JEE Main Expected Cut-off 2026: Category-Wise Qualifying Marks, Trends, and Analysis

The JEE Main Expected Cut Off 2026 helps aspirants estimate their qualifying chances for JEE Advanced and admission to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. It is influenced by exam difficulty, number of candidates, seat availability, and NTA normalization. Category-wise percentiles vary each year, with General around 90–93. Analyzing past trends and marks-versus-percentile ranges enables students to set realistic targets and plan counselling strategies effectively for better college selection outcomes and success.

One of the most frequently looked into issues among the engineering candidates who are to take the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main is the JEE Main Expected Cut Off 2026. Lakhs of students take JEE Main examination every year in an attempt to secure admission to the NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs and be eligible to take JEE Advanced.

Knowing the expected Cut-off will enable the candidates to analyze their performance and establish achievable targets. Although the official Cut-off of 2026 will be announced by the National Testing Agency (NTA) upon the declaration of the result, we can make a guess of the likely Cut-off taking into consideration of the trends of the previous years, the level of difficulty of the exam and the number of candidates.    

What is JEE Main Cut Off?   

The JEE Main cut off refers to the minimum percentile required to qualify for JEE Advanced and to be eligible for further admission processes.

  There are two types of cutoffs in JEE Main:

1. Qualifying Cut Off – Minimum percentile required to qualify for JEE Advanced.
2. Admission Cut Off – Opening and closing ranks for admission to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs through JoSAA counselling.

The qualifying cut-off is officially released by the NTA along with the final JEE Main Results. The results were originally scheduled for February 12, 2026. The results are declared on February 16, 2026.

JEE Main Cut-off 2026 (Category-Wise)

Based on previous year trends and expected competition level, the tentative percentile cut off for JEE Main 2026 may fall in the following range:

Category	Cut-Off 2026
General (UR)	93.3045326
EWS	81.4387917
OBC-NCL	80.7456432
SC	61.3526948
ST	48.2456783
PwD	0.0082349

These figures are estimates based on previous official data trends. The actual JEE Main 2026 cut off will be declared by NTA after both sessions are completed.

Previous Year JEE Main Cut Off Trends

To understand the expected cut off better, let us examine previous trends. Over the past few years, the General category qualifying percentile has ranged around 88 to 93 percentile.

Trend Analysis (Approximate Percentile Range)

Year	General	OBC-NCL	EWS	SC	ST
2023	~90	~73	~75	~51	~37
2024	~91	~74	~78	~54	~44
2025	~92	~76	~80	~58	~46

From the table above, we can observe a gradual rise in the General category cut off due to increasing competition and higher participation.

If the number of candidates increases in 2026, the cut off may slightly rise. If the exam is tougher, it may drop marginally.

JEE Main 2026 result declared on February 16: Check scorecard at jeemain.nta.nic.in

On February 16, 2026, the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced the JEE Main Result 2026. The result of the JEE Main 2026 in the Session 1 examination is now available for the candidates who appeared in the test. The candidates could now view and download the result on the official site of the test, jeemain.nta.nic.in.

The result has been released in online mode only. To access the JEE Main Session 1 Result 2026, candidates must log in using their Application Number and Date of Birth or Password. After successful login, the JEE Main Scorecard 2026 will appear on the screen and can be downloaded in PDF format.

How to Download JEE Main Result 2026

• Visit the official website: jeemain.nta.nic.in
• Click on the “JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Result” link on the homepage
• Enter your Application Number and Date of Birth/Password
• Click on the Submit button
• Your JEE Main Scorecard 2026 will be displayed
• Download the PDF and keep a printed copy for future use

Details Mentioned on JEE Main Scorecard 2026

   The scorecard contains important details, including

• Candidate’s Name
• Roll Number
• Application Number
• Subject-wise Percentile (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics)
• Total Percentile Score
• All India Rank (AIR)
• Category Rank
• JEE Advanced Qualification Status

All the details mentioned in the result are recommended to be verified carefully by the candidates. In case of any discrepancy, they will immediately get into contact with the NTA via the official site.

The site might take long to load because of the high traffic on the result day. In case that occurs, wait a moment and make another attempt. The NTA JEE Main Result 2026 can never be downloaded through any other portal.

Factors Affecting JEE Main Expected Cut Off 2026

Several factors influence the JEE Main 2026 cut off:

1. Number of Candidates Appearing

If more candidates appear in JEE Main 2026, competition increases, which can raise the percentile cut off.

