Courses
By rohit.pandey1
|
Updated on 19 May 2026, 13:01 IST
JEE Advanced 2026 is over. The next question every student is asking is not just "what is my rank?" — it is "what is my rank in MY category, and which IIT can I get?"
The answer is different for every category. A score of 150 marks means completely different things for a General candidate, an OBC-NCL candidate, and an SC candidate. This page breaks it all down — qualifying marks, expected ranks, and realistic IIT chances — category by category.
Once the score is calculated, use Infinity Learn's free JEE Advanced 2026 Rank Predictor to get the estimated AIR and category rank instantly.
All figures below are expected estimates based on JEE Advanced 2025 official data and 2026 paper difficulty analysis. Official cutoffs and ranks release on June 1, 2026 at jeeadv.ac.in.
JEE Advanced does not have a single rank list. There are multiple rank lists — one for each category. Every qualified student gets:
During JoSAA counselling, seats reserved for a category are allotted based on category rank, not CRL. This is why a lower absolute score in a reserved category can still fetch a strong IIT branch.
Two conditions must be met to appear on any rank list:
Both must be cleared simultaneously. Clearing only the total aggregate is not enough.
This is the minimum score needed just to appear on the rank list. This does not guarantee an IIT seat.
| Category | Min. Marks per Subject (%) | Min. Total Marks (%) | Approx. Marks (out of 360) |
| General / CRL | ~8.7% | ~28–30% | ~100–109 marks |
| OBC-NCL | ~7.8% | ~27.3% | ~98 marks |
| GEN-EWS | ~7.8% | ~27.3% | ~98 marks |
| SC | ~4.3% | ~15.2% | ~55 marks |
| ST | ~4.3% | ~15.2% | ~55 marks |
| PwD (all categories) | ~4.3% | ~15.2% | ~55 marks |
| Preparatory Course | ~2.2% | ~7.6% | ~27 marks |
Since JEE Advanced 2026 Paper 1 was harder than 2025, the actual cutoff may settle at the lower end of the expected range for each category.
JEE
NEET
Foundation JEE
Foundation NEET
CBSE
| Year | Cutoff % | Approx. Marks | Paper Difficulty |
| 2021 | 17.50% | ~63 | Moderate |
| 2022 | 15.30% | ~55 | Tough |
| 2023 | 23.90% | ~86 | Moderate |
| 2024 | 30.30% | ~109 | Easier |
| 2025 | 20.56% | ~74 | Tough |
| 2026 (Expected) | ~28–30% | ~100–109 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Marks (out of 360) | Expected CRL Rank |
| 320 – 334 | 1 – 10 |
| 300 – 320 | 10 – 40 |
| 275 – 300 | 40 – 100 |
| 260 – 275 | 100 – 200 |
| 250 – 260 | 200 – 300 |
| 240 – 250 | 300 – 400 |
| 232 – 240 | 400 – 500 |
| 225 – 232 | 500 – 600 |
| 220 – 225 | 600 – 700 |
| 210 – 220 | 700 – 900 |
| 200 – 210 | 900 – 1,200 |
| 190 – 200 | 1,200 – 1,800 |
| 178 – 190 | 1,800 – 2,500 |
| 162 – 178 | 2,500 – 4,000 |
| 150 – 162 | 4,000 – 5,500 |
| 135 – 150 | 5,500 – 8,000 |
| 120 – 135 | 8,000 – 11,000 |
| 101 – 120 | 11,000 – 17,000 |
| 93 – 101 | 17,000 – 20,000 |
OBC-NCL candidates get a separate rank list. Category rank is significantly better than CRL at the same score.
