JEE Main Cut Off 2026 (Official OUT) – Category-Wise Qualifying Percentile for JEE Advanced & JoSAA Counselling

JEE Main Cut Off 2026 has been officially released by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on April 20, 2026, along with the Session 2 result at jeemain.nta.nic.in. The JEE Main 2026 cutoff is the minimum qualifying percentile a candidate must secure to become eligible for JEE Advanced 2026 and to participate in JoSAA counselling for admission to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.

The JEE Main cut-off 2026 has increased for all categories compared to 2025, confirming a sustained upward trend driven by higher participation and improved candidate preparation. Understanding the JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 2026 helps aspirants set the right targets and plan the next stage — whether that is JEE Advanced preparation or JoSAA seat selection.

Table of Contents

• What is JEE Main Cut Off?
• JEE Main Cut Off 2026 – Official NTA Category-Wise Percentile
• JEE Main Cut Off Trend 2019–2026 (Category-Wise)
• Category-Wise Cut Off 2026 Analysis
• Qualifying Cut Off vs Admission Cut Off – Key Difference
• JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile – All Score Ranges
• Free JEE Prediction & Counselling Tools by Aakash
• Factors Affecting JEE Main Cut Off 2026
• JEE Main Cut Off 2025 (Official)
• JEE Main Cut Off 2024 (Official)
• JEE Main Cut Off 2023 (Official)
• JEE Main Cut Off 2022 (Official)
• JEE Main Cut Off 2013–2021 (Historical Trend)
• JEE Main Cut Off for NITs – Opening & Closing Ranks
• JEE Main Cut Off for GFTIs
• JEE Main Cut Off for IITs
• Importance of Category-Specific Cut Offs
• JEE Main 2026 Important Dates
• Session-Wise Marks vs Percentile Analysis (Video)
• FAQs on JEE Main Cut Off 2026

What is JEE Main Cut Off?

JEE Main Cut Off is the minimum percentile score set by NTA that a candidate must secure to be eligible for the next stage — either JEE Advanced (gateway to IITs) or seat allotment in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs through JoSAA counselling.

There are two distinct types of JEE Main cut off:

• Qualifying Cut Off – Released by NTA with the final result. This is the minimum percentile needed to qualify for JEE Advanced 2026. It is category-wise and uniform for all candidates nationally.
• Admission Cut Off – Released by JoSAA during counselling rounds. These are institute-specific opening and closing ranks that determine actual admission to a particular NIT, IIIT, or GFTI branch and category.

Cut off marks vary every year depending on exam difficulty, total number of candidates, available seats, and reservation norms. Understanding both types is critical for post-result planning.

JEE Main Cut Off 2026 – Official NTA Category-Wise Percentile (OUT)

NTA has officially released the JEE Main 2026 cut off percentile on April 20, 2026 along with the Session 2 result. The table below contains the exact qualifying percentile for each category. Candidates who meet or exceed their category's cut off are eligible for JEE Advanced 2026.

Key Highlights – JEE Main Cut Off 2026:

• The General category cut off rose from 93.1023262 (2025) to 93.4123549 in 2026.
• The OBC-NCL cut off crossed 80 for the first time, reaching 80.9232583.
• SC cut off crossed 62 percentile at 62.8462698, the highest ever recorded.
• ST cut off crossed 49 percentile at 49.6924917, another record high.
• A total of 2,50,182 candidates qualified for JEE Advanced 2026 this year.

JEE Main Cut Off Trend 2019–2026 – Category-Wise Analysis

The table below traces how the JEE Main qualifying cut off percentile has moved year-on-year across all categories. This data is critical for understanding the competitive trajectory and setting a safe score target.

Trend Insight: The General category cut off hit a trough in 2021–2022 before surging to 93+ from 2024 onwards. The OBC-NCL cut off breached 80 percentile in 2026 for the first time — a threshold that was at just 67 percentile in 2022. SC and ST categories have both posted record-high cut offs in 2026, indicating broader competition even within reserved categories.