2. Difficulty Level of Exam

• Tough paper → Cut off may decrease.
• Easy paper → Cut off may increase.

3. Total Number of Seats

The number of seats available in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs plays a key role in determining the cutoff.

4. Normalisation Process

JEE Main is conducted in multiple sessions. NTA uses percentile normalisation to ensure fairness across shifts. This also impacts final qualifying percentiles.

5. Category Reservation Policy

Reservation rules significantly affect category-wise cut off percentiles.

Expected JEE Main 2026 Cut Off Marks vs Percentile

Students often confuse marks with percentiles. JEE Main qualifying cut off is declared in percentile, not raw marks.

However, based on previous data trends, here is an estimated Jee Main Marks vs Percentile correlation:

Percentile Range	Expected Marks Range (Approx.)
99+	170 – 200
95 – 99	140 – 170
90 – 95	120 – 140
80 – 90	95 – 120
70 – 80	75 – 95
60 – 70	60 – 75

These values vary depending on paper difficulty.

Qualifying Cut Off vs Admission Cut Off

It is important to understand the difference:

1. Qualifying Cut Off

• Released by NTA.
• Determines eligibility for JEE Advanced.
• Based on percentile.

2. Admission Cut Off

• Released during JoSAA counselling.
• Based on opening and closing ranks.
• Varies by institute, branch, and category.

For example, to get Computer Science at top NITs, candidates usually require very high ranks, often under 5,000 for General category.

JEE Main 2026 Expected Cut Off for JEE Advanced Qualification

Only top 2.5 lakh candidates (approx.) qualify for JEE Advanced. Based on trends:

• General category students usually need 90+ percentile.
• OBC/EWS students require around 75–80 percentile.
• SC/ST categories have lower qualifying thresholds due to reservation norms.

Final numbers will depend on total participation.

Institute-Wise Admission Expectations

Although exact cut-offs vary yearly, here is a general idea:

For Top NITs (CSE Branch)

• General category: Rank under 5,000
• OBC: Rank under 2,000–3,000
• SC/ST: Higher rank range allowed

For Mid-Level NITs

• General: Rank 15,000–30,000
• OBC: 8,000–20,000

For GFTIs

• Rank range varies widely depending on state quota and demand.

These are estimates based on previous counselling data.

How to Predict Your Chances Based on Expected Cut Off

Students can use:

• JEE Main rank predictors
• College predictors
• Previous year JoSAA opening & closing ranks

If your percentile is:

• Above 95 → Strong chances for good NIT branches.
• 90–95 → Decent NIT chances depending on category.
• Below 85 → Focus on state counselling or private institutes.

What If You Don’t Qualify?

If you do not meet the JEE Main qualifying cut off:

• You cannot appear for JEE Advanced.
• You can still apply to many private engineering colleges.
• You can consider state entrance exams.
• You can attempt JEE again next year (if eligible).

Will JEE Main 2026 Cut Off Increase?

Based on trends:

• If registrations increase significantly, cut off may rise.
• If paper difficulty increases, cut off may drop slightly.
• Expected change is usually within 1–2 percentile range.

When Will Official JEE Main 2026 Cut Off Be Released?

The official JEE Main 2026 cut off will be released by the National Testing Agency (NTA) after Session 2 results, likely in April 2026.

It will be available on the official NTA JEE Main website.

Should All Content Be Taken from the Official Website?

Important clarification:

No, the “Expected Cut Off 2026” cannot be taken entirely from the official website because:

• NTA does not release expected cut offs.
• Official website only publishes final cut off after results
• Expected cut off is based on trend analysis and previous official data.

However, for publishing verified information such as:

• Final qualifying percentile
• Official notices
• Exam schedule
• Eligibility criteria

You should always refer to the official NTA website.

For expected cut off articles, it is acceptable to use:

• Previous official cut off data
• Exam trend analysis
• Expert predictions

But clearly mention that figures are “expected” and subject to change.

Conclusion

The JEE Main Expected Cut Off 2026 is likely to remain close to previous years, with the General category cut off expected around the 90–93 percentile. Category-wise cutoffs will vary depending on competition, difficulty level, and number of candidates.

Students should focus on maximizing their percentile rather than aiming just to clear the qualifying cutoff. A higher percentile significantly improves admission chances to top NITs and IIITs.

While expected cutoffs help in planning, the final qualifying percentile will only be confirmed once NTA releases official results.

FAQ