| Marks (out of 360) | Expected OBC-NCL Rank | Approx. Equivalent CRL Rank |
| 250+ | Under 200 | ~500–700 |
| 220 – 250 | 200 – 600 | ~1,500–3,000 |
| 200 – 220 | 600 – 1,200 | ~3,000–5,000 |
| 180 – 200 | 1,200 – 2,000 | ~5,000–8,000 |
| 160 – 180 | 2,000 – 3,500 | ~8,000–12,000 |
| 140 – 160 | 3,500 – 5,500 | ~12,000–16,000 |
| 120 – 140 | 5,500 – 8,000 | ~16,000–20,000 |
| 98 – 120 | 8,000+ | Near qualifying range |
GEN-EWS cutoff and rank list mirrors OBC-NCL closely. EWS candidates must submit valid EWS certificate during JoSAA document verification.
| Marks (out of 360) | Expected GEN-EWS Rank | Notes |
| 240+ | Under 300 | Strong old IIT options |
| 200 – 240 | 300 – 1,000 | Old IITs — most branches |
| 170 – 200 | 1,000 – 2,500 | Mid IITs — good selection |
| 140 – 170 | 2,500 – 5,000 | Newer IITs — most branches |
| 98 – 140 | 5,000 – 9,000 | Newer IITs — limited options |
SC candidates have a significantly lower qualifying cutoff and appear on a separate SC rank list. Reserved seats across all IITs are filled from this list.
| Marks (out of 360) | Expected SC Rank | IIT Chances |
| 180+ | Under 200 | Top IITs — most branches including CSE |
| 150 – 180 | 200 – 500 | Old IITs — selective branches |
| 130 – 150 | 500 – 900 | Old IITs — core branches |
| 110 – 130 | 900 – 1,500 | Mid IITs — most branches |
| 90 – 110 | 1,500 – 2,500 | Newer IITs — good branch selection |
| 70 – 90 | 2,500 – 4,000 | Newer IITs — most branches |
| 55 – 70 | 4,000 – 6,000 | Newer IITs — limited branches |
ST category has the same qualifying cutoff as SC but a smaller number of qualified candidates — making the rank list more competitive within the category at higher scores.
| Marks (out of 360) | Expected ST Rank | IIT Chances |
| 160+ | Under 100 | Old IITs — most branches |
| 130 – 160 | 100 – 300 | Old and mid IITs |
| 100 – 130 | 300 – 700 | Mid and newer IITs — branch choice |
| 75 – 100 | 700 – 1,500 | Newer IITs — most branches |
| 55 – 75 | 1,500 – 2,500 | Newer IITs — limited branches |
PwD candidates appear on both their base category rank list and the PwD-specific list. Supernumerary PwD seats are available across all IITs.
| Marks (out of 360) | PwD Rank (Expected) | Notes |
| 150+ | Under 100 | Strong IIT options across tiers |
| 100 – 150 | 100 – 300 | Mid and newer IITs |
| 55 – 100 | 300 – 600 | Newer IITs — limited branches |
This is the most important table on this page. It shows the safe score needed for actual IIT seat allotment — not just qualifying — across all categories and IIT tiers.
| Target IIT Tier | General (CRL) | OBC-NCL / EWS | SC | ST |
| Any IIT seat (newer IITs) | 120 – 150+ | 98 – 130 | 60 – 80 | 55 – 75 |
| Newer IITs — core branches | 150 – 180 | 130 – 155 | 80 – 100 | 70 – 90 |
| Mid IITs (BHU, Guwahati, Hyderabad) | 178 – 220 | 155 – 190 | 100 – 130 | 88 – 115 |
| Old IITs — selective branches | 220 – 260 | 190 – 225 | 130 – 160 | 115 – 140 |
| Old IITs — CSE / EE / MnC | 260 – 295 | 225 – 260 | 155 – 185 | 135 – 165 |
| Top 5 IITs (Bombay, Delhi, Madras) — CSE | 295 – 320+ | 255 – 285+ | 175 – 200+ | 155 – 185+ |
Also Check: List of All 23 IITs in India
This table answers the most common post-exam question directly — "With X marks in my category, what IIT can I get?"
