{"id":"f-80ae245e0c-876b9f39-a127-5f36-bc0a-043b60b14145","title":"JEE Main 2026: What Is The Minimum Marks Needed To Qualify For JEE Advanced?","description":"The minimum marks in JEE Main represent the lowest score needed to clear the qualifying cutoff. This cutoff determines eligibility for JEE Advanced.","timestamp":1768050951,"category":"national_v_two","headline":"JEE Main 2026: What Is The Minimum Marks Needed To Qualify For JEE Advanced?","modifiedHeadline":"JEE Advanced: What's the 2026 Qualifying Score?","subCategories":["scid_6a7129b0"],"region":"IN","bundleMetaData":{"bundleId":"2d61a982-6cf6-49ce-b1a2-b7fef7049c8f","bundleTitle":"Study Hacks","cardData":null},"iabCategoryId":"141","fcSummary":"With the JEE Main 2026 January session approaching, students are estimating the qualifying marks for JEE Advanced. While the official cutoff is percentile-based, students use previous trends to predict the minimum marks needed per category (General, OBC-NCL, EWS, SC, ST).","summary":"JEE Main 2026: Discover the crucial minimum score needed to qualify for JEE Advanced! Your future depends on clearing this hurdle.","ctaUrl":"https://trends.glance.com/newz/news/IN/en/news18/f-80ae245e0c-876b9f39-a127-5f36-bc0a-043b60b14145","sourceUrl":"https://www.news18.com/education-career/jee-main-2026-what-is-the-minimum-marks-needed-to-qualify-for-jee-advanced-9822275.html","bannerImage":"https://g-mob.glance-cdn.com/public/fc/image/L26wOmuIefn0.webp","content":"

JEE Main 2026: The January session of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE Main) 2026 is set to begin in just 10 days. City information slips have been released, and admit cards will be issued three days prior

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to the exam. However, students are concerned about the marks required to qualify for JEE Advanced.

To determine this, students must first identify their category and then understand the required marks for qualification according to their category. The National Testing Agency (NTA) announces the qualifying cutoff for JEE Advanced after the results are declared, but until then, students rely on previous years’ trends to estimate the minimum marks and percentile needed.

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The minimum marks in JEE Main represent the lowest score needed to clear the qualifying cutoff. This cutoff determines eligibility for JEE Advanced. It is important to note that qualification is based on percentile, not raw marks, but marks provide a practical target.

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Category-wise expected marks to qualify for JEE Main 2026:
\n – General (UR) category
\n Expected percentile: Around 94 to 95
\n Minimum Marks: 90 to 100 Marks
\n Students scoring less than 90 may struggle to qualify, while scores above 100 are safer.

– OBC-NCL category
\n Expected percentile: Around 88 to 92
\n Minimum Marks: 80 to 95 Marks
\n Due to higher competition, OBC-NCL candidates should aim for the higher range.

– EWS category
\n Expected percentile: Around 88 to 92
\n Minimum Marks: 80 to 95 Marks
\n EWS cutoff trends are similar to OBC-NCL, with slight annual variations.

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– SC category
\n Expected percentile: 70 to 80
\n Minimum Marks: 65 to 80 Marks

– ST category
\n Expected percentile: 65 to 75
\n Minimum Marks: 60 to 75 Marks

These figures are approximate and may change based on the exam’s difficulty and the number of candidates.

Difference between marks and percentile:

Students often ask about minimum marks, while the official cutoff is released as percentiles. For example, a difficult paper can result in lower marks but a higher percentile, while an easy paper can increase cutoff marks. Therefore, it’s more effective to focus on accuracy and consistency rather than a fixed target.

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The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 examination will be held on January 21, 22, 23, 24, 28 and 29, 2026. Paper 1 will be conducted on January 21, 22, 23, 24 and 28 in two shifts — the first shift from 9 am to 12 noon and the second shift from 3 pm to 6 pm. Paper 2A and Paper 2B will be held on January 29, 2026, in a single shift from 9 am to 12.30 pm.

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JEE Main 2026: What Is The Minimum Marks Needed To Qualify For JEE Advanced?

SUMMARY