The JEE Main 2026 April session, conducted between April 2 and April 8 for nearly 11.23 lakh candidates across 566 centres in 304 cities in India and 14 cities abroad, is expected to see a marginal increase in the cut-off, in line with recent trends.

Experts indicate that while the examination maintained a moderate difficulty level compared to last year, the overall cut-off is unlikely to witness any sharp surge. The official qualifying cut-off will be released by the National Testing Agency (NTA) along with the final results.

Dr Saurabh Kumar, founder and CEO of Shiksha Nation, noted that the expected cut-off remains broadly stable due to minimal fluctuations observed in recent admission cycles.

Expected JEE Main 2026 cut-off percentile (Shiksha Nation)

• General: 93.1–94.2
• OBC-NCL: 79–80
• EWS: 80–82
• SC: 60–62
• ST: 47–49
• PwD: 0.001–0.010

“These estimates reflect a consistent trend. However, aspirants must remember that the cut-off is only a gateway. Securing admission to top branches in premier NITs, IIITs and CFTIs requires scores significantly higher than the qualifying benchmark,” Kumar said.

Concept clarity, consistency key in moderate paper

The BTech/BE Paper 1 placed greater emphasis on conceptual clarity, consistent preparation and time management rather than sheer difficulty. Students with strong grounding in NCERT fundamentals and balanced preparation across Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics were better positioned to perform well.

Sandeep Mehta, IIT alumnus and co-founder of Vidyamandir Classes, highlighted that the final cut-off will depend on factors such as exam difficulty, number of candidates and overall performance trends.

For the General category, the qualifying percentile is expected to range between 93.5 and 95%, translating to scores above 140 out of 300.

Expected JEE Main 2026 cut-off (Vidyamandir Classes)

• General: 93.5–95.0 | 140+ marks
• OBC-NCL: 79.5–81.5 | 90+ marks
• EWS: 81.0–83.0 | 100+ marks
• SC: 61.0–63.0 | 60+ marks
• ST: 48.0–51.0 | 45+ marks

Candidates from OBC-NCL and EWS categories may see cut-offs around 79.5–81.5% and 81–83% respectively, while SC and ST categories are expected at 61–63% and 48–51%.

PhysicsWallah projections align with stable trend

According to estimates by PhysicsWallah, the qualifying percentile for JEE Advanced 2026 eligibility is expected to remain within a similar band.

Expected qualifying percentile (PhysicsWallah)

• General: 93.2–94.1
• Gen-EWS: 81–82
• OBC-NCL: 79–80
• SC: 60–62
• ST: 47–49
• PwD: 0.001–1

Past trends reinforce stability

Historical data over the past five years shows a gradual and steady rise in cut-offs rather than abrupt jumps, reinforcing expectations of stability this year.

Eligibility beyond cut-off

Apart from clearing the JEE Main cut-off, candidates must also meet Class 12 eligibility criteria to appear for JEE Advanced. Typically, this requires a minimum aggregate of 75% for General and OBC candidates, and 65% for SC, ST and PwD categories.

What lies ahead

The NTA is set to release the JEE Main Session 2 question papers on April 9, followed by the provisional answer key on April 11. The result is expected on April 20.

With competition intensifying and cut-offs remaining steady, experts emphasise that merely qualifying may not be enough—aspirants must target higher percentiles to secure seats in top engineering institutes.