JEE Main Reservation Criteria 2026 - The National Testing Agency will release the JEE Mains 2026 reservation criteria on the official website, jeemain.nta.ac.in. Candidates will be able to check the JEE Main reservation criteria 2026 on this page once it is released. The JEE Main reservation criteria 2026 for candidates are GEN-EWS-10%, OBC-NCL-27%, SC-15%, ST-7.5% and PwD-5%. The JEE Main 2026 reservation criteria will include the category-wise percentage of IIT reservation 2026 and eligibility conditions for admissions under the reservations. Candidates must review these criteria to understand the benefits available. The authority will conduct the JEE Main 2026 exam for session 1 tentatively in last week of January, 2026. The JEE Main entrance exam in two sessions.
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Candidates appearing for the JEE Main 2026 exam must note that the reservation percentage beneficial includes lower application fees, cutoff marks, and also the course/ admission fee payable at the time of admission in the JEE Main participating institutes. Various institutes may follow the central JEE Mains reservation percentage, while others may apply for female quotas, home state quotas, and other state quotas. Candidates can refer to the article below that provides a solution to the confusion on reservation criteria of IIT JEE Main 2026.
Categories | JEE Main Reservation Percentage |
General Economically Weaker Sections (GEN-EWS) | 10% |
Scheduled Castes (SC) | 15% |
Scheduled Tribes (ST) | 7.5% |
Non-Creamy Layer of Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL) | 27% |
Persons with Disabilities | 5% in each category |
There is a list of other backward classes (non-creamy layer) on the website of the National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) called the Central list which has to be followed under JEE Main reservation percentage 2026. Those candidates who fall under this list will be selecting the option of OBC reservation in JEE Mains while filling out the JEE Mains 2026 application form. There will be OBC reservations in IIT and SC reservations in JEE mains based on the scores. Other candidates who fall under the OBC list as per the list of their respective states will have to choose the General category.
Candidates who are suffering from 40% or more disability (specified disability) as certified by the certifying authority can claim benefits from JEE Main 2026 reservation criteria. Given below are the categories of specified disabilities to be considered under the PwD category:
Blindness and low vision
Deaf and hard of hearing
Locomotor disabilities including cerebral palsy, leprosy, dwarfism, acid attack victims, and muscular dystrophy
Autism, intellectual disability, specific learning disability, and mental illness,
Multiple disabilities
Other specified disabilities
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Recognizing the importance of gender diversity in the field of engineering, many institutions participating in JEE Main have introduced a reservation policy specifically for women candidates. This initiative aims to empower and encourage more women to pursue engineering education. Generally, around 5% of seats are reserved for women aspirants, ensuring equal opportunities and promoting inclusivity in technical education. Women candidates applying for JEE Main can avail of this reservation by applying through the designated Women Quota System, contributing to the growth of a more balanced and diverse engineering community.
Recognizing the importance of providing equal opportunities, the JEE Main exam extends reservation benefits to candidates under the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) category. Approximately 5% of the total seats are set aside for PwD candidates across all categories. To avail themselves of this reservation, candidates should have a disability of 40% or more, which encompasses various types of impairments such as locomotor, visual, and severe dyslexic conditions. This inclusive approach aims to create an environment where candidates with disabilities can pursue their engineering aspirations without any hindrances, fostering diversity and representation within the technical education landscape. Students can check the JEE PWD criteria on this article.
In the pursuit of promoting inclusivity and providing equal opportunities, the JEE Main exam introduces reservation benefits for candidates from various categories. Candidates belonging to Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) can avail of a reservation benefit of 10% of the total seats. EWS Reservation in JEE Mains steps towards social equity ensure that deserving candidates from economically disadvantaged backgrounds have an enhanced chance to secure admissions to engineering institutions. The EWS Quota in JEE Mains initiative contributes to creating a diverse and inclusive academic environment, where talent transcends economic constraints. Candidates can refer to the JEE Quota on this page.
The JEE Main reservation system extends to state universities, aiming to provide opportunities to candidates from different regions. Two primary categories define this reservation:
Home State Quota: Candidates who have passed their class XII examinations from a specific state and have also cleared the JEE Main exam are eligible for the home state quota. Under this quota, eligibility for home state quota in NIT candidates receive preference in admissions to institutes within their home state compared to candidates from other states.
Other State Quota: This category encompasses JEE Main candidates who are applying from states and union territories other than their home state. While these candidates may not enjoy the same preference as home state candidates, they can still compete for seats at the state universities.
To claim the benefits provided for candidates under reserved categories, candidates have to follow certain formalities. Given below are the steps to claim an IIT reservation percentage in JEE Mains 2026
The very first step that candidates have to take is filling out the JEE Main 2026 application form which requires them to fill in various details including the category under which they fall. They are not required to provide the category proof at this stage. So, if a student misses selecting the correct reserved category, the authorities do not accept further claims.
At the time of JEE Main 2026 counselling, candidates will be required to produce certain documents including that of caste or category certificate.
Those candidates who are unable to show proof of having a claim under JEE Main reservation percentage 2026 will be taken as candidates under the unreserved or general category.
Just a statement or mere clicking on the reserved category while applying shall not be enough and candidates will be required to provide certain proofs as mentioned below for a claim as per reservation criteria 2026 of JEE Main:
Category certificate issued in the prescribed format by the competent authority
Caste or Tribe certificates in case of SC/ ST
Disability certificate issued by the competent authority in case of Persons with a disability
Various institutes take up admissions into engineering courses through IIT JEE Main, and they have their reservation criteria. Talking about the Institutes of national importance, given below are the reservations in IIT JEE Advanced 2026 for such institutes:
Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) - All the Indian Institutes of Technology are under the central government and thus, they follow the All India Quota while offering admissions into engineering courses.
Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs) - Admissions into IITs are based on All India Quota as well as Home State and Other State Quotas.
Government Funded Technical Institutes (GFTIs) - As per JEE Main reservation criteria in GFTIs, admissions are made on an All India Quota basis except for Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra, Ranchi, and IIEST Shibpur wherein home state quota and other state quota are applicable, and Assam University, Silchar where home state quota is applicable for candidates belonging to Assam state and others are considered on All India basis.
National Institutes of Technology (NITs) - Unlike the IITs, the National Institutes of Technology (NITs) offer engineering admissions as per State Quota and Other State Quota basis.
According to the IIT JEE reservation percentage 2026 in the NITs, 50% of seats stand reserved under the home state quota for eligible candidates, while the rest of 50% is left for candidates of other states. Herein, the ‘Home State Quota’ stands for reservation for candidates belonging to the state where the particular NIT is located, while the ‘Other State Quota’ reflects the candidates under reserved categories and belonging to a state other than the one in which that NIT is located.
It may be noted that the National Institutes of Technology are not there for all the states and Union Territories in India, thus the table below contains the home state quota to be considered in such cases:
Union Territories | NITs |
Andaman & Nicobar Islands | |
Lakshadweep | |
Daman and Diu | NIT Goa |
Dadar and Nagar Haveli | NIT Goa |
Chandigarh |
It may be noted that the above criteria apply to all the NITs except for Warangal and Goa. For these NITs, the table below reflects the JEE Main 2026 reservation criteria followed:
Name of the NIT | Quota | Eligible candidates |
Home State Quota | Candidates belonging to Telangana claim reservation under this quota | |
Other States Quota | Candidates belonging to other states and those belonging to Andhra Pradesh, both can apply for admission under this quota | |
Andhra Pradesh Quota | Candidates belonging to the state of Andhra Pradesh can apply for admission under this quota. | |
NIT Goa | Home State Quota | Candidates belonging to Goa have 40% reservation of seats. In case of further vacancy of seats, 10% of seats are filled by candidates from Daman & Diu, Dadar & Nagar Haveli, and Lakshadweep |
Other States Quota | Candidates of Goa, Daman & Diu, Dadar & Nagar Haveli, and Lakshadweep can apply for admission |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Candidates belonging to reserved categories (OBC-NCL, EWS, SC, ST, and PwD) are required to upload their category certificate in the JEE Main 2026 application form.
No, 5% applies for PwD candidates of each category of candidates and not overall as per JEE reservation 2026.
Yes, candidates belonging to the EWS (Economically Weaker Section) category are required to submit an EWS certificate for JEE Main 2026 registration.
Candidates can submit either a Central EWS certificate or a State EWS certificate for JEE Main 2026, provided the certificate meets the criteria set by the National Testing Agency (NTA) and is valid for the relevant year of admission.
The reservation percentage for each category in JEE is as follows: GEN-EWS: 10%, SC: 15%, ST: 7.5%, OBC-NCL: 27%, and PwD: 5% within each category.
JEE state quotas include the Home State Quota and the Other State Quota. The Home State Quota applies to candidates who have passed the 12th board exam or an equivalent exam from that state.
The reserved categories in JEE Mains for institutes run by the Central Government include Scheduled Caste (SC) with 15% of seats, Scheduled Tribe (ST) with 7.5%, Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL) with 27%, General Economically Weaker Sections (GEN-EWS) with 10%, and Persons with Disabilities (PwD) with 5% reservation in each category for candidates having 40% or more disability.
JEE Main reservation benefits can be availed by candidates belonging to the following categories: GEN-EWS (10%), OBC-NCL (27%), SC (15%), ST (7.5%), and PwD (5%), including persons with disabilities.
According to the JEE Main reservation criteria, NITs reserve seats for home state candidates. Candidates who pass the 10+2 exam in their home state and qualify the JEE Main shall be eligible for the home state quota.
On Question asked by student community
In Malda district, West Bengal, the JEE Main 2025 exam centre code is WB20. Candidates from the district can choose Malda as their preferred exam centre during registration. The final allotment of centres depends on availability and preferences submitted by students. The exact number of exam halls may vary each year based on the number of applicants. Students should confirm their allotted centre through the official JEE Main admit card.
The approximate annual cost for 11th/12th PCM and JEE coaching is around 1.5 to 3.5 lakhs for institutes, excluding hostel and mess fees. The total fees including hostel as well as mess fees can rise upto 4.5 to 6.5 lakhs and above, depending on location and institute quality.
Hi dear candidate,
You can anytime visit our official website to find the previous 10 years JEE Mains question papers with solutions. Kindly refer to the link attached below to download them in PDF format:
JEE Main Last 10 Years Question Papers with Solutions (2025 to 2015)
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Hello,
For JEE Main and JEE Advanced , the cut-offs are lower for ST category students. Here is a simple idea based on recent trends:
JEE Main qualification for ST : Around 50–60 marks is usually enough to qualify for JEE Advanced.
JEE Advanced qualification for ST : You just need to clear the JEE Main cut-off, then appear for Advanced.
To get good NITs or IITs , you will need higher marks.
For NITs (Hyderabad or good branches), try for 120+ marks in JEE Main .
For IITs , even with ST quota, you should aim for at least 80–100+ marks in JEE Advanced for decent branches.
Since you are from ST category and Hyderabad , you don’t need 300 marks in JEE Main. Try to score as high as possible to get better branches, but even moderate marks can qualify you.
Hope it helps !
Yes, you can. If you do 11th from CBSE in 2025 and 12th from NIOS in 2026, then you are allowed to attempt JEE. NIOS is a valid board, so you can give JEE in 2026 and again in 2027. Just take admission on time and pass your 12th exams.
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