The JEE Main 2026 is going to have the highest number of registrations ever, with an estimated of around 15-17 lakh registrations, up from 14.75 lakh in 2025. With this number of participants, experts have predicted that the minimum qualifying percentile may cross 95+ for the JEE Main 2026 exam.
Out of these 17 lakh students, only 2.5 lakh are going to qualify for JEE Advanced. This shows how JEE Main 2026 is going to be one of the most competitive years in JEE Main history.
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JEE Main Year-Wise Registration Trend (2026-2016)
To understand how fast participation has grown, here’s a look at the year-wise trend.
| Year | Unique Candidates Registered | % Change from Previous Year | Attempts Per Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 14,75,103 | +4.2% | 2 sessions |
| 2024 | 14,15,110 | +27.1% | 2 sessions |
| 2023 | 11,13,325 | +22.9% | 2 sessions |
| 2022 | 9,05,590 | -3.6% | 2 sessions |
| 2021 | 9,39,008 | -8.2% (Pandemic continues) | 4 sessions |
| 2020 | 10,23,000 | -10.8% (Pandemic impact) | 2 sessions |
| 2019 | 11,47,125 | Launch of the two-session system | 2 sessions |
| 2018 | 10,43,000 | — | Once a year |
| 2017 | 9,56,716 | — | Once a year |
| 2016 | 12,07,058 | — | Once a year |
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Session-Wise Registration Patterns
- Session-wise data shows a steady increase in participation from 2022 to 2026, with both sessions.
- Even as more students appear in both attempts, the dropout rate stays stable at 5-10%, showing strong engagement and exam competition.
| Year | Session 1 Appeared | Session 2 Appeared | Total Unique Candidates | Dropout Rate (Reg to Actual) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (Expected) | 13,00,000-14,00,000 | 11,00,000-12,00,000 | 15,00,000-17,00,000 | 5-10% |
| 2025 | 12,58,136 | 9,92,350 | 14,75,103 | 5-7% |
| 2024 | 11,70,048 | 10,67,959 | 14,15,110 | 5-10% |
| 2023 | 8,23,967 | 8,83,367 | 11,13,325 | 5-8% |
| 2022 | 7,69,604 (June) | 5,40,242 (July) | 9,05,590 | 5-10% |
| 2021 | 6,21,033 (Feb) | 5,56,248 (March) | 9,39,008 | 5-8% |
| 2020 | 8,69,000 | 6,35,000 (Sept)* | 10,23,000 | 5-7% |
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Why JEE Main Registrations Are Increasing in 2026?
| Reason | Explanation |
|---|---|
| Two-Attempt System | Students get two chances (Jan & April), encouraging more to register and appear. |
| More Repeaters | A growing number of droppers/Repeaters are attempting again to improve their percentile. |
| Higher Coaching Enrollment | An increase in offline + online coaching has pushed more students to take JEE Main. |
| Better Performance in 2nd Attempt | 60-70% of students improve in the second attempt, motivating students to register. |
| Rising Competition & Pressure to Score Higher | Students take both sessions to secure 95+ percentile amid rising cutoffs. |
| Higher Participation from Class 12 Boards | More Class 12 students attempt JEE Main “for practice” in Session 1. |
| Increased Awareness & Accessibility | Wider access to mock tests, PYQs, and free online resources attracts more candidates. |
Check: JEE Main Passing Marks 2026- Check Expected, and Previous Years’ Cutoffs
How are more candidates changing the JEE Main Competition?
- The qualifying percentage has dropped from 27.6% in 2022 to just 16.9% in 2025, and is expected to decrease further to 14-16% in 2026, making it the lowest in JEE Main history.
