Every year, the General category sees the highest cutoff percentile, and 2026 continues this trend due to record-breaking participation and rising competition levels.
The official JEE Main 2026 General category cutoff stands at:
93.5–95 percentile (Expected Range based on analysis)
(Final exact value to be updated as per NTA official notice)
This cutoff represents the minimum percentile required for General category candidates to qualify for JEE Advanced 2026, which is the gateway to IIT admissions.
JEE Main 2026 Category-Wise Cutoff (Official Table)
| Category | 2024 Cutoff | 2025 Cutoff | 2026 Cutoff |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 93.2362181 | 93.1023262 | 93.5–95 (Expected) |
| Gen-EWS | 81.3322296 | 80.3830119 | To Be Updated |
| UR-PwD | 0.0018745 | 0.0079283 | To Be Updated |
JEE Main Cutoff Trend (2021–2026)
The General category cutoff has shown a consistent upward trend over the years:
| Year | GEN (UR) | EWS | OBC-NCL | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 87.89 | 66.22 | 68.02 | 46.88 | 34.67 |
| 2022 | 88.41 | 63.11 | 67.99 | 43.08 | 26.77 |
| 2023 | 90.78 | 75.62 | 73.61 | 51.97 | 37.23 |
| 2024 | 93.24 | 81.33 | 79.68 | 60.09 | 46.70 |
| 2025 | 93.10 | 80.38 | 79.43 | 61.15 | 47.90 |
| 2026 | 93.5–95 | TBA | TBA | TBA | TBA |
Insight: The sharp rise after 2023 reflects increasing competition and improved student performance.
Important JEE Main 2026 Resources (Quick Access Table)
| Resource | Description | Access Link |
|---|---|---|
| JEE Main Answer Key & Solutions 2026 | Check official answer key, detailed solutions, and calculate your expected score. | View Answer Key & Solutions |
| JEE Main College Predictor 2026 | Predict your chances of getting into top engineering colleges based on your rank. | Use College Predictor |
| JEE Main Counselling 2026 | Get complete details about JoSAA counselling process, dates, and seat allocation. | Check Counselling Details |
| JEE Main Result 2026 | Check your JEE Main result, scorecard, and percentile online. | Download Result |
| JEE Main Rank Predictor 2026 | Estimate your All India Rank based on your expected score. | Try Rank Predictor |
What Does the General Category Cutoff Mean?
Understanding cutoff types is crucial:
| Parameter | Qualifying Cutoff | Admission Cutoff (JoSAA) |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Eligibility for JEE Advanced | Admission to NITs/IIITs |
| Released By | NTA | JoSAA |
| Format | Percentile | AIR Rank |
| Importance | Only eligibility | Actual seat allotment |
Key Point:
Clearing the cutoff does NOT guarantee admission — it only allows you to appear for JEE Advanced.
Expected Marks vs Percentile (General Category)
| Marks (out of 300) | Percentile | Outcome |
|---|---|---|
| 200–300 | 99–100 | Top 5,000 AIR (IIT chances high) |
| 160–200 | 97–99 | Top NITs (CSE/ECE) |
| 130–160 | 95–97 | Mid-tier NITs |
| 100–130 | 93–95 | Safe cutoff zone |
| Below 100 | <93 | May not qualify |
Factors Affecting JEE Main 2026 Cutoff
Several factors influenced the 2026 cutoff:
- Record participation: ~16 lakh candidates appeared
- Difficulty level of Session 1 & Session 2
- Normalisation across multiple shifts
- Top 2.5 lakh candidates rule for JEE Advanced
- Performance clustering (small mark differences → big percentile impact)
JoSAA Admission Cutoff (Reference – General Category)
Here’s a reference from 2025 JoSAA counselling:
| Institute | Branch | Closing Rank (GEN) |
|---|---|---|
| NIT Trichy | CSE | ~1,449 |
| NIT Rourkela | CSE | ~3,431 |
| NIT Calicut | CSE | ~5,222 |
| NIT Warangal | CSE | To Be Updated |
| IIIT Hyderabad | CSE | To Be Updated |
Important:
Actual admission depends on JoSAA closing ranks, not just percentile.
What to Do After Checking Cutoff?
If You Qualified:
- Register for JEE Advanced 2026
- Start focused preparation (Exam Date: May 17, 2026)
- Use rank predictor tools
- Prepare JoSAA preference list
If You Didn’t Qualify:
- Check eligibility for NIT/IIIT via JoSAA
- Explore exams like:
- MHT CET
- AP EAMCET
- State counselling
- Consider a drop year for JEE 2027
FAQs
Q1. What is the JEE Main 2026 cutoff for General category?
The expected cutoff is 93.5–95 percentile, based on trends and competition level.
Q2. What was the cutoff in 2025?
The official cutoff was 93.1023262 percentile.
Q3. Is cutoff same for both sessions?
Yes, a single final cutoff is released after Session 2.
Q4. What percentile is safe for top NITs?
For top branches like CSE/ECE, aim for 97–99+ percentile.
Q5. Does clearing cutoff guarantee college?
No. It only ensures eligibility for JEE Advanced.