JEE Main Cut Off 2026 – Category-Wise Analysis

General Category Cut Off 2026

The JEE Main 2026 cut off for General category is 93.4123549 percentile. This marks the third consecutive year above the 93-percentile mark, reflecting intensified competition among the unreserved pool. With 11.23 lakh candidates appearing in Session 2 and normalization applied across multiple shifts, the General cut off has now established itself firmly above 93. Students targeting safe JEE Advanced eligibility should aim for 94+ percentile. For top NIT CSE branches, a percentile of 99+ is typically required at the admission cut off stage.

Read more: JEE Main Cut Off 2026 for General Category – Detailed Analysis

EWS Category Cut Off 2026

The JEE Main EWS cut off 2026 stands at 81.3209571 percentile, crossing the 81-mark for the first time. The EWS category was introduced from 2019 and has seen a steady climb from 66.22 in 2021 to over 81 in 2026. EWS candidates should note that the gap between EWS and General cut offs has narrowed to just ~12 percentile points — a signal of rising competition within this category.

OBC-NCL Category Cut Off 2026

The JEE Main OBC cut off 2026 is 80.9232583 percentile — the first time the OBC-NCL qualifying bar has crossed 80. The OBC-NCL cut off has risen by nearly 14 percentile points since 2022 (67.00), one of the sharpest climbs across any category in this period. OBC-NCL candidates must not rely on category relaxation alone; serious preparation remains essential.

Read more: JEE Main Cut Off 2026 for OBC – Expected Minimum Qualifying Marks

SC Category Cut Off 2026

The JEE Main SC cut off 2026 is 62.8462698 percentile, surpassing 62 for the first time in JEE Main history. After a sharp dip to 43 percentile in 2022, the SC cut off has risen by nearly 20 percentile points in four years — a remarkable structural shift reflecting better access to quality coaching and preparation resources for SC aspirants.

Read more: JEE Main Cut Off 2026 for SC Category – Qualifying Marks & Analysis

ST Category Cut Off 2026

The JEE Main ST cut off 2026 stands at 49.6924917 percentile, the highest ever for this category. Crossing the 49-percentile mark represents a milestone — the ST cut off was at just 26.77 in 2022. ST aspirants who cross this threshold are eligible for JEE Advanced 2026 and JoSAA counselling.

PwD Category Cut Off 2026

PwD candidates across all sub-categories qualify at a very low percentile under NTA's horizontal reservation norms. The 2026 General-PwD cut off is 0.0007544 percentile. Candidates are advised to verify their sub-category-specific cut off from the official NTA result notification at jeemain.nta.nic.in.

JEE Main Qualifying Cut Off vs Admission Cut Off – Key Difference

This is one of the most searched questions by JEE aspirants, and understanding the difference is critical for post-result planning.

Important: Clearing the JEE Main 2026 qualifying cut off makes you eligible for JoSAA counselling, but your actual college and branch allotment depends entirely on your All India Rank and the specific admission cut off for that institute. Use the Aakash JEE Main College Predictor to assess your admission chances based on your rank.

JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile – Explore All Score Ranges

If you want to understand exactly where your JEE Main 2026 score stands in terms of percentile and expected rank, the table below covers key marks ranges with direct links to detailed analysis. Each link covers NTA score, All India Rank estimate, college options, and counselling strategy.

Also check: JEE Main Marks vs Rank vs Percentile – Complete Guide

Free JEE Prediction & Counselling Tools by Aakash

Once you know your JEE Main 2026 percentile, the next critical step is translating it into an expected rank and shortlisting colleges. Aakash offers India's most trusted suite of free JEE Main and JEE Advanced prediction tools, built using official exam patterns, NTA normalisation rules, and historical cut off data. Trusted by lakhs of students every year.

