JEE Main Cutoff 2026: Check Category-Wise Marks, Score vs Percentile, & Previous year cutoff Trends

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26 Aug, 2026

JEE Main 2027 Session 1 Registration Is Expected to Begin in October 2026. Read More

24 Sep, 2026

JEE Main 2027 Session 1 (January) Exam will be held on January 22 - 24 and January 28 - 30, 2027.

JEE Main cutoff 2026 gives students an idea of the minimum percentile and marks they may need to qualify for JEE Advanced or secure a seat in NITs, IIITs and GFTIs. Since the cutoff changes every year, an early estimate helps students plan their preparation more confidently.

NTA prepares the cutoff by considering factors such as the difficulty level of the exam, the number of candidates and the total seats available. As these factors change each year, the cutoff also varies. Checking the cutoff trends from 2023 to 2025 helps students understand how competition has increased and what they can expect in 2026.

In this article, you will find the expected category-wise cutoff for 2026 along with the predicted percentile vs marks range. These simple insights can help you set a realistic target for JEE Main 2026. Aiming slightly above the expected cutoff always improves your chances of getting a better rank and performing well in the counselling rounds, even if the cutoff rises due to competition or paper difficulty.

What Factors Influence the JEE Main 2026 Category-Wise Cutoff?

Various factors influence the JEE Main cutoff every year. These factors influence how high or low the qualifying percentiles go for each category. Understanding them helps students set realistic expectations and plan their preparation more effectively.

Difficulty Level of the Exam: When the paper is tougher, cutoffs usually drop; an easier paper often raises them.
Seat Availability: A larger number of seats can lower the cutoff, while limited seats tend to push it higher.
Reservation Rules: Any change in reservation policies directly impacts the category-wise cutoff scores.
Number of Applicants: More test-takers increases competition, which can raise cutoff levels.
Previous Year Trends: Cutoffs from earlier sessions help predict how the next years trends might shift.

What Is the Expected Category-Wise Cutoff for JEE Main 2026?

JEE Main cutoff differs for each category, reflecting reservation policies and competition levels. Knowing these category-wise cutoffs helps students understand the minimum percentile they should aim for in the exam. Based on previous year data and trends, the following are the expected cutoff percentiles for JEE Main 2026:

Category	Expected Cutoff (Percentile)
General (UR)	93.5 - 95.0
EWS	80.0 - 82.0
OBC-NCL	79.0 - 81.0
SC	61.0 - 63.0
ST	47.5 - 50.0
UR-PwD	0.001 - 0.02

What Is the Expected Percentile vs Marks Analysis for JEE Main 2026?

The relationship between marks and percentiles in JEE Main gives students an idea of where they stand among all test-takers. Since the exam difficulty changes every year, the marks corresponding to a particular percentile may vary slightly. However, this prediction helps candidates estimate the marks they need to reach their target percentile and secure admission in top institutes.

Percentile Range	Expected Marks Range
95 - 100	270 - 300
90 - 94	240 - 269
85 - 89	210 - 239
80 - 84	180 - 209
75 - 79	150 - 179

What Score Is Considered Safe for the JEE Main 2026 Cutoff?

Aiming marks higher than the expected cutoff is a smart strategy to secure a seat in reputed engineering colleges. Since cutoff trends can fluctuate each year, scoring within or above these ranges increases the likelihood of admission to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.

Category	Safe Marks Range
General (UR)	280 - 300
EWS	240 - 260
OBC-NCL	230 - 250
SC	190 - 210
ST	160 - 180
UR-PwD	10 - 30

What Were the JEE Main 2025 Cutoff Marks?

The National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the official JEE Main cutoff 2025 percentiles along with the Session 2 results. These cutoffs determine which candidates are eligible to appear for JEE Advanced 2025. The following table shows the category-wise qualifying percentiles released by NTA:

Category	Cutoff Percentile 2025
Unreserved (UR)	93.1023262
Gen-EWS	80.3830119
OBC-NCL	79.4313582
SC	61.1526933
ST	47.9026465
UR-PwD	0.0079349

What Were the JEE Main 2024 Cutoff Marks?

The National Testing Agency (NTA) released the JEE Main cutoff 2024 marks along with the Session 2 results in April 2024. These cutoff scores represent the minimum percentiles required for candidates to qualify for JEE Advanced 2024 and admission to top engineering institutes.

Category	JEE Main Cutoff 2024
General	93.2362181
Gen-PwD	0.0018700
EWS	81.3266412
OBC-NCL	79.6757881
SC	60.0923182
ST	46.6975840

What Were the JEE Main 2023 Cutoff Marks?

The National Testing Agency (NTA) published the JEE Main cutoff 2023 marks to help candidates understand the qualifying percentiles needed for admission and JEE Advanced eligibility. Below is the category-wise cutoff released by NTA:

Category	Cutoff
General	90.7788642
EWS	75.6229025
OBC	73.6114227
SC	51.9776027
ST	37.2348772
PwD	0.0013527

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Frequently Asked Questions

Ans: Cutoff scores vary significantly between categories due to the reservation system and the relative number of candidates in each group. For example, while the General category cutoff is usually above 90 percentiles, it tends to be around 80 percentiles for EWS, 79 percentiles for OBC-NCL, 60 percentiles for SC, and below 50 percentiles for ST. PwD candidates generally have much lower cutoffs due to limited competition in that category.

Ans: Safe marks are those that ensure a high percentile, increasing the likelihood of admission even if the cutoff fluctuates. Based on predictions, candidates should aim for around 280–300 marks (General), 240–260 marks (EWS), and 230–250 marks (OBC-NCL) to stay in the safe zone. For SC and ST categories, marks above 190 and 160 respectively can provide better admission chances.

Ans: Over the last few years, the JEE Main cutoff has fluctuated slightly depending on exam patterns and student performance. For instance, the General category cutoff has ranged between 87.89 percentile (2021) to 93.10 percentile (2025). Similar minor variations can be observed across other categories. This trend shows that while competition is rising, students who consistently score above 95 percentiles remain well-positioned for admission to top institutes.

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