The JEE Main cutoff changes every year and differs across categories. While the qualifying percentile does not guarantee admission to NITs or IIITs, it is mandatory for students to appear in JEE Advanced exam 2026. As our experienced JEE ranks vs percentile analysis expert Supreeta Roy predicts - "Having scored 85+ percetnile in JEE Mains Session 1 exam 2026, you can expect a rank between 211,500 and 225,000. This means you will likely have to achieve 82-84.2+ marks in the paper. However, given a tough paper, this marks range may fall between 58.5-59.9+. With this percentile score, students can get admission to IIIT Bhagalpur, IIIT Gwalior, NIT Goa etc. But top NITs are usually out of reach, especially for the General category candidates." The article deals with the expected marks vs rank for 85+ percentile in JEE Mains 2026, estimated using this year's difficulty level and recent cutoff trends.
Also Check - 140 Marks in JEE Main 2026 Predicted Percentile Score and Rank
85+ Percentile in JEE Main 2026 Predictions and Expectations
Check out predicted marks vs rank for 85+ percentile in JEE Mains 2026 based on the difficulty level of the paper:
Percentile | Expected Marks for Easy Paper | Expected Marks for Medium Paper | Expected Marks for Difficult Paper | Expected Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|
85.9 percentile | 84.2+ | 73.9+ | 59.9+ | ≲ 211,500 |
85.8 percentile | 83.9+ | 73.7+ | 59.8+ | ≲ 213,000 |
85.7 percentile | 83.7+ | 73.5+ | 59.6+ | ≲ 214,500 |
85.6 percentile | 83.4+ | 73.3+ | 59.4+ | ≲ 216,000 |
85.5 percentile | 83.2+ | 73.1+ | 59.3+ | ≲ 217,500 |
85.4 percentile | 83+ | 72.8+ | 59.1+ | ≲ 219,000 |
85.3 percentile | 82.7+ | 72.6+ | 58.9+ | ≲ 220,500 |
85.2 percentile | 82.5+ | 72.4+ | 58.7+ | ≲ 222,000 |
85.1 percentile | 82.2+ | 72.2+ | 58.6+ | ≲ 223,500 |
| 85 percentile | 82+ | 72+ | 58.4+ | ≲ 225,000 |
Which IIITs accept 85+ percentile for CSE?
The IITs offer a wide range of engineering disciplines, with Computer Science Engineering (CSE), Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, and Civil Engineering being the most common with 85+ in JEE Main 2026. Among these, IIIT Allahabad and IIITM Gwalior are sought after for CSE and ECE, and COEP is an excellence institution for core engineering disciplines. Check out the list of IIITs accepting 85+ percentile for CSE course from the table below:
Percentile Range | Expected AIR Range | Possible IIITs | Likely Branches | Admission Chances |
|---|---|---|---|---|
99 – 100 | Up to 8,000 | IIIT Allahabad, IIIT Gwalior, IIIT Jabalpur | CSE | Very High |
75-80 | 8,000 – 20,000 | IIIT Lucknow, IIIT Guwahati, IIIT Kancheepuram | CSE, ECE | High |
80-85 | 20,000 – 35,000 | IIIT Dharwad, IIIT Nagpur, IIIT Kottayam | CSE, ECE | Moderate to High |
85- 87 | 35,000 – 70,000 | IIIT Bhopal, IIIT Bhagalpur, IIIT Una, IIIT Ranchi | ECE, IT, lesser-known branches | Moderate |
Below 87 | 70,000+ | IIITs with fewer applicants or niche branches (possible only if seats remain after higher rounds) | Non-core or interdisciplinary branches | Low (Consider backup options or reserved seats) |
On the basis of estimated percentile ranks, assess which colleges you might get a seat in using our JEE Main 2026 college predictor tool.
Also Check - 99.97+ Percentile in JEE Main 2026 Predictions and Expectations
Can I get a government college with an 85 percentile in JEE Mains?
Check out the list of government colleges with 85+ percentile in the JEE Mains 2026:
College Name | Institute Type | Popular Branches | Approx Fees (B.Tech) |
|---|---|---|---|
NIT Agartala | NIT | Bioengineering, Chemical | ₹79,000/year |
NIT Meghalaya | NIT | Civil, Mechanical | ₹72,500/year |
NIT Raipur | NIT | Electrical, IT, Mechanical | ₹71,000/year |
NIT Jalandhar | NIT | Civil, Mechanical | ₹39,000/year |
NIT Goa | NIT | ECE | ₹62,500/year |
NIT Puducherry | NIT | CSE, Civil, Mechanical | ₹72,400/year |
IIIT Allahabad | IIIT | IT, ECE | ₹10 lakh |
IIIT Bangalore | IIIT | CSE, Data Science | ₹10 lakh |
IIIT Hyderabad | IIIT | CSE, ECE | ₹16 lakh |
BIT Mesra (Ranchi) | GFTI | CSE, Mechanical, Civil | ₹13 lakh |
As per the current year's cutoff analysis, the General cutoff for JEE Main 2026 is expected to remain above 93 percentile, reflecting high competition. OBC-NCL and EWS cutoffs usually stay close to each other, while SC and ST cutoffs offer higher relaxation. These differences apply to both qualifying and admission cutoffs and play a significant role during counselling.
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