JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile: Shift-Wise Trends and Category Cutoffs
JEE Main 2026 marks vs percentile analysis helps engineering aspirants understand how their raw examination marks relate to their normalized NTA percentile. Since the examination was conducted in multiple shifts, candidates with similar raw marks could receive different percentile scores depending on the shift and the performance of other candidates.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) declared the JEE Main 2026 Session 2 results on April 20, 2026, and published the category-wise qualifying percentiles for JEE Advanced eligibility. Candidates can use the official cutoff figures alongside indicative shift-wise marks-to-percentile estimates to understand the results.
Important: NTA does not publish a single universal raw-marks-to-percentile conversion table applicable to every shift. The shift-wise ranges below are indicative estimates compiled from exam-analysis sources, while the category-wise qualifying cutoffs are based on NTA's official result notice.
JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile: Overview
| Particular | Details |
|---|---|
| Examination | JEE Main 2026, Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech.) |
| Conducting authority | National Testing Agency |
| Maximum raw marks | 300 |
| Result and final cutoff announcement | April 20, 2026 |
| Result metric | NTA percentile score |
| Marks-to-percentile conversion | Varies by shift and candidate performance |
| Official website | jeemain.nta.nic.in |
JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile: Overall Estimate
The following table gives broad indicative ranges based on published exam analyses. These are not official NTA conversion values and should not be used to calculate an exact percentile or rank.
| Raw marks out of 300 | Indicative percentile range |
|---|---|
| 280–300 | 99.99–100 |
| 240–279 | 99.85–99.98 |
| 200–239 | 99.40–99.84 |
| 170–199 | 99.00–99.39 |
| 150–169 | 98.00–98.99 |
| 130–149 | 96.50–97.99 |
| 115–129 | 94.50–96.49 |
| 95–114 | 90.00–94.49 |
| 75–94 | 83.00–89.99 |
| 50–74 | 70.00–82.99 |
How to interpret the table: The ranges are approximate and can overlap with different outcomes across shifts. Your actual percentile is the one shown on your NTA scorecard, not a value estimated from raw marks.
JEE Main 2026 January Session: Shift-Wise Marks vs Percentile
The following indicative estimates show how marks associated with a particular percentile varied across January examination shifts. The figures are compiled from exam-analysis reporting and are not official NTA conversion data.
| Exam date and shift | Approx. marks for 99 percentile | Approx. marks for 95 percentile | Approx. marks for 90 percentile |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 21, Shift 1 | 167 | 110 | 85 |
| January 21, Shift 2 | 171 | 113 | 84 |
| January 22, Shift 1 | 158 | 101 | 79 |
| January 22, Shift 2 | 155 | 104 | 81 |
| January 23, Shift 1 | 158 | 103 | 77 |
| January 23, Shift 2 | 163 | 106 | 79 |
| January 24, Shift 1 | 162 | 109 | 80 |
| January 24, Shift 2 | 160 | 101 | 73 |
| January 28, Shift 1 | 161 | 109 | 82 |
| January 28, Shift 2 | 162 | 108 | 85 |
JEE Main 2026 April Session: Shift-Wise Marks vs Percentile
April-session marks-to-percentile figures also differed by shift. The following table gives indicative ranges reported in exam analyses. The ranges are estimates rather than official conversion thresholds.
| Exam date and shift | 99 percentile (approx. marks) | 98 percentile (approx. marks) | 95 percentile (approx. marks) | 90 percentile (approx. marks) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| April 2, Shift 1 | 176–180 | 156–160 | 121–125 | 86–90 |
| April 2, Shift 2 | 181–185 | 161–165 | 126–130 | 91–95 |
| April 4, Shift 1 | 186–190 | 166–170 | 131–135 | 96–100 |
| April 4, Shift 2 | 191–195 | 171–175 | 136–140 | 101–105 |
| April 5, Shift 1 | 171–175 | 151–155 | 116–120 | 81–85 |
| April 5, Shift 2 | 166–170 | 146–150 | 111–115 | 76–80 |
| April 6, Shift 1 | 151–155 | 131–135 | 96–100 | 61–65 |
| April 6, Shift 2 | 161–165 | 141–145 | 106–110 | 71–75 |
| April 8, Shift 2 | 156–160 | 136–140 | 101–105 | 66–70 |
Use these estimates to understand the range of possible outcomes, not as a guarantee. For an exact percentile, refer to the scorecard issued by NTA.
