JEE Main 2026 Normalisation Explained in Simple Words (Why Raw Marks Don’t Matter Much)

JEE Main 2026 is conducted in multiple shifts, with Session‑1 exams held on January 21, 22, 23, 24, and 28, 2026. Exams conducted in these shifts can sometimes be easier or harder than the others. So to give everyone a fair chance, the National Testing Agency (NTA) relies on a process called JEE Main 2026 Normalisation. Normalisation makes sure that your percentile shows how well you performed compared to other students in your shift, not just your raw marks. That is why a student with less marks may receive a higher percentile than a student who scored more marks. Understanding what normalisation is actually very important for predicting your All India Rank and admission chances into top engineering institutes like NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.

What Is Normalization In JEE Main?

Normalisation is a method used to adjust marks across different shifts so that no student is unfairly advantaged or disadvantaged because their paper was easier or harder.

• A hard shift → lower marks can still give a high percentile.

• An easy shift → higher marks might be needed for the same percentile.

• Your percentile is used to calculate your All India Rank (AIR).

In simple terms, normalisation ensures that everyone is compared fairly, no matter which shift they appear in.

How Does NTA Adjust Marks In JEE Main 

Here is how the NTA calculates normalisation:

1. Collect raw marks – Marks from all shifts are collected.

2. Calculate percentile – Percentiles are calculated for each shift separately.

3. Merge percentiles – Percentiles from all shifts are combined for a final merit list.

4. Decide ranks – Your rank is based on your percentile, not just raw marks. If you appear in more than one session, the best percentile is taken for ranking.

This ensures that students from different shifts are evaluated on a level playing field.

Formula To Calculate JEE Mains Percentile 

NTA uses the following formula to calculate JEE Main 2026 percentile:

Percentile=Total number of candidates in your shift - Number of candidates in your shift with marks ≤ yours​×100

Example:
If 40,000 students appeared in your shift and 32,000 scored equal to or less than you:

(32,000÷40,000)×100=80 percentile(32,000 ÷ 40,000) × 100 = 80 \text{ percentile}(32,000÷40,000)×100=80 percentile 

This means you performed better than 80% of students in your shift. Percentiles are calculated to seven decimal places to reduce ties and ensure fair ranking.

Can Lower Marks Give A Higher Percentile In JEE Main?

Yes! Because percentile is based on relative performance, a student in a hard shift can get a higher percentile than a student in an easy shift, even with fewer marks.

Here, Student A got the same percentile as Student B, even with fewer marks, because their paper was harder. This is why raw marks alone do not decide your rank.

Difference Between Marks And Percentile In JEE Main 

To better understand how performance is evaluated in JEE Main, it’s important to clearly distinguish between marks and percentile, as both represent different aspects of a candidate’s result.

• Marks: Number of questions answered correctly.

• Percentile: How well you performed compared to others in your shift.

Percentile is more important than raw marks because it decides your All India Rank (AIR). Even if two students have the same marks, their percentiles can differ depending on the difficulty of their shift.

How Does Percentile Affect Your Rank?

Once percentiles from all shifts are merged, students are ranked based on their percentile. The highest percentile receives AIR 1, the next highest gets AIR 2, and so on.

Here’s a rough guide based on past trends:

This table shows why percentile is more important than raw marks in predicting admission chances.

How Are Ties Decided In JEE Main?

If multiple students have the same percentile, NTA applies tie-breaking rules in this order:

1. Higher marks in Mathematics

2. Higher marks in Physics

3. Higher marks in Chemistry

4. Older candidate or lower application number

This ensures each student gets a unique All India Rank (AIR).

Do Raw marks matter in JEE Main 2026?

Here’s the clear truth:

1. Shifts have different difficulty levels – Marks can be misleading.

2. Percentile shows relative performance – It reflects how well you performed compared to others in the same shift.

3. Ranks are based on percentile – This is why normalisation is crucial.

Understanding this helps students focus on accuracy and smart attempts rather than worrying about total marks.

Which Percentiles Are Safe For NITs?

Since admissions to National Institutes of Technology are based on percentile scores rather than raw marks, understanding what percentile range is considered “safe” becomes crucial for aspirants aiming for NITs.

• Most NIT core branches – 98.5+ percentile

• Top NITs (Trichy, Surathkal, Warangal) – 99.85+ percentile

This helps students estimate admission chances without stressing over small differences in raw marks.

Tips For JEE Main 2026 Preparation

• Don’t worry about raw marks.

• Focus on accuracy and understanding concepts.

• Attempt questions carefully; every mark counts towards percentile.

• Remember: percentile is more important than raw marks.

By understanding JEE Main 2026 normalisation, students can prepare strategically and focus on what truly matters — their percentile and AIR.