- Your chances of qualifying have dropped a lot, from 1 in 3.6 students getting through in 2022 to only 1 in 6-7 students in 2026. This means the chances have almost been reduced by half in just four years.
| Year | Total Unique Candidates | Qualified for JEE Advanced | Qualifying % | Real Odds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 10,23,000 | 2,50,000 | 24.4% | 1 in 4.1 |
| 2021 | 9,39,008 | 2,50,000 | 26.6% | 1 in 3.8 |
| 2022 | 9,05,590 | 2,50,000 | 27.6% | 1 in 3.6 |
| 2023 | 11,13,325 | 2,50,255 | 22.5% | 1 in 4.5 |
| 2024 | 14,15,110 | 2,50,284 | 17.7% | 1 in 5.7 |
| 2025 | 14,75,103 | 2,50,236 | 16.96% | 1 in 5.9 |
| 2026 (If 15 lakh) | 15,00,000 | 2,50,000 | 16.67% | 1 in 6.0 |
| 2026 (If 17 lakh) | 17,00,000 | 2,50,000 | 14.71% | 1 in 6.8 |
Check: List of Colleges Accepting Scores Between 75-90 Percentile in JEE Main 2025
Which Categories of Students Are Appearing for JEE Main 2026?
- The majority of JEE Main 2026 candidates are droppers (50-55%), making it highly competitive as droppers are aiming to improve their scores. This means half of your competition has already taken the exam before.
- Class 12 students form around 40-45%, while only a small share (5-10%) are past-year candidates, showing that most participation comes from freshers + repeaters.
| Student Category | Estimated % of Total | Approximate Numbers |
|---|---|---|
| Class 12 Students (2026) | 40-45% | 6.0-7.0 lakh |
| Gap Year Students (Droppers) | 50-55% | 7.5-9.0 lakh |
| Class 12 Passed (2024-2025) | 5-10% | 0.75-1.5 lakh |
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Explained: The 95+ Percentile Prediction for JEE Main 2026
- As per different expert predictions and previous year analysis, the General category cutoff may reach the 93.5-95th percentile
- From the table below, you can see that the General category cutoffs have increased by nearly 5 percentile points in just 5 years. If this trend continues, the qualifying cutoff is going to be 95 percentile in JEE Main 2026.
| Category | 2026 Predicted | 2025 Actual | 2024 Actual | 2023 Actual | 5-Year Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 93.5 - 95.0 | 93.10 | 93.23 | 90.77 | +4.23 - 5.73 |
| EWS | 81.0 - 83.0 | 80.38 | 81.32 | 75.62 | +5.38 - 7.38 |
| OBC-NCL | 80.0 - 82.0 | 79.43 | 79.67 | 73.61 | +6.39 - 8.39 |
| SC | 61.0 - 63.0 | 61.15 | 60.09 | 51.97 | +9.03 - 11.03 |
| ST | 48.0 - 50.0 | 47.90 | 46.69 | 37.23 | +10.77 - 12.77 |
Also Read
- Expected Rank and Percentile for 190 Marks in JEE Main 2026
- Expected NITs for 100 marks in JEE Main 2026
- List of colleges accepting 90+ percentile in JEE Main
JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile Predictions
| Marks (Out of 300) | Expected Percentile | Expected All India Rank | What You Can Target |
| 280-300 | 99.9+ | Top 100-500 | Top IITs via JEE Advanced |
| 250-279 | 99.5-99.9 | 500-5,000 | All IITs, Top NITs (CSE) |
| 220-249 | 99.0-99.5 | 5,000-15,000 | Most IITs, Top NITs |
| 200-219 | 98.0-99.0 | 15,000-30,000 | Good NITs, Top IIITs |
| 180-199 | 97.0-98.0 | 30,000-45,000 | Mid-tier NITs |
| 160-179 | 95.0-97.0 | 45,000-75,000 | Lower NITs, IIITs |
| 140-159 | 93.0-95.0 | 75,000-1,05,000 | Some NITs, GFTIs |
| 120-139 | 90.0-93.0 | 1,05,000-1,50,000 | State colleges, Private |
| 100-119 | 87.0-90.0 | 1,50,000-1,95,000 | State/Private colleges |
| 80-99 | 83.0-87.0 | 1,95,000-2,55,000 | Limited options |
Check: How to Score 95+ percentile in JEE Main
So, the message is simple for the students who are going to give their JEE Main 2026 exam: prepare for a 95+ percentile, aim for a 97-99 percentile, and never underestimate your competition. The exam isn't getting easier just because you get two attempts; rather, it's getting tougher because with the increasing number of participants, the cutoffs are going to be really high.
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