JEE Main 2026 Cutoff Percentile Live: Category-wise Qualifying Marks and Latest Updates

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially released the JEE Main 2026 Session 2 results along with the highly anticipated category-wise cutoff percentiles. This year’s data shows a significant shift in the competitive landscape, with the qualifying bar for JEE Advanced reaching an all-time high for several categories.

With over 15 lakh unique candidates registering for the exam this year—a record-breaking figure—the competition for seats in the country’s premier engineering institutes has never been more intense.

JEE Main 2026: Official Category-wise Cutoff Percentile

The qualifying cutoff is the minimum NTA score (percentile) a candidate must achieve to be eligible for the JEE Advanced 2026. Below are the official figures released by the NTA.

Key Highlights: Why are the Cutoffs Rising?

The 2026 cycle has seen a “steep climb” in the percentile requirements. Experts point to three main factors driving this trend:

1. Increased Participation: Total unique registrations crossed the 15-lakh mark for the first time, significantly widening the candidate pool.

2. Improved Prep Quality: Greater access to digital resources and foundation programs in smaller towns has raised the average performance of students.

3. Normalization Across Shifts: While the Mathematics section was reported as “moderate to tough” in the April session, consistent scores in Physics and Chemistry kept the overall percentiles high.

Qualifying for JEE Advanced 2026

According to the official statistics, approximately 2,50,182 candidates have qualified to sit for the JEE Advanced exam. The registration for JEE Advanced is scheduled to begin tomorrow. Only those who have met or exceeded the category-specific cutoff mentioned above are eligible to apply.

• General Category: 96,873 qualifiers

• OBC-NCL: 67,597 qualifiers

• SC/ST: 56,312 qualifiers (combined)

• Gen-EWS: 25,009 qualifiers

Expected Admission Ranks for Top NITs and IIITs

While the qualifying cutoff allows you to take the JEE Advanced, admission to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs depends on your All India Rank (AIR). For the most sought-after branches like Computer Science Engineering (CSE), the competition remains cut-throat:

• Top NITs (Trichy, Warangal, Surathkal): General category students typically need a percentile of 99.5+ for CSE and 98.5+ for other core branches.

• Mid-tier NITs: A percentile between 96 and 98 can secure seats in branches like Electrical or Mechanical engineering.

• IIITs: Top IIITs such as Hyderabad and Bangalore generally close their CSE admissions within the top 2,000 to 5,000 ranks.

What’s Next for Aspirants?

For those who have cleared the cutoff, the focus now shifts entirely to the JEE Advanced, which is the gateway to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

For those who did not qualify, various state-level engineering entrance exams and private university admissions (like BITSAT, VITEEE, etc.) remain open.

JoSAA 2026 Counselling is expected to begin on June 2, 2026, where students will fill their choices for 127 premier institutes.

Written by Simran

Simran is currently working as a Senior Content Writer at Findmycollege , where she creates engaging and research-driven learning resources for students. She has completed her Graduation in Journalism from Delhi University. With 4 years of experience in the EdTech industry, she has previously contributed to leading platforms like Leverage Edu and Aakash. Her expertise lies in simplifying Engineering and Medical entrance exam content to guide aspirants in their preparation journey. Beyond writing, Simran enjoys sketching, watching movies, and finding creative inspiration in everyday life.

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