
JEE Mains Percentile Vs Cutoff 2026: JEE Main Cut off 2026 expected is one of the most searched topics among engineering aspirants. After appearing for the exam, students want to know whether their score is good enough to qualify for the next stage. To understand this clearly, students must know the difference between JEE Main percentile 2026 and JEE Main cutoff 2026.
Both percentile and cutoff play a very important role in deciding eligibility for JEE Advanced and admission to top engineering colleges.
The terms percentile and cutoff are often confusing for students. Although they are related, they have different meanings. The JEE Main percentile vs cutoff 2026 comparison helps students understand how ranks and eligibility are decided. The percentile shows how a student performed compared to others, while the cutoff is the minimum percentile required to move ahead in the admission process
JEE Main percentile shows a candidate's relative performance. It compares your score to all other candidates in your session. The National Testing Agency (NTA) calculates this using a normalization process. Raw scores convert to a percentile score. This helps compare candidates from different exam sessions. The JEE Main percentile 2026 indicates your relative position. A higher percentile means you performed better than a larger percentage of test-takers.
The JEE Main cutoff 2026 refers to the minimum percentile score required for eligibility. This threshold allows candidates to appear for JEE Advanced. It also enables participation in B.Tech counseling for various institutes. The NTA releases the cutoff after results are out. This cutoff varies by category and year. It helps determine eligibility for different courses and colleges.
Expected JEE Main 2026 cutoffs for qualifying to JEE Advanced are predicted based on recent trends and expert analyses from coaching institutes. These estimates account for factors like exam difficulty, candidate volume, and past percentiles from 2021-2025. Official cutoffs will be released by NTA after the exams, typically in January and April sessions.
Predictions show the General category around 93.5-95 percentile, with slight variations across sources. EWS and OBC hover near 80 percentile, while reserved categories remain lower.
| JEE Main Cut off 2026 Expected | |
| Category | Expected Percentile |
| General (UR) | 93.5–95 |
| EWS | 80–82 |
| OBC-NCL | 79–81 |
| SC | 61–63 |
| ST | 47–50 |
| PwD | ~0.001–0.01 |
Analyzing JEE Main previous year cutoff percentiles helps candidates prepare. These tables show historical trends for various categories. Understanding past data can inform future expectations.
JEE Main cutoff percentiles for qualifying to JEE Advanced have shown a gradual upward trend over recent years, particularly for the General category, due to increasing competition and exam normalization. Data from 2021 to 2025, as compiled from NTA releases and coaching institute analyses, reveals stable patterns for reserved categories with minor fluctuations.
| JEE Main Previous Year Cutoff Percentiles | ||||||
| Year | General (UR) | EWS | OBC-NCL | SC | ST | PwD |
| 2025 | 93.10 | 80.38 | 79.43 | 61.15 | 47.90 | 0.01 |
| 2024 | 93.23 | ~80 | 79.68 | 60.09 | 46.70 | ~0.01 |
| 2023 | 90.78 | 75.62 | 73.61 | 51.98 | 37.23 | 0.001 |
| 2022 | 88.41 | 63.11 | 67.01 | 43.08 | 26.78 | 0.003 |
| 2021 | 87.90 | 66.22 | 68.02 | 46.88 | 34.67 | 0.01 |
The JEE Main percentile calculation ensures fair comparison across sessions. This method relies on the performance of all candidates. It provides a standardized ranking metric. The formula to calculate the JEE Main percentile is:
Percentile = (Number of candidates who scored equal to or less than you ÷ Total number of candidates) × 100