If you are preparing for JEE Main 2026, then one of the most searched and important topics is JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff. Every year students want to know:
✅ How many marks are required to qualify JEE Main 2026?
✅ What is the cutoff percentile for General/OBC/SC/ST/EWS?
✅ What marks are needed for NIT, IIIT, and GFTI admission?
In this detailed blog post, you will get complete information about JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff, including:
- Qualifying cutoff vs Admission cutoff
- Expected category-wise cutoff
- Marks vs percentile analysis
- Previous year cutoff trends
- NIT/IIIT branch-wise expected cutoff idea
- Tips to score above cutoff in 2026
So let’s start step-by-step.
JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff: Expected Percentile, Marks & Trends
What is JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff?
The JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff is the minimum score/percentile required by a candidate to:
- Qualify for JEE Advanced 2026, and/or
- Get admission into NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs through JoSAA counselling.
Important Note:
JEE Main cutoff is usually given in percentile, not raw marks, because the exam is conducted in multiple shifts and normalization happens.
Types of JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff (Most Students Get Confused Here)
There are two main types of cutoffs in JEE Main:
1) Qualifying Cutoff (For JEE Advanced)
This cutoff decides whether you are eligible for JEE Advanced 2026.
- Released by: NTA
- Based on: Percentile
- Purpose: Eligibility for JEE Advanced
✅ This is the cutoff most students search as “JEE Mains cutoff percentile”.
2) Admission Cutoff (For NIT/IIIT/GFTI)
This cutoff decides whether you can get admission in colleges like:
- NIT (National Institute of Technology)
- IIIT (Indian Institute of Information Technology)
- GFTI (Government Funded Technical Institutes)
- Released by: JoSAA / CSAB
- Based on: Opening Rank & Closing Rank
- Purpose: College admission
✅ This is also called JoSAA cutoff.
JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff (Expected) – Category Wise Qualifying Percentile
Below is the expected JEE Mains 2026 cutoff percentile based on previous trends:
| Category | Expected Cutoff Percentile (2026) |
|---|---|
| General (UR) | 88 to 92 |
| EWS | 75 to 80 |
| OBC-NCL | 72 to 78 |
| SC | 50 to 60 |
| ST | 40 to 55 |
| PwD | 0.001 to 1 (varies) |
📌 Note: The cutoff changes every year depending on:
- Total candidates
- Difficulty level
- Performance of students
- Seat availability
JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff Marks (Expected) – Marks vs Percentile
Students also search: “How many marks for 90 percentile in JEE Main?”
So here is a realistic expected idea (approx.):
| Percentile Range | Expected Marks Range (2026) |
|---|---|
| 99+ | 180 to 240+ |
| 98 – 99 | 160 to 180 |
| 95 – 98 | 130 to 160 |
| 90 – 95 | 100 to 130 |
| 85 – 90 | 80 to 100 |
| 75 – 85 | 60 to 80 |
| 60 – 75 | 40 to 60 |
✅ If your target is NIT/IIIT, you should aim for 95+ percentile minimum (safe zone).
✅ If your target is Top NIT CSE, aim for 99+ percentile.
Previous Year JEE Main Qualifying Cutoff (Trend Analysis)
Understanding previous trends helps predict JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff better.
JEE Main Cutoff Percentile (Last Few Years)
| Year | General | EWS | OBC | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | ~93+ | ~81+ | ~79+ | ~60+ | ~46+ |
| 2023 | ~90+ | ~75+ | ~73+ | ~51+ | ~37+ |
| 2022 | ~88+ | ~63+ | ~67+ | ~43+ | ~26+ |
📌 Trend Observation:
- General cutoff mostly stays between 88 to 93 percentile
- SC/ST cutoffs fluctuate more depending on candidates
Factors Affecting JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff
The cutoff is not fixed. It depends on multiple factors:
1) Difficulty Level of Paper
- If paper is tough → cutoff may go down
- If paper is easy → cutoff may go up
2) Number of Candidates Appearing
More students = higher competition = higher cutoff
3) Normalization & Shift Difficulty
Because JEE Main is held in multiple shifts, NTA uses percentile normalization.
