JEE Main 2026 Safe Score for Top Branches in NITs

The competition this year has reached record heights, with over 16 lakh unique candidates appearing. Consequently, the qualifying percentile for the General category is expected to settle between 93.5 and 95.0. However, simply clearing this cutoff only makes you eligible for JEE Advanced; it does not guarantee a seat in an NIT. For top-tier institutes like NIT Trichy, Surathkal, or Warangal, the "safe" zone is much higher. Candidates generally need to be in the top 1% (99+ percentile) of all test-takers to secure a seat in CSE.

Safe Score for Top 5 NITs (CSE & ECE Branches)

The "Big Three"—NIT Trichy, NIT Karnataka (Surathkal), and NIT Warangal—continue to hold the highest closing ranks. If you are an "Other State" (OS) candidate, your target should be significantly higher than those with Home State (HS) advantages.

JEE Main 2026 Category-Wise Safe Percentile for NIT Admission

Reservation plays a pivotal role in determining the final closing ranks. Below is a research-based estimate of the percentile required for a "safe" admission into any core branch in a mid-to-high tier NIT.

• General (UR): 97.5+ percentile is considered the safe floor for core branches, while 99.2+ is needed for top-tier CSE.

• OBC-NCL / EWS: A percentile range of 95.0 – 97.0 generally secures a core branch in a Tier-2 NIT.

• SC / ST: For SC candidates, 88+ percentile is a strong safe zone, while ST candidates can often secure seats with 82+ percentile.

Factors Influencing the JEE Main 2026 Safe Score

Several critical factors have shifted the safe score benchmark this year:

1. Normalization Process: Since marks vary across shifts, a "tough shift" might grant a 99 percentile at 175 marks, while an "easy shift" could require 210+.

2. Increased Aspirants: The jump to 16.5 lakh candidates means that for the same percentile, your All India Rank (AIR) will be lower than in previous years.

3. No Optional Questions: The removal of choices in Section B (Numerical Value Questions) has made accuracy more difficult, slightly impacting the raw marks required.