If you miss that qualifying percentile, the Advanced attempt simply doesn’t happen, regardless of preparation effort. That is why serious aspirants are already trying to understand where the JEE Main cut off 2026 for SC category stands. Not to chase a prediction, but to set a realistic performance benchmark before the exam cycle intensifies.
Before estimating next year’s range, it makes sense to look at how the cutoff has behaved in recent years, and what that pattern actually suggests.
Understanding the JEE Main Cutoff: Qualifying vs Admission Cutoff
When we talk about a cutoff, two different benchmarks are often confused, that is the:
- Qualifying Cutoff: This is the minimum percentile required to become eligible for JEE Advanced. It is released by NTA along with the final results. The SC JEE Main cut off falls under this category.
- Admission Cutoff: This refers to the opening and closing ranks for NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs during counselling. It is rank-based, not percentile-based.
Now, for SC aspirants targeting IITs, the qualifying cutoff is the immediate concern. As for the worries regarding college admission cutoffs, well, that’s for later. First and foremost, eligibility must be attained.
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How the SC Cutoff Has Changed in the Last Five Years
Here are the officially released SC qualifying percentiles for JEE Main:
| Year | SC Percentile |
| 2025 | 61.15 |
| 2024 | 60.09 |
| 2023 | 51.98 |
| 2022 | 43.08 |
| 2021 | 46.08 |
As you see, the shift is pretty significant after 2023. In fact, between 2022 and 2024, the SC cutoff jumped from the low 40s to above 60 percentile. More importantly, it stayed above 61 in 2025.
JEE Main 2026 Expected Cutoff: Category-Wise Qualifying Marks, Trends & Expert Analysis
JEE Main 2026 Cutoff for OBC : Expected Minimum Qualifying Marks for JEE Advanced
What you need to understand here is that when a cutoff stabilises for two consecutive years above a psychological threshold, in this case, 60 percentile, it usually indicates a structural rise in competition, not a temporary spike. This trend forms the basis for estimating the JEE Main cut off 2026 percentile for sc.
What the Trend Indicates for 2026
Looking at participation growth, preparation levels, and exam structure stability in JEE Exam dates, the SC cutoff in 2026 is expected to remain in the 61–64 percentile range.
There is no strong indicator suggesting a sharp fall below 60 unless the exam difficulty changes drastically.
Why this narrow band? Well, this is because percentile movements tend to oscillate around recent stable levels unless there is a major disruption, such as a significant increase in difficulty or an unusual performance distribution. Simply put, stability is more likely than volatility.
Marks vs Percentile: What Score Should SC Students Target?
As JEE Main is percentile-based, marks are only indicative. However, trend mapping suggests that:
- Around 60 percentile typically corresponds to roughly 55–60 marks.
- 62–64 percentile aligns closer to 60–70 marks.
- A safer performance zone begins around 75+ marks.
This is exactly where strategy matters. If you prepare only to match the expected cut off for SC in JEE Main, you are placing yourself in the most crowded score band. Small normalisation differences across shifts can push your percentile slightly above or below the qualifying line.
Naturally, for students targeting JEE Advanced, that is not a comfortable position. A safer approach is to build a buffer above the projected JEE Main cut off for sc, ideally targeting the 65+ percentile in mocks.
How the SC Cutoff Compares And Why That Context Matters
Looking at other categories briefly gives an important perspective. Over the last two years, the General category has remained above 93 percentile. OBC-NCL and EWS have largely stayed in the 79–81 range. ST continues to remain below SC, but even there, the upward shift compared to 2022 is visible.
This broader pattern tells us something essential: percentile movement is rarely isolated. When overall performance improves across the exam, most category cutoffs tend to rise gradually. The sharp correction seen after 2023 was not random. Preparation levels improved. Students became more familiar with the exam strategy. Access to structured resources expanded.
So when we evaluate the JEE Main cut off for SC, it must be viewed within this wider competitive ecosystem. The movement in SC percentile reflects the same larger performance shift seen across categories, just at a relatively moderated scale.
Factors That Could Influence the SC Cutoff in 2026
Even though trend analysis suggests stability, the final percentile is always shaped by how that particular year unfolds. In fact, there are certain factors at play here. For instance:
- One of the major elements is the Paper difficulty. It is the master player here. In case the exam inclines towards the tougher range, naturally, qualifying percentiles will soften slightly. On the other hand, if the difficulty level remains similar to 2024 and 2025, the cutoff is unlikely to change dramatically.
- Besides that, participation numbers also matter. If registrations increase significantly for the JEE exam 2026, competition near the qualifying band becomes tighter. When many candidates score within a narrow mark range, especially between 55 and 70, percentile calculation becomes sensitive to even small variations.
- Normalisation across shifts is another practical factor. Since JEE Main is conducted in multiple sessions, performance differences across shifts can influence percentile outcomes even if raw marks appear similar.
Basically, if the exam structure and participation levels resemble recent years, the projected band for SC is more likely to remain steady rather than swing sharply in either direction.
Takeaway for 2026 Aspirants
Long story short, the safest approach is to prepare smartly. If your preparation aligns clearly with the JEE Exam 2026 syllabus and your mock scores consistently place you above the expected qualifying range, you remove uncertainty from the equation. In fact, clearing the expected JEE Main cut off 2026 for SC category should feel like a natural outcome of steady preparation, not something dependent on minor statistical shifts.
Eligibility for JEE Advanced is only the first gate. Preparing with margin ensures that when that gate opens, your focus is already on the next level, not on whether you just cleared the line.
FAQs
1. Is the SC cutoff going to be different for Session 1 and Session 2 in 2026?
No, you see NTA announces it only after both sessions are completed and results are consolidated. Your percentile may differ between sessions, but the official qualifying benchmark for the SC category is declared once, based on overall performance.
2. If I score exactly at the SC cutoff percentile, does that guarantee IIT admission?
Not really. Clearing the cutoff only makes you eligible to sit for JEE Advanced. Admission to IITs depends entirely on your JEE Advanced performance.
3. Can the SC cutoff suddenly drop if the paper is tough?
It can shift slightly, yes. If the overall paper difficulty is significantly higher across shifts, percentiles may adjust downward. But drastic drops are uncommon unless performance distribution changes sharply. Recent years suggest more stability than volatility.
4. Why does percentile matter more than marks for the SC qualification?
Because JEE Main is evaluated using normalisation across shifts. Raw marks alone do not determine eligibility. You see, the qualifying decision is based on percentile.
5. If I qualify under the SC cutoff but my marks are just above the minimum, what to do next?
Well, your focus should immediately shift to JEE Advanced preparation. Without wasting time, focus on strengthening conceptual depth and solving problems regularly
