Got 97 Percentile in JEE Mains 2026? Here are Your Top NIT Options
If you are a student who has scored 97 percentile in JEE Main 2026, first of all congratulations on your hard work. This percentile makes you eligible
If you are a student who has scored 97 percentile in JEE Main 2026, first of all congratulations on your hard work. This percentile makes you eligible and in a strong position for admission to several National Institutes of Technology (NITs).
The next step that you need to focus on is understanding what rank this percentile corresponds to and which NITs you can realistically target during JoSAA counselling. As per estimates, a 97 percentile usually means that you have scored an All India Rank of roughly 31,500 to 45,000 according to estimates and past trends.
Further it depends on the exact score and exam difficulty. With this rank range, students can secure seats in many mid-tier NITs and some branches in top NITs, especially in later counselling rounds.
Expected Rank for 97 Percentile in JEE Main
Here is the expected rank range according to percentile for JEE Mains. This is an approximate overview that can help you understand the percentile range that you fall under so that you can simplify and shortlist your options:
JEE Main Percentile | Predicted Rank |
97.9 percentile | ≲ 31,500 |
97.8 percentile | ≲ 33,000 |
97.7 percentile | ≲ 34,500 |
97.6 percentile | ≲ 36,000 |
97.5 percentile | ≲ 37,500 |
97.4 percentile | ≲ 39,000 |
97.3 percentile | ≲ 40,500 |
97.2 percentile | ≲ 42,000 |
97.1 percentile | ≲ 43,500 |
97 percentile | ≲ 45,000 |
List of NIT Institutes for 97 Percentile in JEE Mains 2026
Here is the list of NITs that you can opt for if you have scored 97 percentile in JEE Mains. This is an approximate list based on past trends and can help you shortlist your desired institute:
NIT Name | FIeld | Quota | Gender | Closing Rank |
MNIT Jaipur | Civil Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 32608 |
NIT Manipur | Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 30611 |
NIT Tiruchirappalli | Civil Engineering | HS | Gender-Neutral | 36104 |
NIT Calicut | Bio Technology | OS | Gender-Neutral | 35922 |
NIT Goa | Computer Science and Engineering | HS | Gender-Neutral | 34858 |
NIT Hamirpur | Chemical Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 39188 |
NIT Agartala | Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 37244 |
SVNIT Surat | Chemical Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 34327 |
MANIT Bhopal | Civil Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 39973 |
IIEST Shibpur | Aerospace Engineering | HS | Gender-Neutral | 32833 |
VNIT Nagpur | Civil Engineering | HS | Gender-Neutral | 40606 |
NIT Kurukshetra | Civil Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 34647 |
NIT Jamshedpur | Mechanical Engineering | HS | Gender-Neutral | 35978 |
NIT Andhra Pradesh | Electrical and Electronics Engineering | HS | Gender-Neutral | 37297 |
NIT Silchar | Electronics and Communication Engineering | HS | Gender-Neutral | 42983 |
NIT Raipur | Electronics and Communication Engineering | HS | Gender-Neutral | 35860 |
NIT Jalandhar | Electrical Engineering | HS | Gender-Neutral | 33719 |
NIT Rourkela | Civil Engineering | HS | Gender-Neutral | 40516 |
NIT Patna | Mechanical Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 36958 |
NIT Meghalaya | Electrical and Electronics Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 36106 |
NIT Durgapur | Chemical Engineering | HS | Gender-Neutral | 38799 |
NIT Uttarakhand | Electrical and Electronics Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 32287 |
NIT Warangal | Bio Technology | HS | Gender-Neutral | 39862 |
NIT Srinagar | Electrical Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 40442 |
NIT Surathkal | Mining Engineering | HS | Gender-Neutral | 41318 |
NIT Arunachal Pradesh | Electronics and Communication Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 40722 |
MNNIT Allahabad | Materials Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 38008 |
NIT Delhi | Civil Engineering | HS | Gender-Neutral | 36329 |
NIT Sikkim | Electrical and Electronics Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 42538 |
NIT Nagaland | Electronics and Communication Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 42889 |
NIT Puducherry | Mechanical Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 42247 |
NIT Mizoram | Electronics and Communication Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 43128 |
NIT Admission Scope with 97 Percentile
At around 97 percentile, you still have a solid chance of getting into several NITs, especially in branches like:
- Civil Engineering
- Mechanical Engineering
- Chemical Engineering
- Metallurgical Engineering
- Biotechnology
- Mining Engineering
- Integrated MSc programs
- Emerging interdisciplinary fields like Mathematics and Computing
Further, your home state quota, category, gender quota, and choice filling strategy will significantly impact your chances.
In conclusion, a 97 percentile in JEE Main 2026 still gives you several strong NIT options. With an expected rank around 31,000 to 45,000, you can secure admission in top branches.