JEE Main cutoff: the percentile you need for JEE Advanced
The official 2026 category-wise qualifying percentiles, what they mean, and why they are not a target score for 2027.
There are two different “cutoffs” people mean when they talk about JEE Main. This page covers the one NTA publishes: the qualifying cutoff for JEE Advanced. Admission cutoffs for NITs and IIITs are a separate matter, decided in counselling.
What is the JEE Main cutoff for JEE Advanced?
The top 2,50,000 candidates in Paper 1, across all categories, become eligible to register for JEE Advanced. NTA then publishes the lowest NTA score (percentile) that made it into each category’s quota.
Official 2026 qualifying percentiles
| Category | Percentile range (from → to) | Candidates |
|---|---|---|
| UR (General) | 100.0000000 → 93.4123549 | 96,873 |
| UR-PwBD | 93.3244144 → 0.0023186 | 4,391 |
| Gen-EWS | 93.4105172 → 82.4164528 | 25,009 |
| OBC-NCL | 93.4105172 → 80.9232583 | 67,597 |
| SC | 93.4105172 → 63.9172792 | 37,522 |
| ST | 93.4041748 → 52.0174712 | 18,790 |
| Total | 2,50,182 |
Source: NTA press release declaring the JEE (Main) 2026 Paper 1 result, 20 April 2026. The “to” value in bold is the lowest percentile that qualified in that category.
How is the 2,50,000 split between categories?
The JEE Advanced 2026 brochure divides the 2,50,000 places like this:
| Category | Share | Places |
|---|---|---|
| OPEN | 40.5% | 1,01,250 (including 5,063 PwD) |
| Gen-EWS | 10% | 25,000 |
| OBC-NCL | 27% | 67,500 |
| SC | 15% | 37,500 |
| ST | 7.5% | 18,750 |
Within each category, 5% is reserved horizontally for PwD candidates. The final count can be slightly above 2,50,000 because everyone tied at the cutoff is included. That is why 2026 ended at 2,50,182.
Will the 2027 cutoff be the same?
No one can tell you. The cutoff is set by the number of places (2,50,000) and by how everyone else performs, so it moves every year. NTA publishes it with the final result after Session 2.
Use the 2026 numbers to understand the scale, not as a target. Aiming to clear the General cutoff by a fraction is a fragile plan. A score that keeps you well clear of it is a safer one.
Is percentile the same as marks?
No. These cutoffs are NTA scores, which are percentiles calculated within each shift. A percentile of 93.41 does not mean 93.41% of the marks. Our percentile and normalisation page explains the difference with a worked illustration.
What else do you need besides the cutoff?
Clearing the cutoff makes you eligible to register for JEE Advanced, but it is not the only condition. JEE Advanced also has an age limit, an attempt limit and a Class 12 year rule (see JEE Advanced eligibility). For admission at NITs, IIITs and the IITs, you also need 75% in Class 12 (65% for SC/ST/PwD) or a place in your board’s top 20 percentile, as set out on our eligibility page.
How many people took JEE Main 2026?
According to NTA, 15,38,468 unique candidates appeared in Paper 1 across both sessions, out of 16,04,854 who registered. So roughly one in six who appeared went on to qualify for JEE Advanced.
Can you convert a mock test score into a percentile?
Not reliably. An NTA score depends on everyone else who sat your shift, and no mock test has that group. Treat any “marks to percentile” converter as a rough guess. What you can track honestly is your own raw score and accuracy, test after test, under the real +4 and −1 marking.
A practice routine built around full mock tests helps you see where you stand well before the result. Our preparation strategy sets one out.