Quick Summary: In JEE Advanced 2026, SC aspirants generally require around 42 - 46 marks (rank approximately 4170 - 4793), whereas ST aspirants need about 37 -41 marks (rank nearly 1766-2134) to grab an IIT seat. The blog also provides 2020 vs 2025 cut-off trends, object-wise qualifying marks (minimum 5 in each) and the aggregate rule of 17.5%, as well as information on JoSAA counselling, eligibility criteria, age limit and number of attempts. If you’re aspiring for IIT under SC/ST, this guide has everything that is important, and you must read all before starting to prepare!
JEE Advanced 2026 Minimum Marks to Get IIT for SC/ST Category: As per the latest analysis of JEE results, approximate minimum marks in JEE Advanced required by SC/ST category students to get an IIT are around 45+ out of 360. In the previous session, the last JEE Advanced rank to get an IIT seat for the SC category under the gender-neutral quota was about 4170, with marks between 45 to 46. For the female quota, the final rank for SC candidates was 4793, where the marks were around 42 to 43 out of 360.
Similarly, for ST candidates, the last JEE Advanced rank for the ST category candidates to get an IIT seat stood at 1766 in the gender-neutral quota with scores around 40 to 41 marks. In the female quota, the closing rank was 2134, which matched roughly 37 marks.
Based on this, the JEE Advanced minimum marks needed for IIT for the SC category can be considered between 42 to 46 marks, while for ST candidates it ranges from 37 to 41 marks. The minimum marks needed in JEE Advanced for SC and ST candidates to get an IIT seat saw a rise in 2024 but dropped again in 2025. In fact, the 2024 cutoffs were among the highest in the last four years for these categories.
Candidates belonging to the Scheduled Caste (SC) and Scheduled Tribe (ST) categories can check here the minimum marks needed in JEE Advanced 2026 to get an IIT seat. This article gives a complete analysis of the minimum JEE Advanced marks needed by SC and ST category candidates to get an IIT, along with the previous years’ last ranks. Read below for all the information related to Minimum Marks Required in JEE Advanced for IIT 2026.
Read More:
- Minimum Marks in JEE Advanced 2026 to Get IIT for General Category
- Strategy to Score 250+ in JEE Main 2026 Exam Preparation and Tips
Minimum Marks Required in JEE Advanced for IIT 2026
For JEE Advanced 2026, candidates from SC and ST categories need at least 17.5% marks in total to qualify for IIT admission. The total score of the exam is 360 marks, out of which Physics and Chemistry together account for 180 marks, and Mathematics carries 180 marks. Each subject includes multiple sections, and the minimum marks in the JEE Advanced exam required for selection may vary slightly depending on the paper difficulty and competition each year.
| Category | Total Aggregate (Out of 360) | Subject-wise Cutoff | Overall Percentage Requirement |
| ST/PwD | 360 | Minimum 5 marks in each subject | 17.5% |
| SC | 360 | At least 5 marks per subject | 17.5% |
| ST | 360 | 5 marks minimum in every subject | 17.5% |
JEE Advanced Minimum Marks and Last Rank for SC/ST Candidates to Get an IIT (2020 – 2025)
Below are the details of the minimum marks in JEE Advanced needed by the SC/ST category candidates to get an IIT. The table also shows the last rank for SC and ST candidates admitted to IITs from 2020 to 2025. This information helps students understand the minimum marks needed in JEE Advanced for SC and ST category candidates to get an IIT seat and prepare with a clear idea of the cutoffs.
