JEE Mains eligibility marks in 12th for General category have not been set by NTA. You do not need to have a minimum score in class 12 to qualify for JEE Mains.
To appear in JEE Mains, you just need to pass class 12 from a recognised board. There is no eligibility score for JEE Mains. Qualifying marks only apply to JEE Advanced and Admission.
- There is no minimum qualifying mark in class 12 to appear in JEE Mains.
- No percentage or percentile has been set as a qualifying criterion.
- For JEE Advanced and for admissions into IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs, you should have passed class 12 with a minimum of 75% aggregate marks or should be in the top 20 percentiles.
- Minimum eligibility percentage for private institutions varies across 40-75% across categories
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Key Summary
- There is no minimum mark required in class 12 to appear for JEE Mains
- For JEE Advanced, you should have a 75% aggregate in class 12 or be in the top 20 percentiles.
- This marks threshold differs for SC/ST/PwD: 65% in class 12 is needed for the reserved categories of SC/ST/PwD.
- Of the 5 or 6 subjects in class 12, Mathematics and Physics are compulsory.
- There is no age limit to appear in JEE Mains, but you should have passed Class 12 in the last two years (for 2026, you should have passed in 2024, 2025) or be appearing for the current year class 12th board exam ( for JEE 2026, you should be appearing for the 2026 12th board exam)
JEE Mains Eligibility Marks in 12th for General
- JEE Mains eligibility marks in 12th for General category can be a little confusing. Let’s get it clarified.
- There is no minimum mark required for the General category to apply and appear in the JEE Main exam.
- In fact, there are no 12th eligibility marks prescribed by the NTA.
- Eligibility marks apply only to admissions into IITs, NITs, and GFTIs.
| Level of Admission/Exam | Minimum 12th marks required | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| JEE Mains | No minimum marks required | Passed Class 12OrAppearing in the exam year |
| NITs/IIITs/GFTIs-Admissions | 75% in Class 12 OrTop 20 percentile in the Respective Board | Compulsory for the General category |
| JEE Advanced | 75% in Class 12 OrTop 20 percentile in the Respective Board | Compulsory for the General category |
| Admissions into Private colleges | 45-60% Varies across Institutions | Varies as per the respective college’s eligibility criteria rules |
JEE Main Eligibility Marks in 12th for OBC
- There are no Eligibility marks in 12th for OBC for appearing in JEE Mains.
- However, for admissions, you should have a 75% aggregate in class 12 or be in the top 20 percentiles.
- No minimum aggregate marks are required for appearing in JEE Mains.
- The subject combination, however, needs to have Mathematics and Physics compulsorily.
- The rest of the eligibility criteria are similar to those of the General Category
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JEE Main Attempts 2026JEE Main Eligibility Marks in 12th for SC
- For the SC category, there are no eligibility marks in Class 12 to appear in JEE Mains.
- For the JEE Advanced SC/ST categories, have a 10% relaxation as compared to the General/OBC/EWS category.
- SC/ST candidates must have a minimum of 65% marks in class 12 JEE Advanced.
- This 65% rule applies to admissions into IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.
State-wise JEE Mains Eligibility Marks in 12th for General
- For the General category, candidates need 75% marks in Class 12 or a position in the top 20th percentile of their board.
- This rule applies only to admissions into NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.
- Also, these class 12 eligibility marks apply to the JEE Advanced application and admissions into IITs.
- For JEE Mains, no minimum marks or percentage is required.
- The total marks differ across boards. They range from 500-1200.
- 75% marks of students from states like Bihar, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram, West Bengal, Goa, Jharkhand, and Chhattisgarh can be considered, as 75% in these state boards are higher than the top 20 percentile.
- The top 20 percentile need to be considered if you are from Andhra Pradesh, Telangana, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, as they are above 75%.
- Karnataka, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Odisha do not release percentiles; hence, certificates need to be attached.
