Complete shift-wise breakdown for the January 2026 Session. Find out how many marks you needed for 99, 98, 97, 95, and 90 percentile across every shift — plus expected JEE Advanced qualifying cutoffs, rank estimates, and 2025 comparison data.
JEE Main is conducted across multiple shifts over multiple days. Since every shift has a different set of questions, some shifts are inherently easier than others. To ensure fairness, NTA does not directly compare raw marks across shifts. Instead, it converts raw marks to percentile scores using a method called equi-percentile normalization.
Your percentile = the percentage of candidates in your shift who scored less than or equal to your raw marks. A 99 percentile means you scored better than 99% of your shift's candidates.
In a tough shift, even 155 marks beats 99% of candidates. In an easy shift, you might need 171 marks for the same 99 percentile. The percentile is what matters — not the raw score.
In 2026, the spread was only 16 marks (155–171) for 99%ile across all shifts — the most balanced JEE Main in recent years. In 2025, the spread was a massive 52 marks (148–200).
~162
Average (all shifts)
171
Easiest shift (21 Jan S2)
155
Hardest shift (22 Jan S2)
~170
2025 Jan average
~182
2025 April average
| %ile | 21 S1 | 21 S2 | 22 S1 | 22 S2 | 23 S1 | 23 S2 | 24 S1 | 24 S2 | 28 S1 | 28 S2 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99 | 167 | 171 | 158 | 155 | 158 | 163 | 162 | 160 | 161 | 162 |
| 98.5 | 154 | 157 | 144 | 143 | 145 | 150 | 150 | 146 | 149 | 150 |
| 98 | 144 | 147 | 134 | 131 | 135 | 139 | 141 | 137 | 138 | 140 |
| 97.5 | 137 | 139 | 126 | 126 | 127 | 132 | 134 | 128 | 132 | 133 |
| 97 | 130 | 132 | 120 | 120 | 121 | 126 | 127 | 121 | 126 | 126 |
| 96.5 | 124 | 127 | 115 | 115 | 116 | 120 | 123 | 115 | 121 | 123 |
| 96 | 120 | 122 | 110 | 111 | 111 | 115 | 118 | 110 | 114 | 116 |
| 95.5 | 115 | 117 | 106 | 107 | 107 | 111 | 113 | 104 | 112 | 112 |
| 95 | 110 | 113 | 101 | 104 | 103 | 106 | 109 | 101 | 109 | 108 |
| 94 | 105 | 106 | 93 | 97 | 96 | 100 | 102 | 93 | 102 | 103 |
| 93 | 99 | 100 | 88 | 92 | 89 | 94 | 96 | 88 | 96 | 95 |
| 92 | 94 | 93 | 84 | 88 | 86 | 88 | 92 | 81 | 91 | 91 |
| 91 | 90 | 89 | 79 | 84 | 81 | 83 | 86 | 77 | 86 | 86 |
| 90 | 85 | 84 | 74 | 81 | 77 | 79 | 80 | 73 | 82 | 85 |
Green column (21 S2) = easiest shift. Red column (22 S2) = toughest shift. All marks are out of 300.
Ranked from hardest to easiest based on marks required for 99 percentile. Lower marks = harder paper.
| Rank | Shift | Marks for 99%ile | Difficulty |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 22 Jan Shift 2 | 155 | Hardest |
| 2 | 22 Jan Shift 1 | 158 | Hard |
| 3 | 23 Jan Shift 1 | 158 | Hard |
| 4 | 28 Jan Shift 1 | 161 | Moderate-Hard |
| 5 | 24 Jan Shift 2 | 160 | Moderate-Hard |
| 6 | 28 Jan Shift 2 | 162 | Moderate |
| 7 | 24 Jan Shift 1 | 162 | Moderate |
| 8 | 23 Jan Shift 2 | 163 | Moderate-Easy |
| 9 | 21 Jan Shift 1 | 167 | Easy |
| 10 | 21 Jan Shift 2 | 171 | Easiest |
NTA significantly improved normalization in 2026. The gap between easiest and hardest shifts for 99 percentile was just 16 marks (155 vs 171). Compare this to 2025's January session where the gap was 52 marks (148 vs 200) — leading to massive unfairness complaints. The 2026 data is the most equitable JEE Main shift distribution in the last 4 years.
Despite better balance, the average marks needed for 99 percentile dropped from ~170 (Jan 2025) to ~162 (Jan 2026) — indicating the overall difficulty was higher in 2026. Physics and Chemistry were more conceptual. Mathematics remained lengthy. Students who prepared holistically (not just formula-drilling) had a clear advantage.