| Year | Category | JEE Advanced Last Rank and Marks – Female Only (Including Supernumerary) | JEE Advanced Last Rank and Marks – Gender Neutral |
| 2026 | SC / ST | Data will be updated soon | Data will be updated soon |
| 2025 | SC | Rank: 4793 | Marks: 42–43 | Rank: 4170 | Marks: 45–46 |
| ST | Rank: 2134 | Marks: 37 | Rank: 1766 | Marks: 40–41 | |
| 2024 | SC | Rank: 4991 | Marks: 57–58 | Rank: 4321 | Marks: 52–61 |
| ST | Rank: 1802 | Marks: 54 | Rank: 1755 | Marks: 54–55 | |
| 2023 | SC | Rank: 4828 | Marks: 43–44 | Rank: 4250 | Marks: 47 |
| ST | Rank: 1644 | Marks: 43 | Rank: 1592 | Marks: 43–45 | |
| 2022 | SC | Rank: 4348 | Marks: 28 | Rank: 3316 | Marks: 34–35 |
| ST | Rank: 1554 | Marks: 28 | Rank: 1502 | Marks: 28 | |
| 2021 | SC | Rank: 3379 | Marks: 31 | Rank: 3327 | Marks: 31 |
| ST | Rank: 1023 | Marks: 31 | Rank: 1032 | Marks: 31 | |
| 2020 | SC | Rank: 3408 | Marks: 34 | Rank: 3302 | Marks: 34 |
| ST | Rank: 978 | Marks: 34–35 | Rank: 977 | Marks: 34–35 |
Check Out: What is a Good NTA Score in JEE Main 2026?
JEE Advanced 2026 Minimum Marks Needed to Qualify for SC and ST Candidates
Along with the JEE Advanced rank to get an IIT seat for the SC category and ST category, candidates must also meet the JEE Advanced 2026 minimum marks needed to qualify for SC and ST candidates. Scoring the minimum marks in the JEE Advanced exam is essential to be included in the rank list and become eligible for seat allotment. This is the first step before JoSAA counselling. Check below the minimum marks required in JEE Advanced for IIT 2026 and qualifying percentage trends for SC/ST candidates over the years:
| Year | Rank List Category | Overall Aggregate Minimum (%) | Minimum Marks per Subject (%) |
| 2026 | SC Rank List | Data to be updated soon | Data to be updated soon |
| ST Rank List | Data to be updated soon | Data to be updated soon | |
| 2025 | SC Rank List | 10.28% | 2.92% |
| ST Rank List | 10.28% | 2.92% | |
| 2024 | SC Rank List | 15.17% | 4.34% |
| ST Rank List | 15.17% | 4.34% | |
| 2023 | SC Rank List | 11.95% | 3.42% |
| ST Rank List | 11.95% | 3.42% | |
| 2022 | SC Rank List | 7.78% | 2.20% |
| ST Rank List | 7.78% | 2.20% | |
| 2021 | SC Rank List | 8.75% | 2.50% |
| ST Rank List | 8.75% | 2.50% | |
| 2020 | SC Rank List | 8.75% | 2.50% |
| ST Rank List | 8.75% | 2.50% |
Check Out: JEE Advanced Eligibility Criteria 2026
IIT Admission Criteria After Qualifying JEE Advanced for SC and ST Category Candidates
After achieving the JEE Advanced minimum marks for SC/ST candidates to get an IIT, applicants must also meet additional requirements to confirm their admission through JoSAA counselling. The major conditions are as follows:
- 12th Board Examination Requirements
- Based on percentage: Candidates under SC/ST categories should obtain a minimum of 65% aggregate marks in Class XII or equivalent exam.
- Top 20 Percentile: Even if they do not fulfil the criteria of 65%, students can still be eligible by being in the top 20 percentile in their respective boards.
- JEE Advanced Qualification
- Top 2,50,000 Candidates: Aspirants must be among the top 2,50,000 qualifiers of JEE Main to appear for JEE Advanced.
- Cut-off Marks: The candidates need to score above or the same as the minimum marks required in JEE Advanced 2026 for getting an IIT seat (it is different every year).
- JoSAA Counselling
- Seat Allotment: The candidates who satisfy the above eligibility criteria and the minimum marks in JEE Advanced needed by the SC/ST category candidates to get an IIT are eligible to register for seat allocation in JoSAA Counselling.
- Reservation Policy: IIT admission will be based on the reserved seat quota for SC/ST candidates as per government norms.
- Age and Attempt Limits
- Age Relaxation: A relaxation of five years is provided to SC/ST candidates, meaning for JEE Advanced 2026, they should be born on or after October 1, 1996.
- Attempt Limit: A Maximum of two consecutive attempts is allowed for each candidate in their lifetime.
