What is a Good Score in JEE Main 2026?: Students who aspire to be top engineers take (take with a grain of salt idiom synonym) the JEE Mains exam in order to secure a place in the top engineering institutes of the country. The goal of every JEE aspirant is to score high enough to get admitted to the IITs. But not everyone who appears for the JEE Mains is able to qualify for the JEE Advanced. To get admission to the IITs, one must clear the Advanced exam with an outstanding score but before that, you are required to clear the JEE Main exam so that you are eligible to sit in the JEE Advanced.
Not qualifying for the Advanced does not limit your options, though you can still get admission to one of the renowned NITs, IIITs, CFTIs, and other engineering colleges of the country.
Now we know that your mind must be bubbling with lots of questions, the most common being what marks are enough or what is a good score in JEE Main 2026 to be able to qualify for the best engineering colleges.
The good score of the JEE Mains depends on various factors like the cut-off determined by the National Testing Agency (NTA) but the other aspect is that the good score varies from individual to individual and the college that they aspire to get admission in. Therefore, a good score depends on the college you want to attend.
What is the significance of a good score in the JEE Mains 2026?
As mentioned before the degree whether a score is considered good or not highly depends on the college you wish to get admitted to. If you are satisfied with getting admission to a decent private engineering college then a score of 180 or more is considered good in such a case. But if you are among those who wish to sit in the JEE Advanced exam, then scoring high is important. Only the top qualifiers of the JEE Mains count around 2,50,000 are able to appear for the JEE Advanced exam. A score of 250 or higher is regarded as a good score, and therefore, a percentile between 85-95 is enough to get a seat in the NITs or IITs through this exam.
However, to be able to secure a place in the NITs or IITs, you need to be in the top 15,000 to 20,000 ranks.
| Category | Ranks |
| Excellent | 1-15,000 |
| Good | 15,000-30,000 |
| Average | 30,000-50,000 |
| Low | Above 50,000 |
Read More:
- JEE Main Rank Predictor 2026: Predict Your JEE Rank by Marks
- JEE Advanced Rank Predictor 2026: Predict your JEE Advanced Rank
- App for JEE NEET Exam Preparation
- JEE Main Marks vs Rank 2026
The qualifying marks for the JEE Advanced were high the previous year. The table given below will give you an idea of the expected JEE Mains rank and percentile range.
| JEE Main Rank 2026 | JEE Main Percentile 2026 |
| 1 – 20 | 100 – 99.99989145 |
| 80 – 24 | 99.994681 – 99.997394 |
| 83 – 55 | 99.990990 – 99.994029 |
| 210 – 85 | 99.977205 – 99.988819 |
| 367 – 215 | 99.960163 – 99.975034 |
| 599 – 375 | 99.934980 – 99.956364 |
| 911 – 610 | 99.901113 – 99.928901 |
| 1367 – 920 | 99.851616 – 99.893732 |
| 1888 – 1375 | 99.795063 – 99.845212 |
| 2664 – 1900 | 99.710831 – 99.782472 |
| 3710 – 2700 | 99.597399 – 99.688579 |
| 5003- 3800 | 99.456939 – 99.573193 |
| 6706 – 5100 | 99.272084 – 99.431214 |
| 8949 – 6800 | 99.028614 – 99.239737 |
| 11678 – 9000 | 98.732389 – 98.990296 |
| 15501 – 11800 | 98.317414 – 98.666935 |
| 20164 – 15700 | 97.811260 – 98.254132 |
| 26321 – 20500 | 97.142937 – 97.685672 |
| 34966 – 26500 | 96.204550 – 96.978272 |
| 46076 – 35000 | 94.998594 – 96.064850 |
| 60147 – 46500 | 93.471231 – 94.749479 |
| JEE Main Marks 2026 | JEE Main Rank 2026 |
| 288 – 294 | 20 – 11 |
| 280 – 284 | 44 – 22 |
| 270 – 279 | 107 – 63 |
| 252 – 268 | 522 – 106 |
| 231 – 249 | 1385 – 546 |
| 215 – 230 | 2798 – 1421 |
| 202 – 214 | 4666 – 2862 |
| 190 – 200 | 6664 – 4830 |
| 175 – 189 | 10746 -7151 |
| 161 – 174 | 16163 – 11018 |
| 149-159 | 21145 – 16495 |
| 132 – 148 | 32826 – 22238 |
| 120 – 131 | 43174 – 33636 |
| 110 – 119 | 54293 – 44115 |
| 102 – 109 | 65758 – 55269 |
| 95 – 101 | 76260 – 66999 |
| 89 – 94 | 87219 – 78111 |