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Top BE/B.Tech Colleges in India Accepting JEE Main| States | Boards | Total Marks for Class 12 | 75%marks | Estimated Top 20 percentile marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Andra Pradesh | BIEAP | 1000 | 750 | 470/500 |
| Arunachal Pradesh | APBSE | 500 | 375 | NR |
| Assam | AHSEC | 500 | 375 | 306 |
| Bihar | BSEB | 500 | 375 | 345 |
| Chhattisgarh | CGBSE | 600 | 450 | 367/500 |
| Goa | GBSHSE | 500 | 375 | 366 |
| Gujarat | GSEB(HSC) | 600 | 450 | 392 |
| Haryana | HBSE | 500 | 375 | 414 |
| Himachal Pradesh | HPBOSE | 700 | 525 | NR |
| Jharkhand | JAC | 500 | 375 | 366 |
| Karnataka | KSEAB(DPU) | 600 | 450 | NR |
| Kerala | DHSE | 1200 | 900 | 476 |
| Madhya Pradesh | MPBSE | 500 | 375 | 415 |
| Maharashtra | MSBSHSE(HSC) | 600 | 450 | 378 |
| Manipur | COHSEM | 500 | 375 | 402 |
| Meghalaya | MBOSE(HSSLC) | 500 | 375 | 319 |
| Mizoram | MBSE | 500 | 375 | 338 |
| Nagaland | NBSE | 500 | 375 | 382 |
| Odisha | CHSE | 600 | 450 | NR |
| Punjab | PSEB | 650 | 488 | NR |
| Rajasthan | RBSE | 500 | 375 | NR |
| Sikkim | SBOS | 500 | 375 | NR |
| Tamil Nadu | TNBSE(HSE) | 600 | 450 | 431 |
| Telangana | TNBIE | 1000 | 750 | 477 |
| Tripura | TBSE | 500 | 375 | NR |
| Uttar Pradesh | UPMSP | 500 | 375 | 385 |
| Uttarakhand | UBSE | 500 | 375 | 383 |
| West Bengal | WBCHSE | 500 | 375 | 348 |
| Andaman Nicobar | CBSE/NIOS | 500 | 375 | 422 |
| Chandigarh | CBSE/PSEB | 500 | 375 | 422 |
| Dadra & Nagaravelli and Daman & Diu | CBSE/NIOS | 500 | 375 | 422 |
| Delhi | DBSE/CBSE | 500 | 375 | 422 |
| Jammu and Kashmir | JKBOSE | 500 | 375 | 396-JKBOSE422-CBSE |
| Ladakh | JKBOSE/CBSE/NIOS | 500 | 375 | 396-JKBOSE422-CBSE |
| Lakshadweep | CBSE/NIOS | 500 | 375 | 422 |
| Puddhucheri | CBSE/NIOS | 500 | 375 | 422 |
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JEE MainMarks Vs Percentile vs RankJEE Main Eligibility Marks in 12th-Subject-wise
- There are no subject-wise eligibility marks to appear in JEE Mains.
- You should have cleared the class 12 examination in 2024-2025, or be appearing for 2026.
- No minimum subject-wise eligibility marks are fixed to apply for or appear in JEE Mains.
- The only rule that applies is- you should have passed class 12 in the past 2 years or be appearing in the current year.
- If you fail in current year exam, your JEE Mains score will not be valid.
- Here is the subject combination required to appear in JEE Mains.
- However, Mathematics and Physics are compulsory subjects.
- If you have failed in Physics or Mathematics in the Class 12 exam, you cannot get admitted to the Engineering program, even if you have 75% or a Top 20 percentile.
| Subjects | Requirement |
|---|---|
| Mathematics | Mandatory |
| Physics | Mandatory |
| Chemistry/Biology/Biotechnology/Technical Vocational | Any 1 compulsory |
| Language (English/Hindi/Regional) | Included for aggregate |
| Additional Subject | Base scoring will be counted for the aggregate |
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| Factors | General/OBC/EWS Eligibility Criteria | SC/ST Eligibility Criteria |
|---|---|---|
| Age Limit for JEE Mains | No age limit | No age limit |
| Age Limit for Admissions | May vary across institutions | May vary across institutions |
| Year of passing | 2024,2025, or appearing for 2026 | 2024,2025, or appearing for 2026 |
| Compulsory Subjects required | Physics and Mathematics | Physics and Mathematics |
| Additional Subjects required | Any 1 from Chemistry/Biology/Biotechnology/Technical Vocational | Any 1 from Chemistry/Biology/Biotechnology/Technical Vocational |
| Minimum marks for JEE Mains | No minimum marks | No minimum marks |
| Minimum marks for JEE Advanced | 75% in class 12OrBe in the top 20 percentile | Only 65% in class 12 |
| Minimum marks for Admissions in IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs through JoSAA | 75% in class 12OrBe in the top 20th percentile | Only 65% in class 12OrBe in the top 20th percentile |
Age limit for JEE Advanced-2026
- Candidates must be born on or after October 1, 2001.
