What is Percentile in JEE: Understanding Calculation, Rank & Importance

What is Percentile in JEE: Understanding Calculation, Rank & Importance

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Team Careers360Updated on 21 Oct 2025, 12:34 PM IST
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What is Percentile in JEE? - Aspirants of JEE Main who are wondering what percentile means have come to the right place. Careers360 has explained in detail what is percentile in JEE Mains signifies and how it is calculated in this article. Candidates aiming for engineering admissions in India appear for the national-level JEE Mains exam every year. Admission to NITs, IIITs and GFTIs is based on the candidate’s performance in the JEE Main examination. National testing authority will conduct the JEE Main 2026 exam for session 1 from January 21 to 30, 2026 while session 2 is scheduled for April 1 to 10, 2026.
Also Check: JEE Main 2026 Registration I JEE Main 2026 exam date

This Story also Contains

  1. What is Percentile?
  2. How is Percentile Calculated in JEE Main?
  3. JEE Main Percentile vs Marks 2026
What is Percentile in JEE: Understanding Calculation, Rank & Importance
What is Percentile in JEE: Understanding Calculation, Rank & Importance

Lakhs of students appear for the exam each year hence the results are announced in terms of "percentiles," which are crucial for determining a candidate's relative performance in comparison to others Read through the article to understand what exactly is a percentile in JEE Mains and how is it calculated.

What is Percentile?

A percentile is a statistical measure that indicates the relative rank of a candidate in a given population. It helps in comparing the performance of a candidate with that of others in the same group. A percentile score reflects the percentage of candidates who have scored lower than or equal to a particular candidate.

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For example, if a candidate has a percentile of 95 in JEE Main, it means that the candidate has scored better than 95% of all the candidates who appeared for the exam. A higher percentile indicates better performance, while a lower percentile shows a relatively lower ranking as compared to other examinees.

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How is Percentile Calculated in JEE Main?

The National Testing Agency (NTA), the conducting body for JEE Main, uses a formula to compute the percentile for each candidate. This ensures that the score reflects the candidate's standing in relation to others. One of the key factors in JEE Main percentile calculation is the normalization process. Since JEE Main is held in multiple shifts and sessions, the difficulty level of the exam may vary. To account for this variation, the NTA uses a normalization method that adjusts the scores based on the relative performance of candidates in each shift. This ensures fairness in the evaluation process and makes sure that candidates are not disadvantaged due to the exam’s difficulty. In the case of JEE Main, percentile calculation is a bit more complex because it is not based on raw marks, but instead on the relative performance of all the candidates. The percentile score in JEE Main is calculated using the following formula

Calculating JEE Main Percentile

Total Percentile (T1P)

(100 x No. of candidates from the session with a raw score equal to or less than T1 score) / Total No. of candidates who appeared in the session

Mathematics Percentile (M1P)

(100 x No. of candidates appeared from the session with a raw score equal to or less than than M1 score in Mathematics)

/ Total No. of candidates who appeared in the session

Chemistry Percentile (C1P):

(100 x No. of candidates appeared from the session with a raw score equal to or less than C1 score in Chemistry) / Total No. of candidates who appeared in the session

Physics Percentile (P1P)

(100 x No. of candidates appeared from the session with raw score equal to or less than P1 score in Physics) / Total No. of candidates who appeared in the session

JEE Main percentile calculation

JEE Main Percentile vs Marks 2026

NTA calculates the JEE Main 2026 percentile by applying the process of normalization of marks. There is a certain number of marks against which the percentile score is allotted which in turn can be called the JEE Main 2026 marks vs percentile. Aspirants may refer to the table below to know the expected range of marks for which a certain percentile is allotted to the respective candidates.

JEE Main Percentile vs Marks 2026 (Expected)

Marks out of 300

Percentile

288- 294

99.99826992- 99.99890732

280-284

99.99617561 - 99.99790569

270-279

99.99034797 - 99.99417236

252- 268

99.95228621- 99.99016586

231-249

99.87388626-99.95028296

215-230

99.74522293-99.87060821

202-214

99.57503767- 99.73930423

190-200

99.39319714- 99.56019541

175-189

99.02150308 - 99.3487614

161-174

98.52824811-98.99673561

149-159

98.07460288-98.49801724

132-148

97.0109678-97.97507774

120-131

96.0687115-96.93721175

110-119

95.05625037-95.983027

102-109

94.01228357-94.96737888

95-101

93.05600452 -93.89928202

89-94

92.05811248 -92.88745828

79-88

90.0448455 -91.79177119

62-87

84.56203931-91.59517945

41-61

70.26839007-84.22540213

1-42

66.6590786-69.5797271

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the percentile score in JEE?
A:

In JEE Mains, a percentile score indicates how many students are equal to or less than the said percentile. It shows the performance of the candidate with respect to all other students who took the exam.

