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UPASANA PRADHAN
Assistant Manager- Editorial
Updated on Feb 16, 2026 21:52 IST
Scoring 270+ in JEE Mains is considered to be a good score enough to get admission to top NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. Based on the JEE Main 2026 session 1 result, candidates can check safe score, good JEE Main score for top NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. Check updated JEE Mains 2026 marks vs percentile, marks vs rank, and more.

A good score in JEE Main increases your chances of admission in top NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. It helps students to get a high percentile and rank for top engineering branches. According to the JEE Main 2026 session 1 result that has been announced, a score of 270 or above in NTA JEE Main is considered as execellent, enough to get admission at institutes like NIT Rourkela, NIT Delhi, etc. Read more to check expected cutoff, marks vs percentile, safe score in JEE Main 2026 exam, etc. 

What is a good score in JEE Main

A good score in JEE Main 2026 depends on several factors, such as percentile, rank, category, number of candidates appeared, etc. Securing a good rank in Joint Entrance Exam can get admission to IIITs, NITs, and top GFTIs in India. Not only that, but it also helps you qualify for JEE Advanced exam as well. In this article, we have provided complete details on good score, safe score in JEE Main for top NITs, average scores, marks vs percentile, how to use JEE Main rank predictor to know your chances for top colleges, expected cutoff, and tips to secure a good score in JEE 2026. Read beow to know more. 

LIVE NOW:

Now, that JEE Mains 2026 Session 1 exam is ongoing, students have shared their expected percentile based on the difficulty level of JEE Main January 2026 question paper they have attempted. As of now, JEE Mains 2026 Jan 23 shift 2 and Jan 22 shift 2 question paper was marked as the toughest shifts in JEE 2026.

Why knowing toughest and easiest shifts in JEE Mains 2026 important?

  • This will help students and experts to analyse and understand the normalised percentile.
  • Will help to determine expected JEE Main marks vs percentile.
  • Students who are appearing in upcoming days or April session can make strategies on how many questions to attempt in JEE Mains 2026.

Also read: 50 marks in JEE Main percentile

Table of contents
  • How to achieve a good score in JEE Main 2026?
  • What Exactly Makes a Score "Good" in JEE Main 2026?
  • What is a good rank in JEE Main 2026?
  • JEE Main 2026 Expected Cutoff: Based on Past Year's Cutoff Trends
  • JEE Mains Marks Vs Percentile
  • JEE Main 2026 Marks Vs Rank
  • JEE Main Cutoffs for NITs & IIIT
  • Qualifying for JEE Advanced: What’s Required?
  • How to Improve your JEE Main Score 2026?
View More

How to achieve a good score in JEE Main 2026?

To secure a good rank in JEE Mains 2026, consistency is important along with daily revision and solving of JEE Main previous year's question papers. Candidates must be clear with concepts and follow a proper routine without harming their health. As per the official JEE Main 2026 exam dates, NTA conducted JEE Main 2026 session 1 exam on January 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, and 29, and session 2 from April 2 to 9.

NTA has declared JEE Main 2026 session 1 result on February 16. Candidates can check and download their scorecard and check JEE Main 2026 topper's list

Candidates appearing for JEE Mains can check the related article links below for a smart revision and preparation -

Related links
JEE Main Sample Papers with Solutions NTA JEE Mains Mock Test
JEE Mains Chapter-Wise Weightage: physics, chemistry, and mathematics Last 10 year's JEE Main question paper with answer key solutions
JEE Main 2026 question paper with solutions JEE Mains 2026 January question paper with solutions
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What are the types of JEE Main cutoff?
A: 
JEE Main cutoff is of two types, one is qualifying cutoff for JEE Advanced and the other is admission cutoff for the institutes. JEE Main qualifying cutoff is released by the NTA along with the result and is in the form of percentile scores. NTA releases JEE Main cutoff for a total of six categories which include unreserved (CRL), Gen-EWS, Open-PwD, OBC-NCL, SC and ST. JEE Main admission cutoff is released by the Joint Seat Allocation Authority JoSAA and is in the form of All India Rank.
Q:   Is 75 percent marks in class 12 required for JEE Mains?
A: 

Candidates need not have 75 percent marks in class 12 for appearing in JEE Main. As per the official brochure released by the NTA, there is no minimum percentage required for appearing in the JEE Main. The requirement of 75 percent marks need not be associated with appearing in the JEE Main exam.

