Getting admission into the CSE course in an NIT through JEE Main 2026 is becoming very competitive with every passing year. During last year's JoSAA counselling 2025, the closing ranks for top NITs like Trichy, Surathkal, and Warangal for the General category ended within the top 2000-3000 ranks, while mid-tier NITs closed their CSE seats within the 7000-12000 range. This clearly shows that the definition of a “safe rank” is not the same every year, and is different for all categories of students.
According to the CollegeDekho JEE experts, the competition is expected to rise for the limited number of CSE seats in the top NITs. Due to the increasing paper difficulty level in JEE Mains 2026 Session 1 exam, the General category cutoff will decrease. OBC, EWS, SC and ST category students can also expect a dip in the closing ranks. Understanding category-wise safe rank trends is essential for making NIT CSE choices in 2026.
Also Check - JEE Mains 2026 Marks Calculator: What Your Score Could Mean
NIT CSE Predicted Safe Rank in JEE Mains 2026
Based on last year’s opening and closing ranks, you can check here the NIT CSE expected range for Gender-Neutral, OS quota seats for JEE Mains 2026.
National Institute of Technology | Academic Program Name | Quota | Gender | Opening Rank | Closing Rank | Expected Closing Rank |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 14 | 1615 | 1645 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 299 | 1224 | 1264 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 591 | 2940 | 2980 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 1043 | 2186 | 2226 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 1501 | 4711 | 4751 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 2417 | 4191 | 4231 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 2438 | 8018 | 8058 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 2614 | 4482 | 4522 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 4472 | 6000 | 6040 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 4555 | 5795 | 5835 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 4935 | 7944 | 7984 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 5587 | 7113 | 7153 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 5736 | 11930 | 11970 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 5973 | 8765 | 8805 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 6068 | 14635 | 14675 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 6217 | 8830 | 8870 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 6318 | 18515 | 18555 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 6330 | 10957 | 10997 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 7914 | 12511 | 12551 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 8121 | 20298 | 20338 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 8376 | 12236 | 12276 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 9288 | 14442 | 14482 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 10309 | 18548 | 18588 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 10323 | 13177 | 13181 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 12751 | 21839 | 21879 | |
NIT Uttarakhand | Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 14598 | 18039 | 18079 |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 14656 | 20039 | 20079 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 15616 | 30611 | 30651 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 22046 | 28514 | 28554 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 22429 | 31391 | 31431 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 23245 | 28284 | 28324 | |
Computer Science and Engineering | OS | Gender-Neutral | 31598 | 33181 | 33221 |
*Note - The above closing ranks are just an estimation based on previous year's cutoff trends; the actual cutoff rank may differ slightly based on various other factors. For accurate rank predictions based on marks obtained, use our JEE Main rank predictor 2026 tool.
Also Check - 93+ Percentile in JEE Main 2026 Predictions and Expectations
Is 7000 a safe rank in JEE Mains for General category NIT CSE?
You can consider 7k rank in JEE Main 2026 as a safe range for students belonging to the General category and aiming for NIT CSE, but it depends mostly on the institute and quota. It may not be possible to get CSE in top NITs like Trichy, Warangal, or Surathkal as their closing ranks often range up to 2000. However, with a 7000 rank, students can opt for mid-tier or new NITs, if they have a Home State quota advantage.
General category cutoffs are highly competitive because there is no relaxation, seat availability is also limited, and B.Tech CSE is the most preferred branch due to high placement and growing demand in the job market.
With a 7000 rank, students can target NITs such as MNIT Bhopal, NIT Jamshedpur, NIT Hamirpur, NIT Patna, or newer NITs, where CSE closing ranks do not end within 4000. Also, if the students keep related branches like IT, AI, Data Science, and be open to CSAB special rounds, their admission chances can improve.
10k rank in JEE Mains 2026: Top-tier or Newer NITs, Which is Available?
10k rank in JEE Mains 2026 is considered a good rank, however, if you consider taking up CSE in top-tier NITs, then it will not be enough. NITs such as, NIT Trichy, NIT Surathkal, NIT Warangal, and NIT Allahabad have high demand for Computer Science Engineering, and their closing ranks for the General category usually range within the 2000 to 4000. So, with a 10k rank, it might not be possible to get into top-tier NITs, unless there is any sort of Home State advantage, which is also rare for CSE. You can also use our advanced JEE Main 2026 college predictor tool to assess which institutes are based suited for your ranks
At 10k rank, we will advise the students to shift their focus towards mid-tier and newer NITs, where CSE seats are open at higher closing ranks. You can choose NIT Patna, NIT Hamirpur, NIT Raipur, NIT Silchar, or newer NITs in the North-East region, depending on counselling trends. These institutes also offer good opportunities and offer great tech placements.
Also Check - NIT Trichy B.Tech CSE Cutoff 2026
Securing CSE in an NIT through JEE Mains will need a highly competitive rank, especially for General category candidates, as JEE Main NIT cutoff 2026 continue to rise every year. With top NITs closing within the top few thousand ranks and mid-tier or newer NITs extending slightly further, having a clear idea of a safe rank can help JEE Mains 2026 students plan realistic targets.
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FAQs
B.Tech CSE is the most preferred branch due to high placement rates and growing demand in the job market, leading to highly competitive cutoffs and limited seat availability.
Experts predict competition to rise. Due to increasing paper difficulty, General category cutoffs are predicted to decrease, and similar dips are expected for OBC, EWS, SC, and ST categories.
Students with a 10k rank should target mid-tier and newer NITs such as NIT Patna, Hamirpur, Raipur, Silchar, or newer NITs in the North-East region.
No, top NITs, like Trichy, Surathkal, Warangal close CSE admissions within 2000-4000 for General category. A 10k rank is usually not enough without Home State advantage, which is rare for CSE.
Yes, 7k rank should be a safe rank for mid-tier or newer NITs, especially if applying through Home State quota. Top NITs like Surathkal, Trichy, Warangal typically close around 2000 and so chances of getting a seat there would not be possible.
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