This article gives you the complete, official category-wise JEE Main 2026 cutoff percentile, a six-year trend analysis (2021–2026), what these figures mean for your admission prospects, and what you must do next.
JEE Main 2026 Official Category-Wise Cutoff Percentile (NTA Released)
The following cutoffs are officially released by NTA and represent the minimum qualifying percentile for each category. Candidates meeting or exceeding their category cutoff are eligible for JEE Advanced 2026, subject to the top 2.5 lakh rank limit.
| Category | Seats Reserved | Official Cutoff 2026 | Approx. Marks Equivalent |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR / CRL) | Not reserved | 93.4123549 | ~138–142 |
| EWS (Economically Weaker Section) | 10% | 81.3209571 | ~105–110 |
| OBC – NCL (Non-Creamy Layer) | 27% | 80.9232583 | ~103–108 |
| SC (Scheduled Caste) | 15% | 62.8462698 | ~72–78 |
| ST (Scheduled Tribe) | 7.5% | 49.6924917 | ~55–60 |
| PwD – General | −3% horizontal | 0.0007544 | As per NTA norms |
| PwD – SC/ST/OBC | −3% horizontal | As per NTA norms | As per NTA norms |
Note: The JEE Main 2026 cutoff has increased for all categories compared to 2025, reflecting heightened competition across the board.
JEE Main Cutoff Trend: 2021–2026 (Category-Wise)
The table below tracks how the qualifying percentile has evolved over six years. This trend analysis helps aspirants assess whether the 2026 cutoff is consistent with historical patterns and benchmark their performance accordingly.
| Category | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General | 87.89 | 88.41 | 90.78 | 93.23 | 93.10 | 93.41 |
| EWS | 66.22 | 63.11 | 75.62 | 80.07 | 80.38 | 81.32 |
| OBC-NCL | 68.02 | 67.01 | 74.32 | 79.16 | 79.43 | 80.92 |
| SC | 46.88 | 43.08 | 54.01 | 60.10 | 61.15 | 62.85 |
| ST | 34.67 | 26.77 | 44.08 | 46.62 | 47.90 | 49.69 |
| PwD | 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.001 | 0.003 | 0.008 | 0.0007 |
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 |
Category-Wise JEE Main Cutoff 2026 – Analysis
General Category (UR / CRL)
The JEE Main 2026 cutoff for General category stands at 93.4123549 percentile, up from 93.10 in 2025 and 93.23 in 2024. This marks a third consecutive year of increase, driven by the growing candidate pool of 11.23+ lakh appearing in Session 2 alone, and an overall improvement in preparation quality. This is the most competitive qualifying bar in the exam’s recent history.
EWS Category
The JEE Main EWS cutoff 2026 is 81.3209571 percentile, rising from 80.38 in 2025. EWS cutoffs have consistently trended upward since the category was introduced, closing in steadily on the OBC-NCL benchmark. EWS candidates must note that the competition within this category has intensified significantly compared to 2021–2022 levels.
OBC – NCL Category
The JEE Main OBC cutoff 2026 is 80.9232583 percentile, compared to 79.43 in 2025 and 74.32 in 2023. The OBC-NCL qualifying bar has risen by over 13 percentile points in just five years. This is a clear signal that the reservation benefit alone does not compensate for under-preparation.
SC Category
The JEE Main SC cutoff 2026 stands at 62.8462698 percentile, up from 61.15 in 2025. The SC category has seen one of the sharpest percentage climbs since 2022 (43.08), nearly doubling in competitive pressure. Candidates in this category qualifying for JEE Advanced 2026 represent strong academic achievers.
ST Category
The JEE Main ST cutoff 2026 is 49.6924917 percentile, rising from 47.90 in 2025. The ST category cutoff has crossed the 49-percentile mark for the first time, reflecting broader access to quality coaching and improved exam readiness among ST aspirants nationwide.
PwD Category
PwD candidates across all sub-categories are governed by a separate, very low qualifying percentile under NTA’s horizontal reservation norms. The 2026 PwD cutoff is 0.0007544 for the General-PwD sub-category. Candidates are advised to refer to the official NTA result notification for the complete PwD sub-category breakdown.
