JEE Main Clearing Marks 2026 is basically the JEE Main qualifying cutoff percentile that determines eligibility for JEE Advanced 2026 and admission to top NITs, IIITs and GFTIs.
Once you get your JEE Main result 2026 on 16th Feb'26, you can check the JEE Main qualifying cutoff percentile mentioned on your JEE Main scorecard.
- As per Sri Chaitanya Academy, the JEE Main Clearing marks for the General category will be around 93.5 percentile.
- For OBC/EWS, it will be around the 81-82 percentile.
- 93.5 percentile in terms of raw marks is roughly around 185-200 marks out of 300.
One thing candidates should understand here is that clearing the JEE Main cutoff will allow them to appear for JEE Advanced 2026 or JoSAA counselling. Admission to top NITs and IITs requires a much higher percentile.
Related Links:
- JEE Main Cutoff 2026: Check Previous Year Trends, Percentile & Category-wise qualifying marks
- JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 2026: Check Shift-Wise Marks and Rank Prediction
- JEE Main College Predictor 2026: Predict B.Tech chances based on JoSAA Opening and Closing Ranks
Key Summary
- JEE Main Clearing Marks 2026 is the qualifying percentile cutoff, students required to get eligible for JEE Advanced and admission in to NITs, IIITs.
- The cutoff percentile will be released on 12 Feb 2026 along with the JEE Main 2026 result and will be mentioned on the candidate’s scorecard.
- Expected Qualifying Cutoff (2026)
- General: 93.5 percentile
- OBC / EWS: 81–82 percentile
- SC: 60–62 percentile
- ST: 48–50 percentile
- PwD: 0.1 percentile
What is the JEE Main Clearing Marks 2026?
JEE Main clearing marks 2026 is the minimum qualifying percentile cutoff decided by NTA. This is mentioned on your JEE Main Scorecard and candidates scoring above this percentile are eligible for JEE Advanced and JoSAA counselling.
The cutoff changes annually based on:
- Number of candidates appearing
- Difficulty level of exam shifts
- Overall performance of students
In simple terms: Higher competition means Higher cutoff.
Minimum Marks in JEE Mains 2026 to Qualify for JEE Advanced: Category Wise
As per We Won Academy experts, the JEE Main clearing marks 2026 of each category will vary from each other and is around 100-125+ for the General Category.
| Category | Cutoff Percentile 2026 | Safe Percentile Range | Safe Marks (Approx.) |
|---|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | 93 -95 | 93.5+ | 100 -125+ |
| EWS | 80 -82 | 82+ | 55 -65 |
| OBC-NCL | 80 -82 | 81+ | 50 -60 |
| SC | 60 -62 | 61+ | 30 -40 |
| ST | 48 -50 | 50+ | 25 -35 |
| PwD | ~0.1 | 0.1+ | Not fixed |
Ques. Is scoring 100 marks enough to qualify for JEE Advanced 2026?
Ans. If you are from the General category, 100 marks is considered the lowest mark as per the experts. However, the actual cutoff can change depending on exam difficulty and competition, so aiming for 110-125+ marks gives a safer cushion.
Ques. Are JEE Main qualifying marks the same every year?
Ans. No, the qualifying marks change every year. The cutoff depends on factors like exam difficulty, number of candidates, and overall performance. That’s why students should always target a higher score than the expected cutoff to stay on the safe side.