Factors Affecting JEE Main Cut Off 2026

The JEE Main 2026 cut off is not arbitrary — it is a function of several measurable variables. Understanding these factors helps you interpret the 2026 figures and predict future trends:

• Total Candidates Appearing: With 11.23 lakh candidates in Session 2 alone, rising participation directly raises the competitive pressure and sustains cut offs above 93 for General category.
• Difficulty Level of the Exam: A tougher paper suppresses raw scores but can moderate the percentile cut off. An easier paper pushes more candidates into high percentile bands, raising the qualifying bar.
• Top 2.5 Lakh Seats for JEE Advanced: NTA calibrates the General category cut off so that exactly 2,50,000 candidates qualify across all categories. In 2026, 2,50,182 candidates qualified.
• Statutory Reservation Norms: NTA applies mandated reservation — SC (15%), ST (7.5%), OBC-NCL (27%), EWS (10%) — resulting in lower absolute qualifying percentiles for reserved categories.
• Multi-Session Normalisation: JEE Main 2026 was conducted across multiple shifts and two sessions. NTA's percentile normalisation formula adjusts for difficulty variation across shifts, ensuring a fair combined merit list.
• Performance of Candidates: If the overall cohort performs better (due to improved coaching, mock test preparation, digital resources), raw score distributions shift upward, influencing cut off percentiles.
• Historical Trends: NTA references previous year cut offs to ensure year-on-year consistency and calibrate the qualifying threshold with fairness.

JEE Main Cut Off 2025 – Official Category-Wise Qualifying Percentile

NTA released the official JEE Main 2025 cut off along with the Session 2 result. These are the qualifying percentiles that determined eligibility for JEE Advanced 2025:

JEE Main Cut Off 2024 – Official NTA Qualifying Percentile

The JEE Main 2024 cut off was released by NTA and marked the first time the General cut off crossed 93 percentile in the post-percentile era:

JEE Main Cut Off 2023 – Official NTA Qualifying Percentile

The JEE Main 2023 cut off was released by NTA with the Session 2 result. Note that the 2023 cut off for General category at 90.78 was lower than 2024, and represented an inflection point before the sustained rise above 93.

JEE Main Cut Off 2022 – Official Category-Wise Analysis

The JEE Main 2022 cut off was released by NTA along with the JEE Main result 2022 of the second attempt. The format shows minimum and maximum score for each category:

JEE Main Cut Off Trend 2013–2021 – Historical Data

The table below shows the JEE Main cut off marks (in absolute marks, pre-percentile era) from 2013 to 2018, and in percentile format from 2019 to 2021. This gives a long-term perspective on how the qualifying bar has evolved over a decade.

JEE Main Cut Off for NITs 2026 – Opening & Closing Ranks

The JEE Main cut off for NITs is the admission cut off — released by JoSAA in terms of All India Rank opening and closing figures for each NIT, branch, category, and seat type. For getting admission to any NIT, IIT, IIIT, or CFTI, candidates must also have scored a minimum of 75% in Class 12 (65% for SC/ST/PwD candidates).

The table below shows JoSAA previous year opening and closing ranks for leading NITs and IIITs (based on most recent counselling data). Check josaa.admissions.nic.in for official 2026 counselling data once released.

Use the Aakash JEE Mains Advanced College Predictor to find your personalised list of colleges based on your specific rank, category, and preferred branches.

JEE Main Cut Off for GFTIs – JoSAA Counselling 2026

The JEE Main cut off for GFTIs (Government Funded Technical Institutes) is released by JoSAA after each counselling round at josaa.admissions.nic.in. GFTI cut offs vary by program and category — some popular programs have opening ranks below 5,000, while others close above 30,000.

How to check GFTI cut off via JoSAA:

• Visit josaa.admissions.nic.in
• Select Year → Round → Institute Type (GFTI) → Institute Name → Academic Program → Seat Type / Category
• Click Submit to view opening and closing ranks for that counselling round

GFTIs are strong alternatives for candidates who may not meet the cut off for top NITs. Several GFTIs offer good academic programmes and placement records in engineering disciplines.

JEE Main Cut Off for IITs – What You Need to Know

IIT admissions are not based on JEE Main cut off directly. The process is:

• Step 1: Clear the JEE Main 2026 qualifying cut off (General: 93.4123549 percentile) to become eligible for JEE Advanced.
• Step 2: Appear in and clear JEE Advanced 2026.
• Step 3: Your JEE Advanced All India Rank determines IIT admission through JoSAA counselling.

