JEE Main 2026 EWS Cutoff: Qualifying Percentile for JEE Advanced

The National Testing Agency (NTA) set the JEE Main 2026 GEN-EWS qualifying cutoff for JEE Advanced at the 82.4164528 percentile. The cutoff was included in the Paper 1 result notice issued on April 20, 2026. It is the lower qualifying threshold in the EWS percentile range reported by NTA.

A percentile is not the same as a percentage of marks. JEE Main uses NTA scores to account for performance across examination shifts. Candidates should therefore check the percentile on their scorecard rather than try to convert the qualifying cutoff into a fixed raw-mark figure.

JEE Main 2026 cutoff for JEE Advanced eligibility

Category	NTA percentile range	Qualifying cutoff	Candidates listed
GEN-EWS	93.4105172 to 82.4164528	82.4164528	25,009
UR-ALL	100.0000000 to 93.4123549	93.4123549	96,873
OBC-ALL	93.4105172 to 80.9232583	80.9232583	67,597
SC-ALL	93.4105172 to 63.9172792	63.9172792	37,522
ST-ALL	93.4041748 to 52.0174712	52.0174712	18,790
UR-PwBD	93.3244144 to 0.0023186	0.0023186	4,391

How the EWS cutoff changed from 2025

NTA’s result notices show that the GEN-EWS qualifying percentile rose from 80.3830119 in 2025 to 82.4164528 in 2026, an increase of about 2.03 percentile points. The number of EWS candidates listed as eligible was 25,009 in both years. This comparison describes the published JEE Advanced eligibility cutoff; it is not a prediction of the cutoff for a future examination.

Year	GEN-EWS qualifying percentile	Eligible candidates listed
2025	80.3830119	25,009
2026	82.4164528	25,009

What qualifying means for EWS candidates

Meeting the JEE Main cutoff makes a candidate eligible to be considered for JEE Advanced, subject to the examination’s other eligibility conditions. It does not guarantee an IIT seat. Candidates must register separately for JEE Advanced, appear for its papers and satisfy the applicable rank-list requirements. Admission depends on the candidate’s JEE Advanced performance and subsequent seat allocation.

NTA’s category-wise figures include candidates shortlisted across the listed categories. The total can be slightly above 2,50,000 when candidates share tied ranks or scores. EWS candidates should also make sure their category claim meets the requirements in the relevant JEE Advanced information brochure.