JEE Main 2026 Category-Wise Qualifying Cutoff
NTA released the official category-wise qualifying cutoff for candidates seeking eligibility for JEE Advanced 2026 along with the JEE Main result. The cutoff is expressed in percentile scores, not raw marks.
| Category | Official qualifying percentile |
|---|---|
| General / Unreserved | 93.4123549 |
| General-PwBD | 0.0023186 |
| General-EWS | 82.4164528 |
| OBC-NCL | 80.9232583 |
| SC | 63.9172792 |
| ST | 52.0174712 |
Important distinction: These figures are qualifying percentiles for JEE Advanced eligibility. They are not the admission cutoffs for individual NITs, IIITs or Government Funded Technical Institutions. Admission depends on factors such as All India Rank, category, home-state or other-state quota, course and institute preferences, and JoSAA seat allocation.
What Is the Difference Between Marks, Percentile and Rank?
- Raw marks: The marks calculated from correct, incorrect and unanswered questions under the examination's marking scheme.
- Percentile: A normalized measure of a candidate's relative performance compared with candidates in the same shift.
- All India Rank (AIR): The candidate's position in the overall merit order determined through the published result process.
A percentile is not the same as percentage marks. For example, a candidate with a 95 percentile performed at or above the performance level of approximately 95% of candidates in the relevant comparison group; it does not mean the candidate scored 95% of the available marks.
How Does NTA Calculate the JEE Main Percentile?
NTA calculates the percentile using the relative performance of candidates appearing in a particular shift. The score is based on the number of candidates in that shift who obtained raw scores equal to or lower than the candidate's score, divided by the total number of candidates who appeared in that shift, multiplied by 100.
Because candidates take different shifts, raw marks alone do not determine the final percentile. The normalization method helps account for differences in performance across shifts.
How to Check the Official JEE Main 2026 Scorecard
- Visit the official JEE Main website.
- Open the result or scorecard link for the applicable examination session and paper.
- Enter the login details requested on the official page.
- Submit the information to view your scorecard.
- Check the NTA percentile, application details and other information displayed.
- Download and save the scorecard for counselling and admission procedures.
Official link: JEE Main official website
Does the JEE Main Qualifying Cutoff Guarantee an NIT Seat?
No. Meeting the JEE Advanced qualifying cutoff only establishes eligibility to register for JEE Advanced, subject to its other conditions. NIT, IIIT and GFTI admission through JoSAA is a separate process with institute- and course-specific opening and closing ranks.
Candidates should review the official JoSAA counselling information and the relevant year's opening and closing ranks before estimating admission chances. A general percentile estimate cannot guarantee admission to a particular institute or branch.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. How many marks are required for 99 percentile in JEE Main 2026?
Published analyses suggest that roughly 155–195 marks could correspond to a 99 percentile across different shifts. This is an indicative range, not an official NTA conversion. The actual percentile depends on the shift and the official scorecard.
2. Is 150 marks a good score in JEE Main 2026?
A score of 150 may correspond to different percentiles across shifts. Use shift-wise estimates only for guidance and rely on your official percentile and rank to evaluate counselling options.
3. What was the JEE Main 2026 General category cutoff?
The official qualifying cutoff for the General/Unreserved category for JEE Advanced eligibility was 93.4123549 percentile.
4. What was the JEE Main 2026 OBC-NCL cutoff?
The official qualifying cutoff for OBC-NCL candidates was 80.9232583 percentile.
5. What was the JEE Main 2026 SC cutoff?
The official qualifying cutoff for SC candidates was 63.9172792 percentile.
6. What was the JEE Main 2026 ST cutoff?
The official qualifying cutoff for ST candidates was 52.0174712 percentile.
7. Does NTA release an official marks-versus-percentile table?
NTA publishes candidate scorecards and official result information, including category-wise qualifying percentiles. The shift-wise raw-marks-to-percentile tables commonly shared online are estimates compiled by exam-analysis sources, not a universal official conversion table.
8. Is percentile the same as percentage?
No. Percentage describes marks earned relative to total available marks. Percentile describes relative performance compared with other candidates in the relevant shift.
9. Does the qualifying cutoff guarantee admission to an NIT?
No. Admission depends on rank, category, seat availability, quota, institute and course preferences, and the counselling process. The JEE Advanced qualifying cutoff is not an NIT admission cutoff.
10. Where can I check the official JEE Main 2026 result?
Visit jeemain.nta.nic.in and open the relevant scorecard or result notice.
Conclusion
JEE Main 2026 marks-versus-percentile estimates help candidates interpret raw marks, but shift differences mean that the same score may produce different percentiles. The official category-wise qualifying cutoffs for JEE Advanced eligibility are available in NTA's result notice. For counselling decisions, use the official scorecard and rank, and check the separate JoSAA admission cutoffs rather than relying on raw-mark estimates alone.