Q: How is JEE percentile calculated?
A:

The National Testing Agency uses a set formula for the calculation of percentile in JEE Mains. Candidates must check the JEE Mains percentile calculator for more details on how the percentile is calculated.

Q: Is a higher percentile better in JEE?
A:

Yes, a higher percentile indicates a better performance of the individual as compared to others who took the test.

Q: Can two students have the same percentile in JEE?
A:

Yes. It is possible for two students to have the same percentile in JEE Mains. In this situation, the authorities use the JEE Mains tie-breaking rule for the allocation of ranks.

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Questions related to JEE Main

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to JEE Main ?

Preparing for the JEE Main in just 30 days is a challenging but achievable task if you follow a highly disciplined and strategic approach. According to the Careers360 30-day study plan , the key is to shift your focus from learning everything to mastering high-weightage topics and practicing rigorously.

Phase 1: Week 1 & 2 – Focus on High-Weightage Chapters

During the first 15 days, prioritize topics that frequently appear in the exam.

  • Physics: Modern Physics, Heat & Thermodynamics, Optics, and Current Electricity.

  • Chemistry: GOC (General Organic Chemistry), Chemical Bonding, p-Block elements, and Solutions.

  • Maths: Matrices & Determinants, Sequences & Series, Coordinate Geometry, and Vector & 3D Geometry.

  • Study Strategy: Use NCERT for Chemistry and simplified notes for Physics/Maths. Spend 3-4 hours on each subject daily.

Phase 2: Week 3 – Revision and Formula Memorization

  • Short Notes: Go through the short notes you made during the first two weeks.

  • Flashcards: Use flashcards for inorganic chemistry reactions and physics formulas.

  • Mock Tests: Start giving one full-length mock test every alternate day. Analyze your mistakes immediately to avoid repeating them.

Phase 3: Final Week – Full Simulation and Relaxation

  • Previous Year Papers (PYQs): Solve the last 3-5 years of JEE Main papers in the actual exam time slot (9 AM–12 PM or 3 PM–6 PM) to sync your body clock.

  • No New Topics: Stop picking up new chapters. Focus solely on what you already know to build confidence.

  • Accuracy over Speed: Focus on getting the questions right rather than attempting all of them, as negative marking can significantly lower your percentile.

Downloadable Resources:

You can download the comprehensive day-by-day schedule, which includes specific topics to cover each morning and evening, by visiting the link : https://engineering.careers360.com/download/ebooks/jee-main-study-plan-30-days

Hello,

If you filled the JEE Main January form with Class 12 passed in 2025 and are planning to appear again for the Class 12 exam through HOS, there is usually no serious issue. You were eligible to apply since you had already passed Class 12. Reappearing through HOS for improvement or requalification is allowed, provided HOS is a recognized board. During counselling, your latest valid Class 12 result will be considered. Make sure you meet the 75% marks or top 20 percentile requirement where applicable. If a correction window opens, update details if needed.

Hope this has solved your query. Thank You.

Good Evening,

Yes, you are eligible for both JEE Mains and Advanced, as you completed your 12th with physics, chemistry and biology. Moreover, you passed mathematics in 2025, which makes you fit the eligibility criteria of both exams.

Aspirant, I would like to inform you that Careers360 recently launched a free mock test series for JEE students. The last date of registration is 8th January, 2026. Enroll and solve chapter wise question papers and improve you concept and assess your learning. The link to the mock test series is attached herewith. https://learn.careers360.com/test-series-jee-main-free-mock-test/

Best regards.


Hello,
Since the NTA conducts exams in Tamil, these official papers will have a Tamil language option. Kindly check the following link to get the question papers.
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/jee-main-question-papers
I hope this helps you.

Hello there,

Understanding and solving different question papers is one of the best practice for the preparation specially when it comes to JEE mains. It gives you proper understanding of the exam pattern, important topics to cover and marking scheme.

Here is the link attached from the official website of Careers360 which will provide you with the link of previous year question papers on chemistry in PDF format. Hope it helps!

https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/jee-mains-chemistry-questions-in-last-year-exam-premium

thank you!