| 79 – 88 | 109329 – 90144 |
| 64 – 87 | 169542 – 92303 |
| 44 – 62 | 326517 – 173239 |
| 1 – 42 | 1025009 – 334080 |
JEE Main Marks vs Rank vs Percentile
Expected JEE Main marks vs Rank vs percentile
| Score out of 300 | Overall Rank | Percentile |
| 290- 280 | 15 – 36 | 99.99908943 – 99.99745041 |
| 280 – 250 | 36 – 428 | 99.99745041 – 99.96976913 |
| 250 – 240 | 428 – 755 | 99.96976913 – 99.94664069 |
| 240 – 230 | 755 – 1189 | 99.94664069 – 99.91595453 |
| 230 – 220 | 1189 – 1893 | 99.91595453 – 99.86623749 |
| 220 – 210 | 1893 – 2720 | 99.86623749 – 99.80777899 |
| 210 – 200 | 2720 – 3803 | 99.80777899 – 99.73129123 |
| 200 – 190 | 3803 – 5320 | 99.73129123 – 99.62402626 |
| 190 – 180 | 5320 – 7354 | 99.62402626 – 99.48033855 |
| 180 – 170 | 7354 – 9968 | 99.48033855 – 99.2955842 |
| 170 – 160 | 9968 – 13163 | 99.2955842 – 99.06985426 |
| 160 – 150 | 13163 – 17290 | 99.06985426 – 98.77819917 |
| 150 – 140 | 17290 – 22533 | 98.77819917 – 98.40768884 |
| 140 – 130 | 22533 – 29145 | 98.40768884 – 97.94047614 |
| 130 – 120 | 29145 – 37440 | 97.94047614 – 97.35425213 |
| 120 – 110 | 37440 – 47979 | 97.35425213 – 96.60949814 |
| 110 – 100 | 47979 – 61651 | 96.60949814 – 95.64338495 |
| 100 – 90 | 61651 – 79298 | 95.64338495 – 94.39636137 |
| 90 – 80 | 79298 – 102421 | 94.39636137 – 92.76234617 |
| 80 – 70 | 102421 – 135695 | 92.76234617 – 90.4109851 |
| 70 – 60 | 135695 – 183105 | 90.4109851 – 87.06073037 |
| 60 – 50 | 183105 – 260722 | 87.06073037 – 81.57582987 |
| 50 – 40 | 260722 – 380928 | 81.57582987 – 73.08140938 |
| 40 – 30 | 380928 – 568308 | 73.08140938 – 59.84001311 |
| 30 – 20 | 568308 – 844157 | 59.84001311 – 40.3469266 |
| 20 – 10 | 844157 – 1118638 | 40.3469266 – 20.95045141 |
| 10 – 0 | 1118638 – 1321716 | 20.95045141 – 6.599800585 |
Good JEE Main 2026 Score to qualify for JEE Advanced 2026
It is a known fact that only the top 2,50,000 qualified JEE Main 2026 students are eligible for JEE Advanced 2026. This means that applicants who want to qualify for JEE Advanced 2026 must have a good score. high in JEE Main. In line with trends from the previous year, general applicants generally need a percentage score above 85 to qualify for JEE Advanced. Candidates can refer to the following table to understand the main JEE cutting trends from the previous year.
Read Also:
JEE Main Weightage Chapter Wise 2026
JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile vs Ranks
JEE Main Previous Year Question Paper
JEE Main 2025 Cutoff Trend Analysis
JEE Main Cutoff 2025
| Category | JEE Main Cutoff 2025 |
| General | 93.1023262 |
| Gen-PwD | 0.0079349 |
| EWS | 80.3830119 |
| OBC-NCL | 79.4313582 |
| SC | 61.1526933 |
| ST | 47.9026465 |
JEE Main Cutoff 2024
| Category | JEE Main Cutoff 2024 |
| General | 93.2362181 |
| Gen-PwD | 0.00187 |
| EWS | 81.3266412 |
| OBC-NCL | 79.6757881 |
| SC | 60.0923182 |
| ST | 46.697584 |
JEE Main Cutoff 2023
| Category | JEE Main Cutoff 2023 |
| General | 90.7788642 |
| EWS | 75.6229025 |
| OBC | 73.6114227 |
| SC | 51.9776027 |
| ST | 37.2348772 |
| PwD | 0.0013527 |
| Year | General | OBC-NCL | SC | ST | Gen-EWS | PwD |
| 2025 | 93.102 | 79.431 | 61.152 | 47.902 | 80.383 | 0.0079 |
| 2024 | 93.236 | 79.675 | 60.092 | 46.697 | 81.326 | 0.0018 |
| 2023 | 90.778 | 73.611 | 51.977 | 37.234 | 75.622 | 0.0013 |
| 2022 | 88.4121383 | 67.0090297 | 43.0820954 | 26.7771328 | 63.1114141 | 0.0031029 |
| 2021 | 87.8992241 | 68.0234447 | 46.8825338 | 34.6728999 | 66.2214845 | 0.0096375 |
| 2020 | 90.3765335 | 72.8887969 | 50.1760245 | 39.0696101 | 70.2435518 | 0.0618524 |
| 2019 | 89.7548849 | 74.3166557 | 54.0128155 | 44.3345172 | 78.2174869 | 0.11371730 |
| 2018 | 74 | 45 | 29 | 24 | – | -35 |
| 2017 | 81 | 49 | 32 | 27 | – | – |
| 2016 | 100 | 70 | 52 | 48 | – | – |
| 2015 | 105 | 70 | 50 | 44 | – | – |
| 2014 | 115 | 74 | 53 | 47 | – | – |
| 2013 | 113 | 70 | 50 | 45 | – | – |
JEE Main Expected Cutoff
Candidates can refer to the expected JEE Main cutoff provided by Sri Chaitanya Coaching Institute to get an idea of the cutoff.