Factors Affecting JEE Mains to Qualify for JEE Advanced 2026
In order to participate in JEE Advanced 2026, candidates have to score a minimum qualifying mark in JEE Mains. These scores don’t remain constant and are revised every year under various conditions. Applicants ought to target higher scores as an attempt to increase their chances of getting admission into one of the top IITs.
Students in their JEE Advanced preparation must know the important parameters to determine the qualifying marks and selection for JEE Advanced:
- Number of Applicants: The more the number of candidates, the higher the competition and qualifying marks are usually affected by this factor as well.
- Exam Difficulty Level: If the paper is tough, then the cut-off will be low; if the paper is easy cut-off will be high.
- Previous Year Cutoff Trends: If you check previous years’ cutoffs, then you will get reasons to believe what the minimum marks in JEE Advanced exam can be this year.
- Seat Availability: As IITs have a smaller number of seats, the competition is tougher, notably for SC and ST category candidates, which may affect the cut-off marks.
- Overall Student Performance: The average mark of all students is also a big factor that decides how many minimum marks are required in JEE Advanced for SC and ST category candidates to get an IIT seat.
In Summary, JEE Advanced 2026 Minimum Marks to Get IIT for SC/ST Category would depend on the following factors, including the total no of students appeared in the exam and the level of difficulty of the paper. Hence, all the candidates, especially SC/ST category ones, should attempt to obtain minimum marks required in JEE Advanced for IIT 2026 as per their convenience and at least more than those prescribed marks, such that the rank will get better of in JEE Advanced for the SC category or for ST.
FAQs on Minimum Marks in JEE Advanced to Get IIT for SC/ST Categories
Q: How can I find out if I’m eligible for the JEE Advanced exam?
You can quickly verify the eligibility criteria for the JEE Advanced exam by browsing to its official website (idioms website) – jeeadv.ac.in. Read the detailed rules and conditions carefully to check you are eligible before filling out the form.
Q: If I appeared for JEE Advanced 2025, can I take (take with a grain of salt idiom synonym) JEE Advanced 2026 as well?
Not really, Students are allowed only twice in two consecutive years in the JEE Advanced examination. So, if you already took it in 2025, you can’t take it again in 2026. But, suppose if you appeared for Class 12 for the first time (race against time phrase meaning) in 2025, then your first attempt would be of year 2025, and again you can appear in JEE Advanced 2026 as a second attempt.
Q: What are the minimum marks required in JEE Main to qualify for JEE Advanced?
You have to clear the minimum qualifying marks in JEE Main to be eligible to appear in JEE Advanced. Generally, students can seek a seat against the Common Rank List (CRL) at somewhere around the 93rd percentile and below it is for OBC-NCL, EWS, SC and ST candidates. For instance, if we talk about SC category students, their cutoff generally remains between the 60th percentile. These cut-off scores specify whether or not applicants may apply for JEE Advanced 2026.
Q: Which IITs can I get with an AIR between 10,000 and 30,000 in JEE Advanced?
If your JEE Advanced rank is from 10,000 to 30,000, you may get admission in newer IITs like IIIT Bhilai, IIT Goa, IIT Dharwad, IIT Jammu, IIT Jodhpur, IIT Mandi, and IIT Palakkad. Other than these, you can also try at IIT Patna, IIT Bhubaneswar, IIT Indore or IIT Tirupati based on JEE Advanced rank to get a seat in an IIT for the SC category and ST category.
Q: What is the age limit for applying to JEE Advanced 2026?
Candidates belonging to the General category should have been born on or after October 1, 2001, for JEE Advanced 2026. There’s a five-year relaxation for SC, ST and PwD candidates, that is, they are eligible if aspirants were born on or after October 1, 1996.
Q: Where can I find details about the minimum marks for SC and ST category candidates in JEE Advanced?
The minimum marks needed in JEE Advanced 2026 to get an IIT seat for SC and ST category candidates can be found on the official website of JEE Advanced (jeeadv.ac.in). Every Year, the cut-off and qualifying marks category-wise show the JEE Advanced 2026 Minimum Marks to Get IIT for SC/ST Category, and the minimum marks in JEE Advanced needed by the SC/ST category candidates to get an IIT seat.