It is to be understood that 75 percent marks is required for admission to institutes which include NITs, IIITs, GFTIs and IITs. Many institutes offer admission at 60% and even less, along with JEE Main. Candidates must clearly understand that the requirement of 75 percent marks in class 12 is only for taking admission in the institutes.

Q:   What is JEE Main cutoff for IIITs?
A: 
The cutoff for IIITs vary for various branches and also category of students. Specialised branches like computer Science and electronics engineering has higher cutoff in comparison to other branches. Similarly, JEE Main cutoff for general category candidates is higher in comparison to OBC-NCL and SC/ST candidates. Candidates can check the JEE Main 2022 cutoff below for some top IIITs and branches. For detailed cutoff report, candidates can check Shiksha page. IIIT Allahabad IT Closing Rank Open Category: 5704 IIIT Allahabad ECE Closing Rank Open Category: 9700.

What Exactly Makes a Score "Good" in JEE Main 2026?

JEE Main Paper is conducted for 300 marks. According to experts, securing 250+ marks in JEE Main is considered good and scoring 280+ marks in NTA JEE Main 2026 is excellent. Many toppers have secured full marks in the Joint Entrance Examination Main. To secure good marks, prepare according to the JEE Main syllabus. Check below for more.

Category

JEE Main rank range

Excellent

1 to 15000

Good

15000 - 30000

Average

30000 - 50000

Low

Above 50000

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What is a good rank in JEE Main 2026?

Rank type JEE Main Rank range
Good  Upto 25000
Average 50000
Above average 25000 to 50000
Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   Which category has the lowest cutoff in JEE Mains 2023 exam?
A: 

As per the JEE Main 2023 cutoff data released by the NTA, PwD category has the lowest cutoff of 0.0013527. The highest cutoff is for general category which is 90.7788642. The PwD candidates scoring above 0.0013527 NTA score are eligible to appear in JEE Advanced for admission to IITs. The PwD cutoff has been lowered in 2023 to 0.0013527 which was 0.0031029 in the year 2022.

Q:   What is the cutoff for BTech at NIT Andhra Pradesh for OBC category?
A: 

NIT Andhra Pradesh BTech admission is based on candidates' performance in the JEE Main entrance exam, followed by the JoSAA counselling process. For the OBC category students under the AI quota, the JEE Main closing ranks ranged between 5741 and 100661. Candidates can refer to the table below to view the NIT Andhra Pradesh OBC category cutoff 2025 for the first and the last round in the AI quota. 

Course

Round 1 Cutoff 2025

Last Round Cutoff 2025

B.Tech. in Biotechnology

14191

100661

B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering

13555

69612

B.Tech. in Civil Engineering

14452

81169

B.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering

5741

29695

B.Tech. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering

10155

51887

B.Tech. in Electronics and Communication Engineering

7400

40587

B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering

12259

63517

B.Tech. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering

14368

87677

Q:   What is JEE Mains 2023 cutoff for General Category?
A: 
The general category JEE Main 2023 cutoff is 90.7788642. Hence, candidates belonging to general category need to have a minimum 90.7788642 NTA score to appear in JEE Advanced. The cutoff for general category has been raised in 2023 which was 88.4121383 in the year 2022. NTA has also raise the JEE Main cutoff for all other categories in 2023 as compared to 2022.

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JEE Main 2026 Expected Cutoff: Based on Past Year's Cutoff Trends

Candidates can check the category-wise expected cutoff for JEE Main 2026. The actual cutoff will be made available along with result. 

Category

Cutoff 2026

Unreserved (UR)

93.30453

Gen-EWS

81.43879

OBC-NCL

80.74564

SC

61.35269

ST

48.24568

UR-PwD

0.008235

JEE Mains Marks Vs Percentile

As per the JEE Mains 2026 session 1 result, candiates can check updated marks vs percentile data below -