- There is a five-year age relaxation for SC/ST/PWD candidates.
- DOB proof needs to be uploaded while applying.
| Category | Date of Birth cut-off |
|---|---|
| General/OBC/EWS | On or after October 1, 2001 |
| SC/ST/PwD | On or after October 1, 1996 |
75% Criteria for JEE Mains 2026
- There is no 75% criterion for JEE Mains 2026.
- The 75% criterion applies only to JEE Advanced and for Admissions
| Criteria | JEE Main (Exam) | JEE Advanced (Exam) | Admission to IITs / NITs / IIITs / GFTIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| 12th Marks Required | No minimum marks needed to appear | Must qualify JEE Main + meet 75%/65% rule | Mandatory 75% (Gen/EWS/OBC)and 65% (SC/ST/PwD) OR Top 20 percentile |
| Percentile Option | Not required to appear | Required for admission eligibility | Accepted as an alternative to % |
| Applicability | For exam registration | For JEE Advanced registration & admission | For final seat allocation in IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs |
Category-wise Top 20% cut off for various Class 12 Boards
| Board / Council | GEN | GEN-EWS | OBC-NCL | SC | ST | PwD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aligarh Muslim University, Aligarh | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| AMU Board of Secondary & Sr. Sec. Education | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Cambridge International (IGCSE) | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| CBSE (International) | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) | 419 | 411 | 411 | 388 | 375 | 375 |
| Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (CISCE – ISC) | 449 | 438 | 438 | 426 | 384 | 384 |
| Dayalbagh Educational Institute (Deemed University), Agra | 459 | 428 | 428 | 417 | 353 | 353 |
| Directorate General of Military Training (RIMC) | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| International Baccalaureate (IB) | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| National Institute of Open Schooling (NIOS) | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Pearson Edexcel Ltd, London | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies, Hyderabad | 9.52 | 9.52 | 9.55 | 9.16 | 9.23 | 7.44 |
| Vishwa Bharti University, Shantiniketan | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| WB Council of Rabindra Open Schooling | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
Category-wise Top 20% cut off for various Class 12 State Boards
| Board / Council | GEN | GEN-EWS | OBC-NCL | SC | ST | PwD |
| Andhra Pradesh Board of Intermediate Education | 475 | 464 | 464 | 446.5 | 437 | 437 |
| Assam Higher Secondary Education Council | 303 | 303 | 317 | 300 | 277 | 277 |
| Bharatiya Shiksha Board, Haridwar, Uttarakhand | 420 | 420 | 427 | 427 | 344 | 344 |
| Bihar Board of Open Schooling & Examination | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Bihar School Examination Board | 345 | 359 | 334 | 314 | 317 | 314 |
| Chhattisgarh Board of Secondary Education | 387 | 381 | 381 | 370 | 356 | 356 |
| Chhattisgarh State Open School | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Goa Board of Secondary & Higher Secondary Education | 379 | 372 | 372 | 350 | 379 | 350 |
| Gujarat Secondary & Higher Secondary Education Board | 389 | 383 | 383 | 370 | 350 | 350 |
| HP Board of School Education | 417 | 411 | 411 | 403 | 405 | 403 |
| Haryana Board of School Education | 415 | 407 | 407 | 395 | NR | 395 |
| J&K State Board of School Education | 403 | 377 | 377 | 370 | 359 | 359 |
| Jharkhand Academic Council | 366 | 366 | 376 | 356 | 351 | 351 |
| Karnataka School Examination & Assessment Board | 458 | 442 | 442 | 419 | 426 | 419 |
| Kerala Board of Higher Secondary Examinations | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| M.P. State Open School Education Board, Bhopal | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Madhya Pradesh Board of Secondary Education | 409 | 400 | 400 | 391 | 372 | 372 |