The JEE Advanced cut off (releasing ranks for IIT admissions) is separate from the JEE Main cut off. Cut offs vary by IIT, branch, and category. Top IITs like Bombay, Delhi, and Madras have closing ranks in the low hundreds for flagship branches like CSE and Electrical Engineering.

Use the Aakash JEE Advanced College Predictor to estimate which IIT and branch you can target based on your Advanced rank.

Importance of JEE Main Category-Specific Cut Offs

Understanding your category's cut off is not just about knowing the minimum bar — it shapes your entire preparation and post-result strategy:

• Realistic Target Setting: Knowing your category's qualifying percentile gives you a concrete performance benchmark. For General students, the target is 94+ to be safe; for OBC-NCL, 82+ for a buffer above the 80.92 cut off.
• Strategic Preparation: Reserved category students should note that while their cut off is lower than General, it has been rising steadily. The OBC-NCL cut off in 2026 is almost the same as the General cut off was in 2021. Complacency is not an option.
• Informed Post-Result Decisions: After results, your category cut off tells you immediately whether you are eligible for JEE Advanced, JoSAA counselling (for NITs), or both — without waiting for individual college cut offs.
• JoSAA Counselling Strategy: In JoSAA, your category determines your seat pool. Understanding the gap between your percentile and the category admission cut off for a specific NIT/branch helps you set realistic choice preferences.

JEE Main 2026 Important Dates

Here is the complete official schedule for JEE Main 2026 — both sessions:

Note: Always verify dates on the official website jeemain.nta.nic.in and nta.ac.in. Also check: JEE Main Important Dates 2026 – Complete Schedule

JEE Main 2026 Session 1 – Shift-Wise Marks vs Percentile Analysis

Aakash experts have analysed every shift of JEE Main 2026 Session 1 to give you expected marks required for 99%, 95%, and 93% percentile. Watch the shift-specific breakdowns below:

JEE Main 2026 – 21st Jan Morning Shift: Expected Marks vs Percentile

Breaks down the expected marks required for 99%, 95%, and 93% percentile based on exam difficulty and trends for Jan 21 Shift 1.

JEE Main 2026 – 21st Jan Evening Shift: Expected Marks vs Percentile

Shift-wise difficulty impact on percentile and what score you needed for 99%, 95%, 93% — Jan 21 Shift 2.

JEE Main 2026 – 22nd Jan Morning Shift: Expected Marks vs Percentile

Expected score range for 99%, 95%, and 93% percentile based on paper difficulty for 22nd Jan Shift 1.

JEE Main 2026 – 22nd Jan Evening Shift: Expected Marks vs Percentile

Marks vs percentile analysis for JEE Main 2026 — 22nd Jan Shift 2.

JEE Main 2026 – 23rd Jan Morning Shift: Expected Marks vs Percentile

Detailed marks estimate for 99%, 95%, 93% percentile — 23rd Jan Shift 1.

JEE Main 2026 – 23rd Jan Evening Shift: Expected Marks vs Percentile

Marks required for 99%, 95%, 93% percentile — 23rd Jan Shift 2.

JEE Main 2026 – 24th Jan Morning Shift: Expected Marks vs Percentile

Marks estimate for 99%, 95%, 93% percentile factoring exam difficulty and performance trends — 24th Jan Shift 1.

JEE Main 2026 – 24th Jan Evening Shift: Expected Marks vs Percentile

Helps JEE aspirants understand their performance, identify scoring areas, and plan next steps — 24th Jan Shift 2.

JEE Main 2026 – 28th Jan Morning Shift: Expected Marks vs Percentile

Shift-wise difficulty impact on percentile, and what score you needed for 99%, 95%, 93% — 28th Jan Shift 1.

JEE Main Related Links

FAQs on JEE Main Cut Off 2026

Q1. What is the JEE Main cut off 2026 for General category?
Answer: The official JEE Main 2026 cut off for the General (UR/CRL) category is 93.4123549 percentile, released by NTA on April 20, 2026 along with the Session 2 result. This is up from 93.1023262 in 2025 and represents the highest qualifying bar for the General category in JEE Main history.