Raw Score Out of 300 Percentile
300 to 291 100 to 99.99989
290 to 281 99.99908 to 99.99745
280 to 271 99.99417 to 99.99347
270 to 261 99.99016 to 99.98881
260 to 251 99.97720 to 99.96976
250 to 241 99.95028 to 99.94664
240 to 231 99.91595 to 99.93498
230 to 221 99.86623 to 99.90111
220 to 211 99.80777 to 99.85161
210 to 201 99.73129 to 99.79506
200 to 191 99.62402 to 99.71083
190 to 181 99.48033 to 99.59739
180 to 171 99.29558 to 99.45693
170 to 161 99.06985 to 99.27208
160 to 151 98.77819 to 99.02861
150 to 141 98.40768 to 98.73238
140 to 131 97.94047 to 98.31741
130 to 121 97.35425 to 97.81126
120 to 111 96.60949 to 97.14293
110 to 101 95.64338 to 96.20455
100 to 91 94.39636 to 94.99859
90 to 81 92.76234 to 93.47123
80 to 71 90.41098 to 91.07212
70 to 61 87.06073 to 87.51222
60 to 51 81.57582 to 82.01606
50 to 41 73.08140 to 73.28780
40 to 31 59.84001 to 58.15149
30 to 21 40.34692 to 37.69452
20 to 10 20.95045 to 13.49584
10 to 0 6.59980 to 0.84351

Read more: JEE Main 2026 marks vs percentile

Q&A Icon
Commonly asked questions
Q:   What is cutoff in JEE Main? Why is it important?
A: 

JEE Main cutoff is minimum percentile score required to qualify for JEE Advanced. Cutoff is important as candidates clearing the cutoff can appear for JEE Advanced for IIT admission.

JEE Main 2026 Marks Vs Rank

Raw Score Out of 300 All India Rank Range
300 to 291 1 to 15
290 to 281 16 to 36
280 to 271 37 to 100
270 to 261 101 to 160
260 to 251 161 to 428
250 to 241 429 to 755
240 to 231 756 to 1,189
230 to 221 1,190 to 1,893
220 to 211 1,894 to 2,720
210 to 201 2,721 to 3,803
200 to 191 3,804 to 5,320
190 to 181 5,321 to 7,354
180 to 171 7,355 to 9,968
170 to 161 9,969 to 13,163
160 to 151 13,164 to 17,290
150 to 141 17,291 to 22,533
140 to 131 22,534 to 29,145
130 to 121 29,146 to 37,440
120 to 111 37,441 to 47,979
110 to 101 47,980 to 61,651
100 to 91 61,652 to 79,298
90 to 81 79,299 to 1,02,421
80 to 71 1,02,422 to 1,35,695
70 to 61 1,35,696 to 1,83,105
60 to 51 1,83,106 to 2,60,722
50 to 41 2,60,723 to 3,80,928
40 to 31 3,80,929 to 5,68,308
30 to 21 5,68,309 to 8,44,157
20 to 10 8,44,158 to 1,118,638
10 to 0 1,118,639 to 1,200,000+

JEE Main Cutoffs for NITs & IIIT

Admission to NITs and IIITs is based on JEE Main rank. JoSAA releases the admission cutoff on the official website. Students whose rank in JEE Main is within the cutoff are considered for admission. Factors like the number of students who appeared for the exam, the total number of seats available in the institution, the exam difficulty level, and previous year cutoff trends are considered to prepare the JEE Main cutoff

Check: JEE Main College Predictor

  • For admission at NITs, students need to obtain a JEE Main percentile between 86 and 93. The eligible students must register on the JoSSA official website.
  • For IIITs admission, students JEE Main rank must be within 80000.

Also read:

90 marks in JEE Mains Percentile 100 marks in JEE Main Percentile
110 marks in JEE Main Percentile 150 marks in JEE Main Percentile
180 marks in JEE Main Percentile 200 marks in JEE Mains Percentile

Qualifying for JEE Advanced: What’s Required?

General category candidates typically must achieve between the 90th to 95th percentile to become eligible for JEE Advanced 2026. Candidates can check the last year's cutoff eligibility for JEE Advanced below. 

Category-Wise Cutoff of NTA score eligible for JEE Advanced 2025 - Paper 1 (B.E/BTech)

Category Percentile Total number of candidates
UR-ALL 100 - 93.1023262 97,321
UR- PwBD 93.0950208 - 0.0079349 3950
EWS-ALL 93.0950208 - 80.3830119 25009
OBC-ALL 93.0950208 - 79.4313582 67614
SC-ALL 93.0950208 - 61.1526933 37519
ST-ALL 93.0950208 - 47.9026465 18,823

Also read: Minimum JEE Main marks required to qualify for JEE Advanced

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How to Improve your JEE Main Score 2026?

Focus on the core concepts and fundamentals

JEE Main 2025 topper Manomay, who secured a percentile of 99.98 and AIR 306, prioritised standard books, followed by mock tests and JEE Main question papers, as it help in enhancing time management and accuracy. Read here.

