The JEE Main 2026 cut-off is one of the most important benchmarks for engineering aspirants aiming to appear for JEE Advanced 2026 and compete for admission into the Indian Institutes of Technology. Every year, only the top-performing candidates in JEE Main Paper 1, across different categories, become eligible to register for JEE Advanced. For 2026, candidates must be among the top 2,50,000 successful candidates, including all categories, in JEE Main B.E./B.Tech Paper to qualify for JEE Advanced. The official JEE Advanced eligibility page also states the category-wise shortlisting distribution: 10% GEN-EWS, 27% OBC-NCL, 15% SC, 7.5% ST, and the remaining 40.5% OPEN, with 5% horizontal reservation for PwD candidates within each category.
This makes the JEE Main 2026 qualifying cut-off a crucial first step for students who want to enter the IIT admission race. However, qualifying for JEE Advanced does not guarantee IIT admission. Students must also clear the JEE Advanced 2026 minimum qualifying criteria and secure a rank high enough for their preferred IIT, branch, and category.
JEE Main 2026 Cut-off to Qualify for JEE Advanced
The JEE Main 2026 qualifying percentile determines whether a candidate is eligible to register for JEE Advanced 2026. As per reported category-wise cut-off data, the General category cut-off has reached 93.4123549 percentile, making it one of the most competitive qualifying benchmarks in recent years.
| Category | JEE Main 2026 Percentile Range |
| General / UR-ALL | 100 to 93.4123549 |
| General-EWS | 93.4105172 to 82.4164528 |
| OBC-NCL | 93.4105172 to 80.9232583 |
| Scheduled Caste / SC | 93.4105172 to 63.9172792 |
| Scheduled Tribe / ST | 93.4041748 to 52.0174712 |
| General-PwBD | 93.3244144 to 0.0023186 |
These percentiles represent the qualifying threshold for JEE Advanced registration. Students scoring below the required percentile in their category will not be eligible to appear for JEE Advanced, even if they have a good JEE Main score.
What Does the JEE Main 2026 Cut-off Mean?
The JEE Main cut-off is not the same as admission cut-off for NITs, IIITs, or GFTIs. It is specifically the qualifying cut-off for JEE Advanced. In simple terms, it decides whether a candidate can move to the second stage of the IIT admission process.
A student who qualifies through JEE Main must still perform well in JEE Advanced. The final IIT rank list is prepared only after candidates meet the minimum subject-wise and aggregate criteria in JEE Advanced. Therefore, JEE Main cut-off should be seen as the entry gate, while JEE Advanced rank decides the actual IIT admission opportunity.
JEE Advanced 2026 Minimum Qualifying Criteria
To secure a place in the final JEE Advanced rank list, candidates must satisfy two conditions together:
First, they must score the minimum required marks in each subject: Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. Second, they must also meet the minimum aggregate percentage across the total marks.
Based on trend-based qualifying criteria being reported for JEE Advanced 2026, the expected minimum qualifying marks are as follows. Coaching and education portals are treating these as expected/trend-based figures until the final official JEE Advanced result notice confirms the exact cut-off.
| Rank List Category | Minimum Marks Per Subject | Minimum Overall Marks Percentage |
| Common Rank List / CRL / General | 8 marks | 20.56% |
| GEN-EWS / OBC-NCL | 7 marks | 18.50% |
| SC / ST / PwD | 4 marks | 10.28% |
This means a General category candidate must not only score around 20.56% overall but also clear the minimum marks in each subject individually. If a student performs very well overall but fails to clear the minimum marks in one subject, they may not be included in the rank list.
Expected JEE Advanced 2026 Marks vs Rank
JEE Advanced marks vs rank depends on multiple factors, including paper difficulty, total number of candidates, marking scheme, subject-wise performance, and seat competition. However, students can use expected rank trends to understand what score range may be needed for different IIT admission goals.