| Category | Expected Rank | IIT Chances |
| General | ~11,000 – 17,000 CRL | Very limited — newer IITs, spot rounds only |
| OBC-NCL / EWS | ~6,000 – 10,000 category rank | Newer IITs — some branches possible |
| SC | ~1,500 – 3,000 SC rank | Mid and newer IITs — decent branch selection |
| ST | ~400 – 800 ST rank | Mid IITs — reasonable options |
| Category | Expected Rank | IIT Chances |
| General | ~5,500 – 9,000 CRL | Newer IITs — selective branches |
| OBC-NCL / EWS | ~4,000 – 6,500 category rank | Newer IITs — most branches |
| SC | ~600 – 1,500 SC rank | Old and mid IITs — core branches accessible |
| ST | ~200 – 500 ST rank | Old IITs — selective branches possible |
| Category | Expected Rank | IIT Chances |
| General | ~2,500 – 5,500 CRL | Mid IITs — good selection |
| OBC-NCL / EWS | ~1,500 – 3,500 category rank | Old IITs — selective branches |
| SC | ~300 – 700 SC rank | Old IITs — most branches including CSE |
| ST | ~80 – 250 ST rank | Top IITs — selective branches |
| Category | Expected Rank | IIT Chances |
| General | ~900 – 2,500 CRL | Old IITs — most branches |
| OBC-NCL / EWS | ~400 – 1,200 category rank | Old IITs — strong branch selection |
| SC | ~100 – 350 SC rank | Top IITs — most branches |
| ST | ~30 – 100 ST rank | Top IITs — most branches including CSE |
| Category | Expected Rank | IIT Chances |
| General | ~100 – 700 CRL | Top 5 IITs — most branches |
| OBC-NCL / EWS | ~50 – 350 category rank | Top IITs — CSE and EE within range |
| SC | ~20 – 100 SC rank | Top IITs — CSE, EE comfortable |
| ST | Under 30 ST rank | Any branch any IIT |
| IIT | General | OBC-NCL / EWS | SC | ST |
| IIT Bombay | 300+ | 265+ | 175+ | 155+ |
| IIT Delhi | 295+ | 260+ | 170+ | 150+ |
| IIT Madras | 285+ | 250+ | 165+ | 145+ |
| IIT Kanpur | 270+ | 235+ | 155+ | 135+ |
| IIT Roorkee | 255+ | 220+ | 145+ | 125+ |
| IIT Guwahati | 210+ | 175+ | 110+ | 95+ |
| IIT BHU Varanasi | 205+ | 170+ | 105+ | 90+ |
| IIT | General | OBC-NCL / EWS | SC | ST |
| IIT Bombay | 270+ | 235+ | 155+ | 135+ |
| IIT Delhi | 260+ | 225+ | 148+ | 128+ |
| IIT Madras | 255+ | 220+ | 145+ | 125+ |
| IIT Kanpur | 245+ | 210+ | 140+ | 120+ |
| IIT Roorkee | 230+ | 195+ | 130+ | 110+ |
| IIT | General | OBC-NCL / EWS | SC | ST |
| IIT Bombay | 240+ | 205+ | 140+ | 120+ |
| IIT Delhi | 235+ | 200+ | 136+ | 116+ |
| IIT Roorkee | 205+ | 170+ | 115+ | 95+ |
| IIT Guwahati | 170+ | 140+ | 95+ | 80+ |
General / CRL candidates: Competition is highest in this category. Every mark counts. The difference between rank 500 and rank 1,000 can be as little as 10–15 marks in the 220–240 range. Focus on accuracy over attempts.
OBC-NCL candidates: Category rank is typically 30–50% better than CRL at the same score. A score that gives CRL rank 3,000 may give OBC-NCL rank around 1,200–1,500. This significantly expands IIT and branch options. Ensure OBC-NCL certificate is valid and non-creamy layer status is confirmed before JoSAA registration.
