The NTA will release the JEE Main 2026 Result on 12 February 2026, but before the result, the experts have analysed the JEE Main cutoff 2026 category-wise, based on the previous year trends, exam difficulty level, and student response analysis:
- The expected JEE Main cutoff for the general category is around the 93-95 percentile, with 100-125+ marks considered a safe score.
- The OBC-NCL candidates are expected to have a lower cutoff of 80-82 percentile with a 50-60 marks range.
Clearing the JEE Main cutoff allows you to appear for JEE Advanced 2026, but admission to top NITs and IIITs usually requires a much higher percentile, typically 98–99+.
Related Links:
- JEE Main Cutoff 2026: Check Previous Year Trends, Percentile & Category-wise qualifying marks
- JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 2026: Check Shift-Wise Marks and Rank Prediction
- JEE Main College Predictor 2026: Predict B.Tech chances based on JoSAA Opening and Closing Ranks
JEE Main Cutoff Category Wise 2026 (Expected)
The experts at We Won Academy have analysed that the JEE Main cutoff 2026 of each category will vary from each other and is expected to remain stable as JEE Main 2025 with a shift of 5-10 marks only.
| Category | Expected Cutoff Percentile 2026 | Safe Percentile Range | Expected Safe Marks (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 93 – 95 | 93.5+ | 100 – 125+ |
| EWS | 80 – 82 | 82+ | 55 – 65 |
| OBC-NCL | 80 – 82 | 81+ | 50 – 60 |
| SC | 60 – 62 | 61+ | 30 – 40 |
| ST | 48 – 50 | 50+ | 25 – 35 |
| PwD | ~0.1 | 0.1+ | Not fixed |
Also Check:
| Safe Score for JEE Mains 2026 for the General Category |
| Safe Score for JEE Main 2026 for the OBC Category |
| Safe Score for JEE Mains 2026 for ST Category |
| Safe Score for JEE Mains 2026 for PWD Category |
JEE Main Marks vs Percentile vs Rank 2026
As per the prediction of Mathongo, for General, 93-95 percentile (100-125+ marks) translates to 45k-85k ranks; OBC-NCL at 80-82 (50-65 marks), around 1.5L-2.3L.
| Category | Marks Range (Approx.) | Expected Percentile | Expected Rank Range (All India) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 100 – 125+ | 93 – 95 | 45,000 – 85,000 |
| EWS / OBC-NCL | 50 – 65 | 80 – 82 | 1,50,000 – 2,30,000 |
Also Check:
- JEE Main NIT Cutoff 2026: Check Category Wise Opening and Closing Ranks for Top NITs
- IIIT JEE Main Cut off 2026: Category-wise JoSAA Opening and Closing Ranks, Percentile & Minimum Marks
- JEE Main 2026 GFTIs Cut off Expected, Previous Years’ Cut off and College-wise Closing Ranks
Top Colleges for General Category (93–95 Percentile)
| College / Institute | Likely Admission Scenario |
|---|---|
| NITs (Tier II/III) – e.g., NIT Agartala, Hamirpur, Raipur, Jalandhar | Good chance for branches like ECE/ME/CE with ranks ~40k–90k range |
| Some IIITs (Lower Tier) – e.g., IIITDM Kurnool, IIIT Agartala, IIIT Manipur, IIIT Kottayam | Possible for decent branches with closing ranks ~80k–1L+ |
| Select GFTIs – e.g., BIT Mesra (some branches), Assam University, SLIET | Likely options with relatively relaxed cutoffs compared to NITs/IIITs |
| State Engineering Colleges / Other Govt. Institutes | Good prospects depending on home state rank and home state quota conditions (e.g., local CET overlays). |
Top Colleges for OBC-NCL (80–82 Percentile)
| College / Institute | Likely Admission Scenario |
|---|---|
| Some GFTIs (e.g., Assam University, SPA, SLIET, BIT Mesra) | Strong chances, especially in non-core branches or less competitive streams |
| Lower Tier NITs / IIITs (via home state quota or extended rounds) | Possible for branches like Civil, Mechanical, Basic ECE in some campuses |
| State Engineering Colleges / Deemed/Private Institutes | High chances in reputable state govt colleges or private universities with JEE Main acceptance (like NITTE, RVCE-like private options under CSAB/state quota). |
| Other Centrally Funded Technical Institutes (CFTIs) | Options with higher closing ranks (~30k–80k+) depending on seat availability and category rank. |
Related Links:
- JEE Main 2026 OBC Cutoff Prediction
- JEE Main 2026 SC Cutoff Prediction
- Category wise top 20 percentile cut off marks in Class 12th for IITs, NITs, IIITs and GFTIs
- List of colleges accepting 90+ percentile in JEE Main 2026 Category-wise
- How Many Marks for 99 Percentile in JEE Mains 2026?
JEE Main Category wise Cutoff FAQs
Ques. I am targeting for the JEE Mains 2026. What rank should I get for CSE in any IIIT or NIT?
Ans. To secure CSE in Top NITs like Trichy, Surathkal, Warangal you will have to score AIR below 5,000 and for mid tier NITs AIR between 5,000-12,000 will be enough.
An AIR of 8,000-30,000 can also place you in the IIITs with CSE and IT branch.
Ques. On what basis are the category wise cutoff marks of JEE Mains decided?
Ans. The category wise JEE Main cutoff is decided based on the multiple factors like:
- Total number of candidates appearing
- Difficulty level of the exam
- Overall performance of candidates
- Availability of seats
- Reservation policies
- Previous years’ cutoff trends
Ques. I got a 90 percentile (as a obc candidate) in the JEE Mains 2025. What colleges can I expect and which branches?
Ans. With 90 percentile as an OBC-NCL candidates, you are above the qualifying cutoff but with limited top branches.
This percentile will place you in the AIR around 90,000-1,10,000 with a possible colleges are Lower and Newr NITs with Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Metallurgy, adn Production Engineering.
You can also get Newer IIITs in ECE and IT branch, GFTIs and State level colleges.
Ques. Why is the JEE Main cutoff of General so high compared to OBC?
Ans. The General category cutoff is higher mainly because of the higher competition and no reservation benefit, there are many other reasons like:
- Largest number of applicants
- No seat reservation
- Open competition for limited seats
- Higher average performance level
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