4) Total Seats Available
Seat matrix of NIT/IIIT/GFTI affects admission cutoff.
5) Category-wise Reservation
Different cutoffs for different categories.
JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff for NIT Admission (Expected Percentile)
Many students don’t just want qualifying cutoff, they want college cutoff.
Here is a general expected range:
For Top NITs (CSE / IT)
- 99 to 99.7 percentile
For Top NITs (ECE / EE / Mechanical)
- 97 to 99 percentile
For Mid NITs
- 95 to 98 percentile
For Lower NITs
- 90 to 95 percentile
📌 If you want any NIT seat, aim for at least 95 percentile for safer chances.
JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff for IIIT Admission (Expected)
IIITs are very popular for:
- CSE
- IT
- ECE
Expected cutoff:
- Top IIITs (Allahabad, Hyderabad, Bangalore) → 98.5+ percentile
- Mid IIITs → 96 to 98 percentile
- Newer IIITs → 92 to 96 percentile
Branch-wise Cutoff Idea (High Demand Branches)
Some branches have the highest demand, so their cutoffs are always higher:
Highest Cutoff Branches
- Computer Science (CSE)
- Information Technology (IT)
- Electronics & Communication (ECE)
- Artificial Intelligence / Data Science (where available)
Moderate Cutoff Branches
- Electrical (EE)
- Mechanical (ME)
- Civil (CE)
Safe Score Strategy for JEE Mains 2026 (To Beat Cutoff)
If you want to stay safe, don’t target cutoff only. Target above cutoff.
Target Percentile for Different Goals
✅ Just qualify for JEE Advanced: 90+ percentile (General)
✅ Get any NIT/IIIT: 95+ percentile
✅ Get good branch in NIT: 97+ percentile
✅ Get CSE in top NIT: 99+ percentile
How to Increase Your Score Above JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff
Here are practical steps that actually work:
1) Focus on High Weightage Topics
Some topics are asked every year.
Physics High Weightage
- Modern Physics
- Current Electricity
- Electrostatics
- Laws of Motion
- Semiconductors
- Thermodynamics
Chemistry High Weightage
- Chemical Bonding
- Coordination Compounds
- Periodic Table
- Organic Reactions & Mechanism
- Biomolecules & Polymers
- Electrochemistry
Maths High Weightage
- Matrices & Determinants
- Calculus (Differentiation + Integration)
- Vector & 3D
- Probability
- Complex Numbers
2) Solve Previous Year Questions (PYQs)
If your goal is to cross JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff, PYQs are the best weapon.
👉 Minimum target:
- Last 10 years PYQs
- At least 2 full mock tests per week
3) Attempt Mock Tests Like Real Exam
Mock test will improve:
- Time management
- Accuracy
- Speed
- Confidence
4) Avoid Silly Mistakes
Many students lose marks due to:
- Wrong sign (+/-)
- Calculation errors
- Misreading questions
Accuracy matters more than attempts.
FAQ:-JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff: Common Doubts
Q1. What is the expected JEE Mains 2026 cutoff for General?
Expected 88 to 92 percentile for qualifying JEE Advanced.
Q2. Can I get NIT with 90 percentile?
For General category, 90 percentile is not safe for NIT, but you may get some branches in lower institutes depending on home state quota.
Q3. How many marks are required for 95 percentile?
Usually around 130 to 160 marks depending on shift difficulty.
Q4. Is cutoff different for Session 1 and Session 2?
Yes, cutoff depends on overall performance, but final cutoff is based on best percentile among sessions.
Q5. What is the difference between cutoff and rank?
- Cutoff = minimum percentile/rank required
- Rank = your actual position among all candidates
Final Words (Conclusion)
The JEE Mains 2026 Cutoff is a very important factor for every aspirant, but your goal should not be just to “clear cutoff”. You should aim for a strong percentile (95+ or 97+) so you can get admission in a good NIT/IIIT and also stay eligible for JEE Advanced.
🔥 Best Tip:
If you start preparation seriously, revise regularly, and solve PYQs + mocks, then crossing the cutoff will become easy.