JEE Main Reservation Criteria 2026 for SC/ST/EWS/PwD Candidates

JEE Main Reservation Criteria 2026 for SC/ST/EWS/PwD Candidates

Jalla VenkateshUpdated on 01 Sep 2025, 11:59 AM IST

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.

This Story also Contains

  1. JEE Main Reservation Criteria 2026 for OBC-NCL
  2. Persons with Disabilities (PwD) under JEE Main Reservation Criteria 2026
  3. JEE Main Reservation for Women Candidates
  4. JEE Main Reservation for Persons with Disabilities (PwD)
  5. JEE Main Reservation EWS Quota
  6. JEE Main Reservation in State Universities
  7. The process to claim a Reservation in JEE Main 2026
  8. Documents Required under JEE Main 2026 Reservation Criteria
  9. JEE Main 2026 Reservation Criteria in NITs
JEE Main Reservation Criteria 2026 for SC/ST/EWS/PwD Candidates
JEE Main 2026 Reservation Criteria

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.

JEE Main 2026 Reservation Percentage for institutes under the Central government

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

Engineering Colleges Accepting JEE Main Score

JEE Main Reservation Criteria 2026 for OBC-NCL

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.

Persons with Disabilities (PwD) under JEE Main Reservation Criteria 2026

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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JEE Main Reservation Criteria 2026- Specified Disability Categories

JEE_Main_2025_reservation_citeria_for_disabled

JEE Main Reservation for Women Candidates

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.

JEE Main Reservation for Persons with Disabilities (PwD)

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.

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JEE Main Reservation EWS Quota

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.

JEE Main Reservation in State Universities

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.

The process to claim a Reservation in JEE Main 2026

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.

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Documents Required under JEE Main 2026 Reservation Criteria

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

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JEE Main Reservation Criteria 2026 in Institutes of National Importance

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.

JEE Main 2026 Reservation Criteria in NITs

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:

UTs and Home State Quota in NITs

Union Territories

NITs

Andaman & Nicobar Islands

NIT Puducherry

Lakshadweep

NIT Goa

Daman and Diu

NIT Goa

Dadar and Nagar Haveli

NIT Goa

Chandigarh

NIT Delhi

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:

JEE Main Reservation Criteria 2026 for NIT Warangal and Goa

Name of the NIT

Quota

Eligible candidates

NIT Warangal

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)

Q: Is category certificate required for JEE Main 2026?
A:

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.

Q: Is JEE Main 2026 reservation for PwD candidates available in overall 5%?
A:

No, 5% applies for PwD candidates of each category of candidates and not overall as per JEE reservation 2026.

Q: is EWS certificate required for JEE Mains registration?
A:

Yes, candidates belonging to the EWS (Economically Weaker Section) category are required to submit an EWS certificate for JEE Main 2026 registration.

Q: Which EWS certificate is required for JEE Mains central or state?
A:

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.

Q: What is the reservation criteria for JEE?
A:

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.

Q: Who is eligible for state quota in JEE?
A:

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.

Q: Which category is reserved in JEE Mains?
A:

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.

Q: Who can avail JEE Main reservation benefits?
A:

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.

Q: What is home state quota in JEE Main?
A:

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.

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Questions related to JEE Main

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to JEE Main ?

Hi aspirant,

If you are willing to give jee and you are in 12 th then it is best to focus from now on as u have to give your boards this year as well . And according to the exam pattern you can prepare for your jee prelims with you boards at the same time it is hardly differ from each other . But if you have 0 preparation and even your basics are not clear then i suggest u to take a drop and prepare to the fullest for next year thankyou .

Hello Hari

You can find JEE Mains last 10 year Previous Year Questions (PYQs) with detailed solution at CAREERS360 website . CAREERS360 provide JEE Mains as well as JEE Advance questions with solutions in many languages like English and Hindi.

Here's the link: JEE Mains Last 10 Years PYQs by CAREERS360

Hope this link helps! Thank You!!!


Hello Aspirant,

If you already have a Class 12 from NIOS in April 2025 with 67%, you are technically considered a “pass”. But, now since you are reappearing for Class 12 through BOSSE (Sikkim) in October 2025, in order to increase your percentage to 75% (for eligibility) here is how it works:

In the JEE Main Application Form:

  • Choose "Appearing" for Class 12 (you will be giving the BOSSE oct 2025 exam).
  • Enter the passing year as 2025.

For JoSAA Counselling:

  • You must submit the latest valid marksheet, that states you have obtained more than 75%.
  • If your result from BOSSE (oct 2025) comes before counselling/document verification, then to submit BOSSE marksheet.
  • If you only submit NIOS marksheet (67%), you will not then meet the criteria for 75%, so you may be excluded from admission

Here’s a plan for JEE Mains 2026 in 4 months:

1. Divide time: 2 months for Class 12 syllabus, 1 month for Class 11, 1 month for full revision & mock tests.

2. Daily schedule: 6–7 hours study; 50% for theory & problem-solving, 50% for practice & revision.

3. Topic-wise focus: Prioritize high-weightage chapters and weak areas first.

4. Daily problem practice: Solve previous year questions and chapter-wise exercises.

5. Weekly tests: Take 1 full-length test weekly, analyze mistakes, and revise weak concepts.

6. Consistency: Avoid skipping days; maintain notes and formula sheets for quick revision.


If you want to crack JEE exam you read to dedicatedly prepared for that from the scratch to the advance focus on high weightage topic and prepare question in the time based and continuously practice the previous question this will help to know the pattern of JEE exam questions