Qualifying Cutoff vs. Admission Cutoff – Key Difference Every Candidate Must Know
Many JEE Main 2026 aspirants confuse these two distinct cutoff types. Here is a clear breakdown:
| Qualifying Cutoff (NTA) | Admission Cutoff (JoSAA) | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Eligibility for JEE Advanced | Admission to NITs / IIITs / GFTIs |
| Released by | NTA with result | JoSAA during counselling |
| Form | Percentile score | All India Rank (AIR) |
| Uniform across colleges? | Yes – category-wide | No – varies by institute and branch |
| Example (General 2026) | 93.41 percentile | Top NIT CSE: ~99.5+ percentile needed |
Simply clearing the JEE Main 2026 qualifying cutoff does not guarantee admission to a top NIT or IIIT. Your percentile must be well above the qualifying threshold to secure your preferred college and branch through JoSAA counselling.
Factors That Determine the JEE Main Cutoff
Several variables influence where the cutoff lands each year. Understanding them helps frame the 2026 figures in context:
Total candidates appearing: With 11.23 lakh candidates in Session 2 alone, rising participation keeps the General category cutoff consistently above 93 percentile. Paper difficulty: A more challenging paper suppresses raw scores but can moderate the percentile cutoff, since fewer students score in the high bands. Top 2.5 lakh seats for JEE Advanced: NTA calibrates the General cutoff to ensure exactly 2,50,000 candidates qualify across all categories. Statutory reservation norms: NTA applies mandated reservation percentages — SC (15%), ST (7.5%), OBC-NCL (27%), EWS (10%) — resulting in structurally lower absolute cutoffs for reserved categories. Multi-session normalisation: The NTA percentile normalisation process adjusts for difficulty variation across shifts and sessions, ensuring a fair merit list regardless of which slot a candidate appeared in. Historical calibration: NTA references past trends to ensure year-on-year consistency, which is why 2026 cutoffs are in line with the 2024–2025 trajectory.
How to Check JEE Main Cutoff 2026 on the Official Website
Follow these steps to verify your category cutoff and eligibility status:
- Visit jeemain.nta.nic.in (official NTA JEE Main portal)
- Click on the “JEE Main 2026 Result / Scorecard” link in the latest notifications section
- Log in using your Application Number and Password / Date of Birth
- Your scorecard will display your subject-wise percentile, overall NTA Score, All India Rank (AIR), Category Rank, and JEE Advanced eligibility status
- Cross-check your overall percentile against your category cutoff from the table above
Frequently Asked Questions – JEE Main Cutoff 2026
1. What is the JEE Main 2026 cutoff for the General category? The official General category (UR/CRL) cutoff for JEE Main 2026 is 93.4123549 percentile, released by NTA on April 20, 2026 along with the Session 2 result. This is a slight increase from 93.1023262 in 2025.
2. Does clearing the JEE Main 2026 cutoff guarantee admission to NITs? No. The qualifying cutoff makes you eligible for JEE Advanced 2026 and JoSAA counselling. Admission to specific NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs depends entirely on your All India Rank and the JoSAA opening and closing ranks for that particular institute, branch, category, and gender pool.
3. Is the EWS cutoff different from the OBC-NCL cutoff in 2026? Yes. The JEE Main 2026 EWS cutoff is 81.3209571 percentile, while the OBC-NCL cutoff is 80.9232583 percentile. Both are significantly lower than the General category cutoff but higher than SC and ST cutoffs.
4. When was the JEE Main 2026 cutoff officially announced? The qualifying cutoff was released by NTA on April 20, 2026, alongside the final Session 2 result, at jeemain.nta.nic.in.
5. Has the JEE Main 2026 cutoff increased compared to 2025? Yes. The cutoff has increased for all categories in 2026 compared to 2025 — General (93.10 → 93.41), EWS (80.38 → 81.32), OBC-NCL (79.43 → 80.92), SC (61.15 → 62.85), and ST (47.90 → 49.69).
6. Can the JEE Main cutoff change after Session 2? No. The official qualifying cutoff is announced once, after both sessions are concluded and the combined final merit list is prepared by NTA. It cannot be revised after release.
7. What is the JEE Main 2026 cutoff for SC category? The official JEE Main 2026 SC cutoff is 62.8462698 percentile, up from 61.1526933 in 2025.
8. What is the JEE Main 2026 cutoff for ST category? The official JEE Main 2026 ST cutoff is 49.6924917 percentile, up from 47.9026465 in 2025.
Source: National Testing Agency (NTA), jeemain.nta.nic.in — Result declared April 20, 2026. Always refer to the official NTA notification for the most authoritative cutoff data.