| Category | Expected Cutoff Score by Motion |
| Common Rank List (CRL) | 89.7548849 |
| GEN-EWS | 78.2174869 |
| Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL) | 74.3166557 |
| Scheduled Caste (SC) | 54.0128155 |
| Scheduled Tribe (ST) | 44.3345172 |
| PwD | 0.11371730 |
JEE Mains Percentile through normalization method
The JEE Mains marks are announced by the National Testing Agency in percentile format through the normalisation method. It is done after aggregating the candidate’s raw grades in each subject. Therefore the normalization method is used to determine the percentile rank in Physics, Chemistry and Maths. This percentile is used to present the JEE Main merit list. This is done because the JEE Main exam is conducted in 2 sessions which may cause an imbalance in the level of difficulty of the exam. Not just (just in case definition) this, this method has been adopted to avoid the occurrence of ties between two students scoring the same marks.
Therefore, to avoid ties the percentile score is calculated to the 7th decimal place. It is done only after the completion of the normalisation method for each session on a scale of 100 to 0.
You can get an idea of what college you will be getting admission to before NTA releases the merit list by just the normalisation method. You can use your raw score and convert it into percentile with the help of the formula mentioned below:
100 x ( total candidates whose raw score of the session is equal to less than the candidates’ total score) / the total number of candidates who appeared for that session.
This percentile formula is used for calculating the same of each section.
In previous years JEE Mains B.E./B. Tech Carried 360 marks, while the B.Arch/ B.Planning carried 390 marks.
The breakup of the total marks of JEE Main exams is given below
JEE Main B.E/B. Tech Paper
| Subjects | Maximum Questions to Answer | Marks |
| Physics | 25 | 100 |
| Chemistry | 25 | 100 |
| Mathematics | 25 | 100 |
| Total | 75 | 300 |
JEE Main B. Arch Paper
| Subjects | Maximum Questions to Answer | Marks |
| Mathematics | 25 | 100 |
| Aptitude | 50 | 200 |
| Drawing | 2 | 100 |
| Total | 77 | 400 |
JEE Main B. Planning Paper
| Subjects | Maximum Questions to Answer | Marks |
| Mathematics | 25 | 100 |
| Aptitude | 50 | 200 |
| Planning | 25 | 100 |
| Total | 100 | 400 |
What guidelines are followed in the JEE Mains marks vs percentile tie breakers?
The tie-breaking procedure involves certain guidelines that the students must be aware of.
So, given are the guidelines that are considered when more than one student has the same percentile.
- Mathematics plays a deciding factor in the calculation of the marks. A candidate who scores more marks in Maths is given the preference.
- If there is a tie for first place in Mathematics as well then the Marks secured in Physics will be considered.
- If the above two solutions do not suffice the tie then the one candidate who scored higher in chemistry will be given a rise.
- In case of a tie, the older candidate will be given a preference.
- The marks obtained in both sessions will be considered for the final score of the JEE Mains. The same will be used to determine the final score and rank.
Marking Schemes And Scoring Good Marks in JEE Mains
If the layout of JEE Main is followed, this paper may have a most feasible rating of three hundred marks. With a 3-hour time (race against time phrase meaning) limit, there can be seventy-five questions to reply to from a complete of 90 (Physics, Chemistry, and Maths). Each difficulty might have 20 MCQs, every with one accurate answer, and a complete five questions out of 10 to be tried. All questions might be evaluated as follows: +four for proper answers, -1 for wrong answers, and zero for now no longer tried questions.
