A safe score for JEE Main 2026 is the expected score (120-170 marks for OBC-NCL) that a candidate will have to secure to qualify for the JEE Advanced exam and admissions in NITs and IIITs.
- The OBC-NCL candidates will have to score in the range of 95-98 percentile to fall under the safe score.
- A safe score is not the same as a cut-off score. The safe score is slightly higher than the cut-off.
- It is an estimated score that gives you an extra margin of safety.
- The Safe score for OBC candidates is generally 15-20 marks lower than that of General candidates.
- For admissions in top NITs, the difference in safe scores for General and OBC candidates is about 10-15 marks.
- Aiming for the safe score rather than the cut-off will boost your chances of getting your desired NIT with your desired branch.
The safe score is different for different categories of candidates. In this article, we will discuss the OBC-NCL category.
Also Read:
- Check Expected JEE Main Marks vs Percentile Analysis, Normalisation & Safe Score
- JoSAA Opening & Closing Rank 2025 for IITs, NITs, and GFTIs
Key Summary
In this article, we will discuss the qualifying marks, safe scores for JEE Advanced, NITs’ Top and other branches, factors responsible, etc.
- The safe score is expected marks, released by unofficial sources based on previous year trends.
- Cut-off marks and percentiles will be released by the official authority after the conclusion of the exam.
- The number of Candidates and available seats also decides the cut-off marks and safe score thereof.
- Expect around 15-17 lakh students applying for JEE Mains this year.
- The expected number of seats available in NITs, IIITs and GFTIs is around 45,000. While 18,000 seats shall be available in IITs after the JEE Advanced exam.
Expected Score for JEE Main 2026 (OBC category)
Expected Cut-Off vs Safe Score for JEE Advanced Qualification
The Cut-off and Safe scores for General and OBC-NCL candidates vary around 15-20 marks.
A comparative analysis of the same is provided below:
| Category | Cut-off Score | Safe Score | Possibilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 105-125 | 150-180 | JEE Advanced; top NITs/IIITs |
| OBC-NCL | 85-100 | 120-170 | JEE Advanced; good NITs/IIITs |
Also Read:
- What is the top 20 Percentile in JEE Main 2025?
- List of colleges accepting 90+ percentile in JEE Main
Expected Percentile for JEE Main 2026 (OBC category)
| Category | Cut-off Percentile | Safe Percentile | Possibilities |
|---|---|---|---|
| General | 93-95 | 95-99 | JEE Advanced; top NITs/IIITs |
| OBC-NCL | 83-86 | 93-97 | JEE Advanced; good NITs/IIITs |
Category-wise Safe Score Comparison (General Vs OBC-NCL) for admissions in NITs
The table below shows the category-wise (General vs OBC-NCL) expected safe marks required for securing admissions in NITs
| NIT Branch | General | OBC-NCL |
|---|---|---|
| Top Branches | 125+ | 110-120 |
| Other Branches | 105-115 | 95-105 |
- To secure admissions in top-tier NITs like Trichy, Surathkal, and Warangal in CSE, AI or ECE, you will need to score 210+ in JEE Main.
- For OBC-NCL candidates, the expected scores for admission into top-tier NITs in CSE, AI or ECE will be around 190-240.
For detailed expected opening and closing ranks for different NITs, read Opening and closing ranks (NITs)
Ques. What is the expected number of seats available in NITs in JEE Main 2026?
Ans. Expect around 24,000 seats in NITs this year, with a total of 45,000 seats including IIITs and GFTIs.
Ques. How many candidates will appear in the JEE Main 2026 January session?
Ans. More than 14 lakhs students have applied for JEE Main 2026 session 1, and around 15-17 lakhs unique registrations in both sessions 1 and 2 combined.
JEE Main 2025 Category-wise Cut-off for Qualifying to JEE Advanced Exam 2025:
| Category | Percentile From | Percentile To | Candidates |
|---|---|---|---|
| UR-ALL | 100 | 93.1023262 | 97,321 |
| UR-PwBD | 93.0950208 | 0.0079349 | 3,950 |
| EWS-ALL | 93.0950208 | 80.3830119 | 25,009 |
| OBC-ALL | 93.0950208 | 79.4313582 | 67,614 |
| SC-ALL | 93.0950208 | 61.1526933 | 37,519 |
| ST-ALL | 93.0950208 | 47.9026465 | 18,823 |
Source: NTA official Website
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Ques. Will the cut-off percentile marks increase from the 2025 exam?
Ans. The cut-off marks depend upon various factors like the number of candidates, the number of seats available, and the difficulty level of the exam. The cut-off can increase if the paper is easy, or it may decrease if the paper is tougher than earlier.
Ques. Does a safe score guarantee admission?
Ans. No, a safe score is not an official number and does not guarantee admission. It is an expected score according to past year trends, which will help candidates in setting their goals.
Factors Affecting the Cut-off and Safe-Score
There are a number of factors that can affect the cut-off and, hence, the safe score for the JEE Main exam 2026. A few are mentioned below:
- Number of candidates appearing for the exam
- Difficulty level of the exam
- Total number of seats available
- Reservation criteria for different categories
Note: The performance of the top 2.5 lakh candidates is also a factor for determining the cut-off score for qualifying for the JEE Advanced stage, as only 2.5 lakh candidates are selected for the JEE Advanced exam.
Ques. Is 150 marks a safe score for an OBC candidate?
Ans. Yes, for an OBC-NCL candidate, 150 marks is a safe score for qualifying for JEE Advanced as well as for admission in top branches of NITs.
For General candidates, it may or may not be safe to score 150 to secure admission in the top branches of NITs.
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