The expected JEE Main 2026 cutoff for OBC students is around the 79.5-81.5 percentile. It depends on the normalisation across all shifts. Scoring 79.5+ percentile ensures that you are eligible to attend JEE Advanced 2026.
- Among 2.5 lakh students, 27% spots are reserved for OBC students.
- Approximately 67,000 OBC candidates get selected for JEE Advanced every year out of 2.5 Lakh students.
- Even though the 79.5-81.5 percentile clears the JEE Main cutoff, it doesn’t guarantee you a seat at any NIT or IIITs.
Also Read:
- Check JEE Main 2026 Category-wise qualifying Percentile
- JEE Main Opening and Closing Ranks for Top Branches
- Check JEE Main 2026 SC Cutoff Prediction: 62+ Percentile - Vs 2023 (51.97), 2024 (60.09), 2025 (61.15)
Key Summary
- Current prediction suggests that the qualifying percentile for OBC candidates will likely be around the 79.5-81.5 percentile.
- The OBC cutoff has remained 79 percentile over the past few years.
- Annually, around 67000 students qualify for JEE Advanced.
- Students with 82+ marks qualify the JEE Main comfortably, irrespective of shift-wise difficulty.
Expected JEE Main Cutoff 2026 for OBC Category
The JEE Main cutoff for OBC is lower than that of general candidates, and usually in a similar range to EWS.
- A percentile of 79.5-81.5 is expected to be the JEE Main cutoff for OBC candidates.
- The cutoffs shift slightly depending on the paper's difficulty and the number of students who attend the exam.
| Category | Expected JEE Main Cutoff percentile 2026 |
|---|---|
| General (UR) | 93.3 - 95 |
| OBC-NCL | 79.5-81.5 |
| Gen-EWS | 81-82 |
| SC | 62-63 |
| ST | 49-50 |
Source: Analysis from the various coaching institutes and the JEE Main cutoff by We Won Academy
As per the IndianTechGuide on X Platform, JEE Main 2026 cutoff for OBC is around the 80-82 percentile, requiring 75-82 marks out of 300. The cutoff percentile for general may rise up to 95 percentile.
Check: What will be the EWS Cutoff for JEE Mains 2026
Ques. Is a 100 mark enough to qualify for JEE Advanced as an OBC student?
Ans. 100 marks are considered a safe score for OBC candidates to qualify for JEE Advanced across all shifts. 100 marks should comfortably clear the 81 percentile cutoff.
JEE Main 2026 Expected Cutoff PDF
| JEE Main 2026 Cutoff for NITs (Expected) |
| JEE Main 2026 Cutoff for GFTIs (Expected) |
| JEE Main 2026 Cutoff for IIITs (Expected) |
Historical Trends for JEE Main Cutoff for OBC (2023-2025)
- Over the last 3 years, we have seen JEE Main cutoff marks for OBC consistently rising.
- There was a massive jump in the JEE Main cutoff 2024, nearly 6 percentiles increased from 2023.
- This jump is mostly due to a high number of candidates who attended the exam. The cutoff percentile for 2025 was stabilised at 79 percentile.
| Year | OBC-Cutoff Percentile | General cutoff percentile |
|---|---|---|
| JEE Main 2025 | 79.43 | 93.10 |
| JEE Main 2024 | 79.67 | 93.23 |
| JEE Main 2023 | 73.61 | 90.77 |
Also Read:
- Safe Score for JEE Main 2026 for the General Category
- Safe Score for JEE Main 2026 for the ST Category
- Safe Score for JEE Main 2026 for the PwD Category
- Safe Score for JEE Main 2026 for the OBC Category
JEE Main 2026 Session-1: Shift-wise Expected OBC Cutoff Percentile?
After the analysis of the exam, it's clear that the JEE Main 2026 leaned toward moderate to difficult across shifts.
- Mathematics: Heavy on calculation and very time-consuming.
- Chemistry: Even though it was scoring, the questions were conceptual and tricky.
- Physics: Lengthy due to many statement-based questions.
70+ marks in any JEE Main shift will comfortably make OBC students qualify the JEE Main. This score offers a safety buffer, regardless of shift difficulty.
Based on the shift-wise difficulty level, the cutoff marks are given below. Actual cutoff marks can be varied due to normalisation across shifts.
Also Read:
| Exam Date | Shift | Overall Difficulty | Predicted OBC Cutoff marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 21 | Shift 1 | Moderate-tough | 60-62 |
| Shift 2 | Moderate | 65-70 | |
| Jan 22 | Shift 1 | Moderate-tough | 60-65 |
| Shift 2 | Moderate-tough | 60-65 | |
| Jan 23 | Shift 1 | Moderate-tough | 58-60 |
| Shift 2 | Tough-lengthy | 52-55 | |
| Jan 24 | Shift 1 | Moderate | 60-62 |
| Shift 2 | Tough-lengthy | 52-55 | |
| Jan 28 | Shift 1 | Tough-lengthy | 52-55 |
| Shift 2 | Moderate | 60-65 |
Source: JEE Main exam analysis from various sources and expected cutoff percentile analysis by Study with Aditya
The JEE Main cutoff for 2026 reflects high competition. Scoring in the 82+ percentile ensure safe score to achieve the cutoff for JEE Advanced. However, admission into any NIT requires a 96+ percentile.
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