According to institutional trend data and expert analysis, the expected score out of 360 for key rank milestones can be understood as follows:
Top 100 Rank: 320+ Marks
Students targeting an AIR within the top 100 may need around 320+ marks. This score range is usually necessary for highly competitive branches such as Computer Science Engineering at top IITs like IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, and IIT Kharagpur. For students aiming for the most preferred IIT CSE seats, this is the safest performance zone.
Top 500 Rank: 270 to 300 Marks
A score between 270 and 300 marks may help candidates reach the AIR 101 to 500 range. This rank band can offer strong chances for top branches across older IITs, including CSE, Electrical Engineering, Mathematics and Computing, or other high-demand programmes depending on category and seat availability.
Top 1000 Rank: 240 to 270 Marks
Candidates scoring around 240 to 270 marks may fall in the AIR 501 to 1,000 range. This is still a very strong rank bracket and can open opportunities in popular IITs and competitive branches. Students in this range may get access to core and emerging engineering branches at top or mid-tier IITs.
Top 5000 Rank: 220+ Marks
A score of around 220+ marks may place a candidate near the AIR 1,001 to 5,000 range. This rank range is important for students looking for flexibility in branch selection across popular IIT campuses. Depending on category and preference order, students may still get good branches in reputed IITs.
Top 10000 Rank: 180+ Marks
Candidates scoring around 180+ marks may fall in the AIR 5,001 to 10,000 range. This range generally keeps students in the race for general engineering branches, especially at newer IITs or less competitive branches in older IITs. For many aspirants, this score can still lead to an IIT seat through JoSAA counselling.
JEE Main Cut-off vs JEE Advanced Cut-off: Key Difference
Many students confuse JEE Main cut-off with JEE Advanced cut-off. The difference is simple:
JEE Main 2026 cut-off decides whether a student can register for JEE Advanced.
JEE Advanced 2026 cut-off decides whether a student can be included in the IIT rank list.
After clearing both stages, actual admission depends on JoSAA counselling, seat matrix, category, gender-neutral or female-only pool, branch preference, and opening and closing ranks.
Conclusion
The JEE Main 2026 cut-off for JEE Advanced shows how competitive the IIT admission pathway has become. General category candidates need a percentile above 93.4123549, while reserved category candidates must meet their respective qualifying percentile thresholds. After qualifying for JEE Advanced, candidates must also clear subject-wise and aggregate marks criteria to appear in the final rank list.
Students aiming for top IIT branches should not stop at simply clearing the cut-off. A strong JEE Advanced score is essential. For highly competitive branches like CSE at IIT Bombay or IIT Delhi, candidates may need scores above 320, while ranks up to 10,000 may still offer IIT opportunities depending on category, branch, and institute preference.
FAQs on JEE Main 2026 Cut-off and JEE Advanced 2026
1. What is the JEE Main 2026 cut-off for General category?
The JEE Main 2026 qualifying cut-off for General / UR candidates is 93.4123549 percentile. Candidates at or above this threshold, subject to other eligibility conditions, can register for JEE Advanced 2026.
2. How many students qualify for JEE Advanced 2026?
The top 2,50,000 successful candidates from JEE Main 2026 B.E./B.Tech Paper are eligible for JEE Advanced 2026, including candidates from all categories.
3. What is the expected minimum qualifying percentage for JEE Advanced 2026?
For the Common Rank List, the expected minimum aggregate qualifying percentage is around 20.56%. For GEN-EWS and OBC-NCL, it is around 18.50%, while for SC, ST, and PwD candidates, it is around 10.28%.
4. Is clearing the JEE Advanced cut-off enough for IIT admission?
No. Clearing the JEE Advanced cut-off only makes a candidate eligible for the rank list. IIT admission depends on the candidate’s All India Rank, category, seat availability, branch preference, and JoSAA counselling cut-offs.
5. How many marks are needed for a top 100 rank in JEE Advanced 2026?
Based on expected marks vs rank trends, candidates may need around 320+ marks out of 360 to target a top 100 rank. This range is usually important for admission into top branches like CSE at IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and other leading IITs.