JEE Main 2026: Know category-wise reservation and how your percentile is calculated for eligibility

The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 result is scheduled for announcement on February 16. The result, which will be available through the official website using the candidate’s application number and password, is crucial for eligibility in JEE Advanced and admission to IITs and other participating institutions.

JEE Mains 2026: Expected category-wise qualifying cut-off

Seats in every course are reserved for different categories as per the Government of India norms. Candidates must refer to the central list and official notifications for eligibility. Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD) get 5% reservation in all categories.

Category	Reservation percentage
General - Economically Weaker Section (GEN-EWS)	10%
Other Backward Classes – Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL)	27%
Scheduled Caste (SC)	15%
Scheduled Tribe (ST)	7.5%
Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwBD)	5% in each category

Notes:

• GEN-EWS benefits are available only to those satisfying OM No. 20013/01/2018-BC-II dated 17 January 2019.
  
  
• OBC-NCL candidates must be listed in the updated central list of OBCs. Creamy layer OBCs are treated as General category and are eligible only for OPEN seats.
  
  
• PwBD reservation applies within each category.

Also Read: JEE Main 2026 Session 1 answer key released at jeemain.nta.nic.in; check direct link and dropped questions

How to calculate JEE Mains 2026 percentile

Since JEE Main is conducted across multiple shifts with varying difficulty levels, the National Testing Agency (NTA) applies a normalisation process to ensure fairness. Percentiles are calculated using the formula:

Percentile = (Number of candidates with score ≤ yours / Total candidates in session) × 100

These percentiles determine eligibility for JEE Advanced and JoSAA counselling.

Details on JEE Main 2026 scorecard
The JEE Main 2026 scorecard will include:

• Candidate’s name, roll number, and application number
  
  
• Parents’ details and state code of eligibility
  
  
• Subject-wise percentile scores for Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics
  
  
• Total marks and overall percentile
  
  
• All India Rank (AIR) and category rank
  
  
• Qualifying status for JEE Advanced
  
  

Candidates should carefully verify all information on the scorecard after downloading.