Also, Check:
JEE Main Clearing Marks: Cutoff of JEE Mains 2026
JEE Mains cut off 2026 for the OBC category
| Branch | Expected Closing Rank (OBC) | Expected Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| CSE | 4,000 – 18,000 | 97 – 99 |
| IT/AI | 8,000 – 25,000 | 96 – 98 |
| ECE | 15,000 – 40,000 | 94 – 96.5 |
| Electrical | 25,000 – 55,000 | 92 – 95 |
| Mechanical | 45,000 – 90,000 | 90 – 93 |
| Civil/Core | 70,000 – 1,40,000 | 88 – 91 |
EWS cutoff for JEE Mains 2026
| Branch | Expected Closing Rank (EWS) | Expected Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| CSE | 3,500 – 15,000 | 97 – 99 |
| IT/AI | 7,000 – 22,000 | 96 – 98 |
| ECE | 12,000 – 35,000 | 94 – 96 |
| Electrical | 20,000 – 50,000 | 92 – 95 |
| Mechanical | 40,000 – 85,000 | 90 – 93 |
| Civil/Core | 65,000 – 1,20,000 | 88 – 91 |
SC cutoff for JEE Mains 2026
| Branch | Expected Closing Rank (SC) | Expected Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| CSE | 25,000 – 90,000 | 90 – 96 |
| IT/AI | 40,000 – 1,20,000 | 88 – 94 |
| ECE | 70,000 – 2,00,000 | 85 – 92 |
| Electrical | 1,00,000 – 2,80,000 | 82 – 90 |
| Mechanical | 1,80,000 – 3,50,000 | 78 – 85 |
| Civil/Core | 2,50,000 – 5,00,000 | 70 – 80 |
ST Cutoff for JEE Mains 2026
| Branch | Expected Closing Rank (ST) | Expected Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| CSE | 60,000 – 1,80,000 | 85 – 93 |
| IT/AI | 90,000 – 2,50,000 | 82 – 90 |
| ECE | 1,50,000 – 3,50,000 | 78 – 88 |
| Electrical | 2,00,000 – 4,50,000 | 75 – 85 |
| Mechanical | 3,00,000 - 6,00,000 | 70 – 80 |
| Civil/Core | 4,00,000 – 7,00,000 | 65 – 75 |
Ques. Can I get CSE with 95 percentile in JEE Main 2026 (OBC/EWS)?
Ans. At 95 percentile, getting CSE in top NITs is difficult, but you still have good chances in newer NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. For core branches like Mechanical or Civil, 95 percentile can be a competitive score.
Ques. Which branches can I expect with 90 percentile in JEE Main?
Ans. With around 90 percentile, most students can target Mechanical, Civil, and other core branches in NITs and GFTIs. Branch options improve further for reserved categories like OBC, EWS, SC, and ST.
Ques. Is rank or percentile more important for JoSAA counselling?
Ans. JoSAA counselling is based on All India Rank (AIR), not percentile. Percentile is mainly used to estimate your rank range and chances of getting a particular branch or college.
Check:
JEE Main Clearing Marks 2026: Marks Vs Percentile Jan 2026 Shift-wise
According to Reddit, the 23rd January Shift 2 was the toughest shift, so the marks will be lower, and the 22nd January Shift 1 was the easiest, so the marks will be comparatively higher.
JEE Main 2026 Shift-Wise Marks vs Percentile Analysis (Expected)
| Date & Shift (2026) | 99.5 %ile | 99 %ile | 98 %ile | 97 %ile | 95 %ile |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 21 Jan Shift 1 | 195 | 182 | 159 | 143 | 118 |
| JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 21 Jan Shift 2 | 188 | 177 | 155 | 140 | 115 |
| JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 22 Jan Shift 1 | 170 | 153 | 132 | 117 | 98 |
| JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 22 Jan Shift 2 | 158 | 137 | 119 | 107 | 90 |
| JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 23 Jan Shift 1 | 171 | 154 | 133 | 120 | 100 |
| JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 23 Jan Shift 2 | 179 | 162 | 140 | 126 | 105 |
| JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 24 Jan Shift 1 | 182 | 165 | 143 | 129 | 108 |
| JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 24 Jan Shift 2 | 165 | 147 | 127 | 115 | 96 |
| JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 28 Jan Shift 1 | 175 | 157 | 135 | 121 | 101 |
| JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 28 Jan Shift 2 | 183 | 166 | 144 | 129 | 109 |
Source: Reddit
Also Check:
What Happens After You Clear the Cutoff?
If you have secured JEE Main Clearing Marks 2026, then you should look for the below options:
1. JEE Advanced Eligibility
If you have cleared the JEE Main qualifying cut off and you are in top 2.5 lakh, then register for JEE Advanced. Once you clear the JEE Advanced, you will get admission in IITs.
2. JoSAA Counselling
You become eligible for counselling for admission to:
- NITs (31 institutes)
- IIITs (26 institutes)
- GFTIs (Government Funded Technical Institutes)
- Other participating institutions
3. State Counselling
Many state engineering colleges also accept JEE Main scores for admission.
Received your Score? Predict your College using the JEE Main College Predictor by Marks
Related News:
- Check JoSAA Opening and Closing Ranks for NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs
- List of Colleges Accepting 90 Percentile in JEE Main
- Minimum Marks Required for Top NITs in JEE Main
- List of Colleges for 50,000 to 75,000 rank in JEE Main
- JEE Main colleges for ranks below 50,000
- List of Colleges accepting 90+ Percentile in JEE Main 2026
Comments