| Maharashtra State Board of Secondary. & Hr. Sec. Education | 361 | 361 | 368 | 344 | 346 | 344 |
| Manipur Council of Higher Secondary Education | 353 | 353 | 383 | 360 | 341 | 341 |
| Meghalaya Board of School Education | 328 | 328 | 342 | 321 | 300 | 300 |
| Mizoram Board of School Education | 353 | 353 | 399 | 344 | 323 | 323 |
| Nagaland Board of School Education | 375 | 359 | 359 | 376 | 357 | 357 |
| Odisha Council of Higher Secondary Education | 372 | 372 | 391 | 354 | 314 | 314 |
| Punjab School Education Board | 424 | 422 | 422 | 402 | 417 | 402 |
| Rajasthan Board of Secondary Education | 436 | 436 | 439 | 425 | 417 | 417 |
| Rajasthan State Open School, Jaipur | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Tamil Nadu Board of Higher Secondary Examinations | 441 | 441 | 441 | 441 | 433 | 426 |
| Telangana Open School Society | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Telangana State Board of Intermediate Education | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR | NR |
| Tripura Board of Secondary Education | 352 | 341 | 341 | 317 | 283 | 283 |
| U.P. Board of High School & Intermediate Education | 373 | 365 | 365 | 353 | 332 | 332 |
| Uttarakhand Board of School Education | 346 | 346 | 346 | 346 | 346 | 346 |
| West Bengal Council of Higher Secondary Education | 357 | 357 | 366 | 341 | 305 | 305 |
| Andhra Pradesh Open School Society | 348 | 348 | 348 | 348 | 348 | 348 |
NR-Not Released
JEE Mains eligibility marks in 12th for General FAQs
Ques: How many marks are required in class 12 for JEE Mains?
Ans: No marks are required for JEE Mains.
- You should have passed class 12 in 2024 or 2025.
- Or you should be appearing for 2the 026 Class 12 exam.
- No minimum marks for appearing for JEE Mains.
Ques: Is 75 compulsory for JEE Mains?
Ans: No, 75% is not compulsory for JEE Mains.
- 75% minimum score in Class 12 is only applicable for JEE Advanced and Admissions into IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.
- You should either have75% aggregate in class 12 or be in the top 20 percentiles in class 12 for JEE Advanced and Admissions into IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.
- For SC/ST, the minimum class 12 score for JEE Advanced and Admissions is 65%.
Ques: Does the 12th mark matter for JEE?
Ans: Yes,12th marks matter for JEE.
- Without passing Class 12, you cannot give JEE Mains.
- Without 75% in class 12, you cannot JEE Advanced and cannot get admitted into any IITs, NITs, IIITs, or GFTIs.
- For SC/ST/PwD candidates, the threshold is 65%
Ques: Can I get NIT with 70% in class 12?
Ans: No, you cannot get into NIT with 70% if you are a General category candidate.
- If you belong to the SC/ST/PwD category, you can get into NIT with 70%, provided you fulfill all other criteria.
Ques: Can a 12th grader fail give JEE?
Ans: No, a 12th fail cannot give JEE.
- To apply and appear in JEE, you have to pass Class 12.
Ques: Is the 75% criterion removed from JEE in 2026?
Ans: No, the 75% criterion is not removed from JEE in 2025.
- 75% minimum class 12 marks criteria is still valid for JEE Advanced and Admissions into IITs, IITs, NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.
Ques. Which college accepts JEE Main scores without 75%?
Ans: Several private colleges accept JEE Main scores for admissions without the 75% criterion.
- VIT University, SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Shiv Nadar University, Chandigarh University, Manipal Institute of Technology, PES University, and Jain University are some private institutions that accept JEE Main scores without the 75% criterion.
- These institutions set their own Class 12 qualifying marks ranging from 40-65% across categories
Ques. Can I give JEE Advanced in 2026 if I passed 12th in 2024?
Ans: Yes, you can give JEE Advanced if you have passed class 12th in 2024.
- For 2026 JEE, you should have passed class 12 in 2024 and 2025 or should be giving the class 12 examination in 2026.
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