The National Testing Agency has announced the JEE Main 2026 cutoff percentile for candidates. The cutoff determines eligibility for JEE Advanced and admission chances in top engineering colleges. Only candidates meeting the qualifying percentile will move to the next stage.
JEE Main 2026 Category-Wise Cutoff Percentile for JEE Advanced
The cutoff percentile varies across categories and is based on exam difficulty and performance trends. Candidates must meet these minimum qualifying marks to appear for JEE Advanced 2026.
- General (UR): 93 – 95 percentile
- EWS: 80 – 82 percentile
- OBC-NCL: 79 – 81 percentile
- SC: 60 – 63 percentile
- ST: 47 – 50 percentile
- PwD: Around below 1 percentile
These cutoffs represent the minimum benchmark required for eligibility and may vary slightly in the final official list.
JEE Main 2026 Qualifying Criteria for JEE Advanced
Apart from cutoff percentile, candidates must also rank among the top performers to qualify for the next stage.
- Only top 2,50,000 candidates are shortlisted
- Selection is based on percentile score (not raw marks)
- Category-wise reservation is applied
This ensures that only the highest-performing candidates are eligible for IIT admissions through JEE Advanced.
Expected JEE Main 2026 Cutoff for Top Engineering Colleges
While qualifying cutoff allows entry to JEE Advanced, admission to top colleges requires much higher percentiles.
- Top NITs (CSE): 98.5–99.5 percentile
- IIITs (Top branches): 97–99 percentile
- GFTIs: 90–97 percentile
Candidates aiming for premier institutes must target significantly higher scores than the minimum qualifying cutoff.
Factors Affecting JEE Main 2026 Cutoff Percentile
The cutoff percentile is influenced by multiple factors each year. Understanding these helps candidates assess trends accurately.
- Number of candidates appearing
- Difficulty level of the exam
- Overall performance of candidates
- Seat availability in institutes
With over 15 lakh candidates appearing, competition has increased, leading to higher cutoff expectations.
What JEE Main 2026 Cutoff Means for Candidates?
The cutoff percentile is a crucial benchmark but does not guarantee admission to top institutes. It only determines eligibility for further stages.
Candidates must aim for higher percentiles to secure admission in preferred colleges and branches. Strategic counselling choices and rank-based preferences play a key role in final seat allotment.