GEN-EWS candidates: EWS rank list mirrors OBC-NCL. EWS certificate must be obtained from a competent authority and must be valid for the financial year. During JoSAA, if EWS certificate is rejected, the candidate falls back to CRL category.
SC candidates: The reserved seat matrix across all IITs is generous for SC candidates. A score of 130+ marks opens old IIT options that need 220+ for General. Prepare the caste certificate and supporting documents well in advance for JoSAA document verification.
ST candidates: ST category has fewer qualified candidates, making category ranks highly competitive at top scores. A score of 160+ marks can give an ST rank under 100 — opening almost any IIT and branch. Document verification for ST certificates is strict — ensure validity.
PwD candidates: PwD seats are supernumerary — they are over and above the regular seat matrix. This means a PwD candidate competes only against other PwD candidates for reserved seats, not with the general pool. Both base category rank and PwD rank are assigned.
Female candidates: JEE Advanced has a supernumerary Female-only Pool (FP) quota in addition to regular seats. Female candidates receive CRL/category rank and a female pool rank. This increases branch access significantly, especially at branches where female representation is low.
Score below qualifying cutoff for category: Check if subject-wise minimum was also cleared. Both conditions must be met together. If not qualifying this year, start planning for JEE Advanced 2027 with a focused chapter-weightage strategy.
Score at qualifying level but low for IIT seats: Explore JoSAA rounds. Check state engineering entrance options. For reserved category candidates, even borderline scores may get newer IIT seats in later rounds.
Score in mid range (150–200 marks): Build a broad JoSAA preference list. Include stretch targets, realistic options, and backup choices across IIT tiers. Do not restrict the list to only top IITs — newer IITs offer strong placements in CSE and ECE.
Score above 200 marks: Shortlist IITs and branches using the tables above. Start reading the JoSAA 2026 counselling process. Keep all documents ready — category certificate, 10th/12th marksheet, photograph, signature, and ID proof.
No courses found
The expected qualifying cutoff for OBC-NCL is approximately 98 marks out of 360 in aggregate, with a subject-wise minimum of ~7.8% per subject. Official cutoff releases on June 1, 2026.
A score of 150 marks in OBC-NCL category corresponds to an expected OBC-NCL rank of approximately 3,500–5,500. This gives realistic access to newer IITs and some mid-tier IIT branches.
A score of 120 marks for SC category corresponds to an expected SC rank of approximately 900–1,500. This opens mid-tier IITs like IIT Guwahati, IIT BHU, and IIT Hyderabad for most branches.
CRL (Common Rank List) ranks all qualified students together regardless of category. Category rank ranks only within the specific category. JoSAA uses category rank for filling reserved seats — making category rank more relevant for admission planning in reserved categories.
OBC-NCL candidates can use both CRL rank for unreserved seats and OBC-NCL rank for reserved seats during JoSAA counselling. Choose preferences accordingly to maximise options.
A score of approximately 55–75 marks (ST category) is the qualifying range. For actual IIT seat allotment at newer IITs, 70–90 marks is a realistic target. For mid IITs, 100+ marks gives stronger options.
The EWS certificate must be valid for the current financial year (2025–26). An expired certificate will not be accepted during JoSAA document verification and the candidate will be moved to the General/CRL category.
During JoSAA, fill both unreserved and reserved category preferences. For reserved categories, include seats across all IIT tiers — the category rank may be strong enough for branches that seem out of reach based on CRL rank alone.
The expected qualifying cutoff for SC is approximately 55 marks aggregate (~15.2%). A score of 80 marks is above the qualifying cutoff for SC. However, actual IIT admission at 80 marks (SC) is limited to newer IITs in later JoSAA rounds.
Official category-wise qualifying cutoffs will be released with the JEE Advanced 2026 results on June 1, 2026 at 10 AM at jeeadv.ac.in.