JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Passing Marks & Qualifying Percentile

JEE Main 2026 Session 2 (April) is scheduled to begin from 2nd April 2026, and passing marks remain a key concern for aspirants aiming to qualify for further admission rounds. The National Testing Agency (NTA) does not define “passing marks” in absolute terms; instead, the qualifying cutoff is released in percentile form after the final results of both sessions.

Based on previous trends and Session 1 analysis, the expected cutoff percentiles for Session 2 are likely to remain in a similar range, though slight variations may occur due to normalisation and competition levels.

Expected JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Cutoff (Category-Wise)

• General: 90 – 93 percentile

• EWS: 80 – 83 percentile

• OBC-NCL: 78 – 82 percentile

• SC: 60 – 65 percentile

• ST: 45 – 50 percentile

• PwD: Likely low percentile (as per previous trends)

These are expected ranges based on past data and may change slightly after final result declaration.

Passing Marks Out of 300 (Session 2 Estimate)

While NTA does not officially release passing marks in terms of scores, students often estimate using marks vs percentile trends:

• General Category: ~85–100 marks may be required to cross 90+ percentile

• Safe Score for NITs: 140–160+ marks

• Top NIT Branches: 180+ marks generally required

These estimates can vary depending on shift difficulty and normalization in Session 2.

Why Percentile Matters More Than Marks

In JEE Main, percentile reflects relative performance, not absolute marks. NTA uses a normalization process to ensure fairness across multiple shifts in April.

• A tougher shift may yield a higher percentile at lower marks

• An easier shift may require higher marks for the same percentile

Previous Year Cutoff Trend (Key Indicator)

The 2025 cutoff provides a strong reference:

• General: 93.10 percentile

• EWS: 80.38 percentile

• OBC-NCL: 79.43 percentile

• SC: 61.15 percentile

• ST: 47.90 percentile

Session 2 cutoffs in 2026 are expected to stay close to these values, with minor fluctuations.

Factors Affecting Session 2 Cutoff

The final cutoff for JEE Main 2026 Session 2 will depend on:

• Difficulty level of April shifts

• Total number of candidates (expected ~16 lakh overall)

• Normalization process by NTA

• Overall performance trends

• Seat availability in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs

What After Clearing the Cutoff?

Students who score above the cutoff percentile will:

• Qualify for JEE Advanced 2026 (top 2.5 lakh candidates)

• Become eligible for JoSAA counselling

• Compete for admissions in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs

Final Insight for Session 2 Aspirants

If your Session 1 score was below expectations, Session 2 is your best opportunity to improve. Focus on accuracy, revision, and mock tests to boost your percentile.

Remember, clearing the cutoff is just the first step—higher marks mean better college and branch options.