Your final JEE Main rank is calculated after combining January and April session results — the best of the two percentiles is taken. With approximately 13–14 lakh unique candidates in the January 2026 session, here's how percentile maps to approximate rank:
| Percentile | Approximate AIR | JEE Advanced Eligible? |
|---|---|---|
| 99.9+ | < 1,400 | Yes — top IIT CSE zone |
| 99.5 | ~7,000 | Yes — comfortably eligible |
| 99.0 | ~13,500 | Yes — General category safe |
| 98.5 | ~20,000 | Borderline — depends on cutoff |
| 98.0 | ~27,000 | No (General) / Yes (OBC-NCL) |
| 97.0 | ~40,000 | No (General) / Yes (EWS) |
| 95.0 | ~67,000 | No (General/OBC) / Maybe (SC) |
| 93.0 | ~93,000 | No / Maybe (ST) |
| 90.0 | ~1,34,000 | No |
Final AIR is decided after both sessions. Use our Rank Predictor Tool for a more personalized estimate.
To attempt JEE Advanced 2026, you must be among the top ~2.5 lakh candidates in JEE Main. Based on the last 4 years of cutoff trends, here are the expected qualifying percentiles by category:
| Category | Expected Percentile | Approx Rank |
|---|---|---|
| General (UR) | ~93.5 – 94.0%ile | ~90,000 – 95,000 |
| EWS | ~82.0 – 83.5%ile | ~2,25,000 |
| OBC-NCL | ~80.0 – 81.5%ile | ~2,30,000 |
| SC | ~55.0 – 58.0%ile | ~2,40,000 |
| ST | ~40.0 – 45.0%ile | ~2,45,000 |
| PwD | ~0.11%ile | N/A |
Based on Jan 2026 average shift difficulty (~162 marks for 99%ile):
Marks are indicative only — final qualifying marks depend on actual difficulty and total candidates.
JEE Main percentile is used not just for JEE Advanced eligibility, but directly for seat allotment in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs through JoSAA. Here's approximately what percentile (and corresponding marks in an average shift) you need for different college tiers by category:
| Target Admission | General | OBC-NCL | SC | ST |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 NIT CSE (Trichy, Warangal) | 99.9%ile+ | 99.8%ile+ | 99.5%ile+ | 99%ile+ |
| Tier 1 NIT ECE | 99.7%ile+ | 99.4%ile+ | 99%ile+ | 98%ile+ |
| Tier 2 NIT CSE | 98.5 – 99%ile | 97.5 – 98.5%ile | 96 – 97%ile | 93 – 95%ile |
| Tier 2 NIT ECE / Core | 97 – 98%ile | 95 – 96%ile | 92 – 94%ile | 88 – 91%ile |
| Tier 3 NIT CSE | 96 – 97.5%ile | 93 – 95%ile | 88 – 91%ile | 82 – 86%ile |
| Top IIIT CSE (Hyd, Allahabad) | 98.5 – 99%ile | 96.5 – 98%ile | 94 – 96%ile | 90 – 93%ile |
| Tier 4 NIT / Any branch in NIT | 90 – 95%ile | 85 – 90%ile | 75 – 85%ile | 65 – 75%ile |
Tracking the average marks needed for 99 percentile across January sessions shows a clear downward trend — indicating steadily increasing overall exam difficulty since 2022:
| Session | Avg Marks for 99%ile | Range (Hardest – Easiest) | Shift Spread | Trend vs Prev Year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 2022 | ~185 | 168 – 205 | 37 marks | — |
| Jan 2023 | ~178 | 162 – 196 | 34 marks | Harder ↑ |
| Jan 2024 | ~175 | 155 – 198 | 43 marks | Similar → |
| Jan 2025 | ~170 | 148 – 200 | 52 marks | Harder ↑ |
| Jan 2026 | ~162 | 155 – 171 | 16 marks | Much Harder ↑↑ / More Balanced ✓ |
✓ Don't target raw marks — April's difficulty varies wildly. A 170 in a tough April shift > 185 in an easy one.
✓ Physics accuracy over speed — conceptual questions are increasing, formula shortcuts are decreasing.
✓ Chemistry scoring — it remains the most predictable section; maximize it for a rank boost.
✓ If your January percentile already qualifies you for Advanced, use April to improve rank, not just percentile.
✓ Practice the full 3-hour paper under exam conditions — endurance matters as much as knowledge.
✗ Don't assume April will be easier — historically it's often harder on average than January.
✗ Don't change your entire strategy based on one tough/easy shift's data.
✗ Don't attempt all 90 questions — NTA's negative marking (-1 per wrong) punishes guessing severely.