Q2. What is the JEE Main 2026 cut off for OBC-NCL category?
Answer: The official JEE Main OBC cut off 2026 is 80.9232583 percentile. This is the first time the OBC-NCL qualifying cut off has crossed 80 percentile, up from 79.43 in 2025.

Q3. What is the JEE Main cut off 2026 for EWS category?
Answer: The official JEE Main EWS cut off 2026 is 81.3209571 percentile, up from 80.38 in 2025. EWS candidates scoring at or above this percentile qualify for JEE Advanced 2026.

Q4. What is the JEE Main cut off 2026 for SC category?
Answer: The official JEE Main SC cut off 2026 is 62.8462698 percentile, up from 61.15 in 2025. This is the highest-ever SC qualifying cut off since the percentile system was introduced in 2019.

Q5. What is the JEE Main cut off 2026 for ST category?
Answer: The official JEE Main ST cut off 2026 is 49.6924917 percentile, up from 47.90 in 2025. The ST cut off has crossed 49 percentile for the first time.

Q6. Who finalises the JEE Main cut off?
Answer: The JEE Main qualifying cut off is finalised and released by the National Testing Agency (NTA) based on the difficulty level of the exam, total number of candidates appearing, the top 2.5 lakh rank threshold for JEE Advanced eligibility, and statutory reservation norms. It is released officially at jeemain.nta.nic.in along with the final result.

Q7. Does clearing the JEE Main 2026 cut off guarantee admission to NITs?
Answer: No. The qualifying cut off only makes you eligible for JEE Advanced 2026 and JoSAA counselling. Actual admission to a specific NIT, IIIT, or GFTI depends on your All India Rank and the specific opening and closing ranks for that institute, branch, and category in JoSAA counselling rounds.

Q8. What is the meaning of JEE Main cut off?
Answer: The JEE Main cut off is the minimum percentile score a candidate must secure to be eligible for the next stage — JEE Advanced (for IIT admission) or JoSAA counselling (for NIT/IIIT/GFTI admission). It is category-specific and released by NTA once after the final Session 2 result.

Q9. Does the JEE Main cut off change every year?
Answer: Yes. The JEE Main cut off changes annually depending on exam difficulty, total candidates appearing, and overall performance of the candidate pool. In 2026, the cut off increased for all categories compared to 2025.

Q10. What are the two types of JEE Main cut off?
Answer: There are two distinct types: (1) Qualifying Cut Off — released by NTA, represents minimum percentile for JEE Advanced eligibility; and (2) Admission Cut Off — released by JoSAA in terms of opening and closing All India Ranks, determines actual seat allotment in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.

Q11. What is the JEE Main cut off for NITs?
Answer: For NIT admission, candidates must (a) clear the JEE Main qualifying cut off in their category, (b) have scored minimum 75% in Class 12 (65% for SC/ST/PwD), and (c) have an All India Rank within the opening/closing rank range for their chosen NIT, branch, and category in JoSAA counselling.

Q12. Is the JEE Main cut off the same for all categories?
Answer: No. NTA releases a separate qualifying cut off for each category — General, EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and PwD. In 2026: General (93.4123549), EWS (81.3209571), OBC-NCL (80.9232583), SC (62.8462698), ST (49.6924917), PwD (0.0007544).

Q13. How is the JEE Main percentile cut off calculated?
Answer: NTA uses a multi-session percentile normalisation formula. The percentile score for each candidate is calculated as: (Number of candidates who scored equal to or less than the candidate ÷ Total candidates in the session) × 100. The higher of Session 1 and Session 2 percentile scores is considered for the final merit list. This process ensures fairness across different shifts with varying difficulty levels.

Q14. Can the JEE Main 2026 cut off change after Session 2?
Answer: No. The qualifying cut off is announced once by NTA, after both sessions are concluded and the combined merit list is prepared. It cannot be revised after official release.