His mantra? Stick to basics, stay consistent, work hard, and stay mentally and emotionally resilient. 

Practice Realistically

Regular mock tests and solving question papers using the actual marking scheme (4 for correct, -1 for wrong). This will help in improving time management and building accuracy to attempting questions.

Revise Smartly

Begin with clearing your fundamentals. Solve JEE question papers of last 15 years to build accuracy and understand difficulty level. If you are targetting for a good score in JEE Main 2026, start with a clear goal.

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About the Author
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UPASANA PRADHAN
Assistant Manager- Editorial

Upasana Pradhan is an Mtech graduate in Electronics and Communication Engineering from DTU who specialises in curating postgraduate and undergraduate engineering entrance exam content, such as GATE, TS PGECET, KCET,

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Answered 3 hours ago

Yes, you can gain admission at Vishwakarma Government Engineering College with a JEE Main rank of 4000 if you belong to the OBC category under the All India category. 

The VGEC JEE Main cutoff 2025 ranged from 900523 to 905928, according to the first and last round closing ranks. B.E. in Computer Eng

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 hours ago

There is no decided cutoff for JEE Main for admission in HKBK College of Engineering. The BTech admission in HKBK is based on JEE merit and available seats. However, for candidates who get a decent percentile, there is a benefit in their favor. 

G

Gaurika Chhabra

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 3 hours ago

Yes, you can get a seat at Vishwakarma Government Engineering College with a JEE Main rank of 20000 if you belong to the General AI category. For this category, the overall VGEC JEE Main cutoff 2025 ranged from 900116 to 903773. Hence, a rank of 20000 might get you admission to this college. 

If you

...Read more

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10

Answered 2 days ago

ScenarioPriorityRecommended Action
Want to stay in tech/codingBranchTake CSE/IT in a Tier-2/3 college over Civil in a Tier-1 college.
Aiming for non-tech rolesCollegeTake any branch in a Top-Tier college for the brand and network.
Confused about careerCollegeGo for the best possible brand; it gives you 4 years to explore.

S

Sidhartha Singh

Contributor-Level 8

Answered 2 days ago

EventDate
Exam DatesApril 2 to April 8, 2026
Provisional Answer Key ReleaseApril 11, 2026
Answer Key Challenge WindowApril 11 to April 13, 2026
Result Declaration (Tentative)April 20, 2026
JEE Advanced 2026 ExamMay 17, 2026

S

Sidhartha Singh

Contributor-Level 8

Answered 2 days ago

RouteBest CollegesSelection Criteria
University ExamsBITS, VIT, SRM, ManipalEntrance Exam Rank
Merit-BasedLPU, CU, Amity, Thapar12th Board Marks (PCM %)
Management QuotaRVCE, MSRIT, MAIT, BPIT12th Marks + Admission Fee

S

Sidhartha Singh

Contributor-Level 8

Answered 2 days ago

Category2025 Closing Rank (HS)Estimated Percentile (2026)Target Marks (out of 300)
General (OPEN)~16,00898.8 – 99.1%165 – 180
OBC-NCL~5,44,590*82% +90 – 110
EWS~1,90583% +100 – 120
SC~2,06664.5% +65 – 85
ST~68851% +50 – 65

S

Sidhartha Singh

Contributor-Level 8

Answered 2 days ago

CategoryQuotaRound 1 Closing RankLast Round Closing Rank
General (OPEN)Other State (OS)3,1224,245
General (OPEN)Home State (HS)4,2737,853
OBC-NCLOther State (OS)1,0116,791
EWSOther State (OS)9722,045
SCOther State (OS)40726,996
STOther State (OS)729-

S

Sidhartha Singh

Contributor-Level 8

Answered 3 days ago

Yes, a JEE Main All India Rank (AIR) is required to qualify for the merit-based scholarships offered at Ajay Kumar Garg Engineering College (AKGEC) for B.Tech students.

The college provides tuition fee waivers based on specific rank brackets in the JEE Main examination. These scholarships are applica

...Read more

S

Sidhartha Singh

Contributor-Level 8

Answered 3 days ago

A percentile of 90 in JEE Main would translate to approximately 1,00,000 to 1,55,000 rank in the exam. With this rank, you might get into Netaji Subhas University of Technology. 

This university had the last round cutoff ranging between 55963 and 148808. Students can click here to know more. 

N

Neerja Rohatgi

Contributor-Level 10