✗ Don't ignore the April session if your January percentile is borderline — even a 0.5%ile improvement can change your rank by 6,000–7,000.
✗ Don't compare your raw marks with friends from different shifts — it's meaningless without normalization.
Looking at the last 3 years of data, the April session has consistently required 5–15 more marks on average to achieve the same percentile compared to the January session. This is likely because April-session students have had additional months to prepare and the competitive pool is stronger. However, 2026 could be different — the harder January paper may have filtered out more candidates, making April a more level playing field. Watch the official NTA announcements closely.
The overall drop in marks required for high percentiles in 2026 wasn't uniform across subjects. Here's a breakdown of how each subject performed relative to 2025 across the Jan session:
The 2026 shift toward conceptual Physics is not a one-year anomaly — it mirrors the long-term trajectory of JEE Main since 2022. If you're preparing for April 2026, prioritize understanding over memorization in Physics. Chemistry NCERT mastery remains non-negotiable for scoring 35+ in that section. For Mathematics, practice timed full-length papers — accuracy under time pressure matters more than any specific topic.
Your strategy for improving from one percentile band to the next is very different at each level. Here's a targeted guide based on where you currently stand:
Based on January 2026 average shift difficulty, here's a combined marks → percentile → rank → likely admission outcome table for General category students. Remember: marks are shift-dependent, so treat this as a guide, not a guarantee.
| Approx Marks | Percentile | Approx Rank | Likely Outcome (General / OS) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 240+ | 99.9+ | < 1,400 | IIT Bombay/Delhi CSE (via JEE Advanced) |
| 200–230 | 99.7 – 99.9 | 1,400 – 4,000 | Top NIT CSE / IIT Kanpur-level via Advanced |
| 175–200 | 99.3 – 99.7 | 4,000 – 9,000 | NIT Trichy/Warangal CSE or IIIT Hyderabad CSE |
| 162–175 | 99.0 – 99.3 | 9,000 – 14,000 | Tier 1 NIT ECE / Tier 2 NIT CSE |
| 145–162 | 98.0 – 99.0 | 14,000 – 27,000 | Tier 2 NIT CSE (Durgapur, Jalandhar, Bhopal) |
| 128–145 | 97.0 – 98.0 | 27,000 – 40,000 | Tier 2 NIT ECE / Tier 3 NIT CSE |
| 110–128 | 95.0 – 97.0 | 40,000 – 67,000 | Tier 3 NIT ECE or Core / Good GFTI CSE |
| 88–110 | 93.0 – 95.0 | 67,000 – 93,000 | Tier 3–4 NIT Core / GFTI branches |
| 70–88 | 88.0 – 93.0 | 93,000 – 1,55,000 | Tier 4 NIT (NE states) / GFTI |
| Below 70 | < 88 | > 1,55,000 | State engineering colleges / private options |
This is normalization in action. If your friend appeared in a tougher shift (e.g., 22 Jan S2), scoring 140 marks might earn a higher percentile than your 148 marks in an easier shift (e.g., 21 Jan S2). Raw marks don't determine percentile — your performance relative to your shift does.
162 marks corresponds to roughly 99 percentile on average. If this translates to a rank of ~13,000, yes — attempting April could improve your rank further. Even a 0.3 percentile jump from 99.0 to 99.3 can move you from rank 13,000 to rank 9,000, significantly changing your NIT options.
Yes, unless you're already in the top 500 ranks. JEE Main's best percentile across both sessions is used for JoSAA counseling (NITs/IIITs). Even if you're IIT-bound, a better JEE Main rank serves as a backup if your JEE Advanced result is disappointing.
No — because of NTA normalization, the percentile you earn in a tough shift is equivalent to the same percentile in an easy shift. The concern is your raw marks comparison with friends, which can be misleading. Always compare percentiles, not raw marks.
At 95 percentile (approximately rank 67,000), you're in range for Core branches (Mechanical, Civil, Chemical) at Tier 2–3 NITs and CSE at Tier 3–4 NITs. For OBC-NCL category, 95 percentile unlocks significantly better options including Tier 2 NIT ECE.
Historically, the April session has slightly higher marks required for the same percentile (more candidates, often easier papers). However, the final rank used for JoSAA uses your best percentile across both sessions, so attempting April is almost always beneficial.
See opening & closing ranks for all 31 NITs — CSE, ECE, and Core branches with category-wise data.
View NIT CutoffsJEE Advanced closing ranks for all 23 IITs tier-wise. Includes female supernumerary and category data.
View IIT CutoffsInput your percentile or rank to find which NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs you can get into via JoSAA.
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