JEE Advanced 2026 Qualifying Percentile: Check Category-Wise Expected Cutoff
The expected JEE Main 2026 qualifying percentile will decide which students can appear for JEE Advanced. For the General category, the cutoff is expected to be around 93.5–95 percentile, while lower cutoffs are expected for EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, and ST categories. JEE Advanced 2026 will be conducted on May 17, 2026.
The JEE Main 2026 qualifying percentile is the key factor that determines whether a student can appear for JEE Advanced 2026, the entrance exam required for admission to the IITs. Every year, lakhs of students take the JEE Main exam, but only those who cross the minimum qualifying percentile become eligible for the next stage. With competition increasing and more students applying each year, the expected cutoff may remain high. Based on trends from the past few years and the overall difficulty level of the exam, experts have estimated the expected category-wise cutoff for JEE Main 2026 to give students an idea of the percentile they may need.
JEE Main 2026 Qualifying Percentile for JEE Advanced (Expected)
The qualifying percentile for JEE Advanced is decided after the JEE Main results are declared. It shows the minimum percentile a candidate must score to move to the next stage of the IIT admission process.
The cutoff usually changes every year depending on factors like the number of students appearing for the exam, the difficulty level of the paper, and the overall performance of candidates. In general, the cutoff for the General category is the highest, while the qualifying percentile for reserved categories is comparatively lower.
Students who score equal to or above the expected cutoff will be able to register for JEE Advanced 2026.
JEE Main 2026 Expected Cutoff for General, General-EWS, OBC, SC, ST Candidates
Looking at the competition trends and previous year data, the expected JEE Main 2026 cutoff may be slightly higher this year. The following table shows the estimated qualifying percentile and approximate marks for different categories.
| Category | Expected Qualifying Percentile (2026) | Approximate Marks (Out of 300) |
| General (UR) | 93.5 – 95.0 | 100 – 120 |
| Gen-EWS | 80.5 – 82.5 | 75 – 83 |
| OBC-NCL | 79.5 – 81.5 | 75 – 81 |
| SC | 61.0 – 63.0 | 50 – 60 |
| ST | 47.5 – 50.0 | 40 – 50 |
These numbers are expected estimates and are meant to give students a general idea of the likely cutoff. The official qualifying percentile will be released by the authorities after the results.
JEE Main 2026 Qualifying Percentile for JEE Advanced Exam Date
The JEE Advanced 2026 exam will be conducted on May 17, 2026, by the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee. The exam will take place in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode at multiple centres across India.
Students appearing for the exam must attempt both Paper 1 and Paper 2, as both papers are compulsory for evaluation and ranking.
JEE Advanced 2026 Exam Schedule
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Paper 1: 09:00 AM – 12:00 PM (IST)
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Paper 2: 02:30 PM – 05:30 PM (IST)
Both papers will be conducted on the same day, and candidates who clear the JEE Main qualifying percentile will be able to register and appear for the JEE Advanced exam.