.8 – 99.29 | Very strong |
| 200 – 219 | 98.0 – 98.79 | Strong |
| 180 – 199 | 96.5 – 97.99 | Above average |
| 160 – 179 | 94.0 – 96.49 | Competitive |
| 140 – 159 | 91.0 – 93.99 | Average |
| 120 – 139 | 87.0 – 90.99 | Below average |
| 100 – 119 | 80.0 – 86.99 | Low |
| Below 100 | Below 80 | Needs improvement |
By @DivineJEE, you can check JEE Main 2026 Expected Cutoff, including the marks vs percentile for each range.
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FAQs for JEE Main Cutoff 2026
Ques. What Is the Safe Score for JEE Mains 2026?
Ans. The JEE Main “Safe Score” will depend on whether you are targeting NITs, IIITs or GFTIs, or only eligibility for JEE Advanced.
JEE Mains 2026 Expected Safe Score
| Target Level | Safe Percentile | Safe Score Range | Safe Rank Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Top NITs (CSE/ECE) | 99.2 – 99.6 | 180–210 | 1,000 – 6,000 |
| Top NITs (Non-CSE) | 98 – 99.2 | 160–180 | 6,000 – 20,000 |
| Top IIITs (CSE) | 98.2 – 99.3 | 165–190 | 4,000 – 18,000 |
| Mid NITs / IIITs | 95 – 98 | 130–160 | 25,000 – 70,000 |
| GFTIs (Overall) | 90 – 95 | 110–140 | 60,000 – 1,20,000 |
| JEE Advanced Eligibility | 93–95 | 120–150 | ~70,000 |
Ques. What Is the JEE 2026 Prediction?
Ans. The JEE Main 2026 predictions will include expected cutoff, percentile shift and demand for other branches and changes.
JEE Mains 2026 Prediction
| Prediction Area | Expected Trend 2026 |
|---|---|
| Qualifying Cutoff | Slightly higher (General: 94–96 percentile) |
| Cutoff for Top NITs | CSE to close earlier due to AI/Data surge |
| Percentile–Score Variability | More compressed around 95–98%ile |
| Most Demanded Branches | CSE, AI/ML, DS, IT |
| Rank Inflation at High Percentiles | 99+ percentile becomes tougher by 5–10 marks |
| Competition Level | Higher due to more test-takers |
Ques. What Rank Is 99.5 in JEE Mains?
Ans. The 99.5th Percentile is considered a high score, with which you can get admission into top NITs for non-CSE Branches. The Rank Changes depend upon the shift normalisations.
Rank Range for 99.5 Percentile
| Percentile | Expected Rank Range 2026 |
|---|---|
| 99.5 | 4,000 – 6,500 |
| 99.6 | 3,000 – 5,000 |
| 99.7 | 2,000 – 3,800 |
Ques. What is the difference between the JEE Main Qualifying & Admission cutoff?
Ans. The JEE Main Cutoff can be classified as Qualifying & Admission cutoff. The difference between them is as follows:
| Basis | JEE Main Qualifying Cutoff | JEE Main Admission Cutoff |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | To become eligible for JEE Advanced | To secure admission in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs |
| Released By | NTA | JoSAA / CSAB |
| Expressed As | Percentile | Opening & Closing Ranks |
| Category-wise | Yes (UR, EWS, OBC, SC, ST, PwD) | Yes (plus Home State, Gender, Quota) |
| When Released | With the Session 2 result (April) | During JoSAA counselling rounds |
| Competition Level | Filters top ~2.5 lakh candidates | Highly branch & college dependent |
| Admission Guaranteed? | No | Yes, if the rank falls within the cutoff |
| Changes Every Year? | Slight variation | Varies significantly by branch demand |
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