JEE Advanced 2026 minimum marks for SC, ST categories: 46 aggregate, 4 per subject

SC and ST category candidates who appeared for JEE Advanced 2026 were required to secure a minimum of 46 aggregate marks out of a total of 360, along with at least 4 marks in each subject, to be included in their respective rank lists. These qualifying criteria, which translate to an aggregate percentage of 12.78% and 3.65% in each subject for SC/ST/PwD categories, were officially published by IIT Roorkee on June 1, 2026.

The JEE Advanced 2026 examination was conducted on May 17, 2026, with 179,694 candidates appearing in both papers. A total of 56,880 candidates qualified, including 10,107 female candidates. Qualifying the cutoff makes candidates eligible for JoSAA 2026 counselling for an IIT seat allotment, though actual admission depends on various factors including category rank and seat availability.

JEE Advanced 2026 Qualifying Criteria for SC and ST Candidates

For JEE Advanced 2026, SC and ST candidates needed to meet specific minimum mark requirements to be considered for the rank list. This included an aggregate score of 46 marks out of 360 and a subject-wise minimum of 4 marks in each paper. These figures represent a slight increase from the JEE Advanced 2025 requirements, where SC and ST candidates needed 37 aggregate marks and 3 marks in each subject.

The minimum aggregate percentage for SC/ST/PwD categories in JEE Advanced 2026 was set at 12.78%, with a minimum of 3.65% in each subject. In comparison, JEE Advanced 2024 had a higher requirement of 17.5% aggregate marks and 5.0% in each subject, while JEE Advanced 2023 required 8.27% aggregate marks, which equated to 30 marks. The JEE Advanced cutoff is influenced by factors such as the number of candidates, seat availability, and candidate performance, ensuring a minimum threshold for subject-wise competence.

Eligibility and Reservation for SC/ST Candidates

To be eligible for JEE Advanced, candidates must first be among the top 2,50,000 successful candidates in the B.E./B.Tech. Paper of JEE (Main) 2026, including all categories. The percentage of SC candidates shortlisted from JEE Main 2026 is 15%, while for ST candidates, it is 7.5%. Also, a 5% horizontal reservation is available for PwD candidates within each of the five categories.

Beyond examination scores, SC and ST candidates are also subject to age and academic criteria. For JEE Advanced 2026, a five-year age relaxation was provided, meaning SC/ST candidates should have been born on or after October 1, 1996. In addition, these candidates are required to obtain a minimum of 65% aggregate marks in their Class XII or equivalent examination, or be in the top 20th percentile of their respective boards. Each candidate is allowed a maximum of two consecutive attempts in the JEE Advanced examination.

Comparison with General Category and Previous Years

The JEE Advanced 2026 qualifying cutoff for the General category (CRL) was 92 marks out of 360. This represents a marginal dip from the 93 marks required in 2025 and 94 marks in 2024, which reflects a slightly more demanding paper in 2026, according to analysis of the examination held on May 17. The total marks for JEE Advanced 2026 were 360.

The JEE Advanced 2025 result was declared on June 2, 2025, by IIT Kanpur, following the exam conducted on May 18, 2025. For that year, SC and ST candidates needed a minimum of 3 marks in each subject and 37 aggregate marks. The JEE Advanced 2024 exam was held on May 26, 2024, with results announced on June 9, 2024. Foreign nationals are not eligible for most reservation benefits, with the exception of OPEN-PwD, and are not obliged to write the JEE Main examination, with 10% of total seats allocated to them in JEE Advanced.

Further reading

• JEE Advanced 2027 eligibility: two attempts, age limit set at October 1
• JEE Advanced application form: eligibility, dates and how to apply Next step
• JEE Main 2027 Session 1 exam dates announced: January 22-30
• UPESEAT 2027 Registration Begins; BTech Admission Applications Open at upes.ac.in Applications open
• BITSAT application form: eligibility, dates and how to apply
• JEE Advanced: complete exam guide

Written by Nishit Kumar

Nishit Kumar is a senior EdTech industry leader with over a decade of experience in building and scaling education platforms, shaping their product, content, and growth strategy. At FindMyCollege, Nishit oversees content and editorial strategy, guiding topic selection and content frameworks to ensure accuracy, relevance, and student-first value across the website.

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