Although 65-eighty is taken into consideration accurately within the JEE Mains examination for all 3 number one papers, i.e. PCM. However, it`s continually higher to goal more. Here are a few instruction techniques that may assist college students to ace the examination fearlessly.
Good Score in JEE Main for admission in NITs
Looking at past trends, a student must have a percentage score between 80 and 90 to be admitted to NIT. If we talk about rank, students must have JEE main rank between 15,000 and 20,000 to get admission.
Good Score in JEE Main for admission in IIITs
As a trend, applicants must have a percentage score between 70 and 80 for admission to the IIIT. The primary rating of JEE candidates should usually be below 25,000.
Conclusion
Therefore with the above given write-up it is quite clear that the good marks for the JEE Mains exams depend on the candidate to candidate and what college they want to pursue engineering from. If you want to get admission to the IITs then you must clear the Advanced exam with an excellent score but before that work towards the JEE Mains exam because it is only by cracking this exam that you will be eligible to appear for the JEE Advanced.
It might seem difficult for now but would be so much easier once you begin your preparation with the right amount of dedication and hard work.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – What is a good NTA score in JEE Main 2026?
Q1. How many hours one should study to clear the JEE exam?
Ans. If you wish to clear the JEE exam with flying colors then you must give 12-15 hours a day to its preparation.
Q2. How to prepare for the JEE exam the right way?
Ans. The given tips will help you clear the JEE exam with an excellent score:
- Get familiar with the syllabus
- Follow a well-laid timetable with an achievable set of goals
- Begin from the NCERTs first
- Do not jump into too many reference books
- Prepare notes
- Practice regularly
- Take mock test series
- Stay regular on revision
- Take a nutritious diet and ample sleep
- Stick to your hobbies
- Exercise regularly
Q3. How is the JEE Main percentile calculated?
Ans. The formula to calculate the JEE Main percentile is mentioned below:
A candidate’s total percentile score is equivalent to 100
(the total number of candidates whose raw score is either less or equal to the candidate’s total score) / (total number of candidates who appeared in the session).
Q4. Is it okay to check the solution without attempting the question?
Ans. When students find a question difficult, they prefer to move on to the solution. It’s never a good idea to act like this. If they continue down this path, they will become more and more dependent on Solutions. Instead, students should practice math problems for at least 15 minutes before looking at the solutions.
Q5. How knowing the exam format can lend me better marks in Physics in JEE Mains?
Ans. When preparing for the exam, students should familiarize themselves with the JEE core test pattern and focus on the most weighty physics sections of the exam. This will give students a better idea of what questions they can expect in the exam.
Q6. Are the marking scheme and cut-off of JEE Mains the same as the previous year? Or have they changed?
Ans. For each correct answer on the main JEE test, you will be awarded four points, while incorrect answers will be deducted points. The weighting and scoring system for each question remains the same over time. On the other hand, the admission threshold is determined by factors such as the difficulty of the main JEE exam, the number of vacancies, the number of candidates appearing in the exam and finally the performance of each candidate.
Q7. In JEE Main, are individual category ranks distinct from the All-India Rank (AIR)?
Ans. Yes, the JEE Main AIR leaderboard and the category leaderboard are separate in the ranking. An applicant’s All India Ranking represents their position among all students in the country. In contrast, grading by category represents students in a particular group, such as SC, ST, OBC, or EWS.
Q8. What resources should I follow during my JEE preparations?
Ans. Books and study materials that help shape your conceptual knowledge should be used while preparing for JEE (main). The official JEE Mains website (idioms website) provides sample documents that you can easily download. For further preparation, one can turn to reputable sources that provide some mock exams to familiarize themselves with the actual JEE core model. In addition, you should practice and familiarize yourself with computer testing as much as possible.
Q9. What are the things that I should keep in mind during my preparation to score better in the JEE Mains exam?
Ans. Keep the following key preparation tips from Papers JEE and build your strategy accordingly to do well in the JEE exams.
Make sure you master the important and essential chapters of JEE, Chemistry and Mathematics. Solve last year’s JEE key questions and do as many mock tests as you can. Reduce your time when it comes to goal-based questions. In addition, to mastering JEE’s core program material, you need to focus on strategy and time management. Stay calm and confident while maintaining good health.
Q10. What is the NTA Score in JEE Mains?
Ans. The NTA score is a positional rank/ percentile score that a candidate has secured in the JEE Main exam.
