
As an SC category student, scoring 170 marks in JEE Advanced puts you across as a strong contender for B.Tech branches in the top-tier IITs. As per the official JEE reports of 2023, 2024, and 2025, 170 marks has been consistently yielding a highly competitive SC category rank, significantly above the 101 benchmark. Combining the last three years’ reports, we can predict that the SC rank for 170 marks will lie anywhere between 180 and 320 , considering the current paper difficulty and normalization trends. With this score, you can bag some core engineering branches, like Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical, and even CSE at some newer IITs, like IIT Guwahati or IIT Roorkee. Let’s explore more!
Also Check - Why 200 Marks in JEE Advanced 2026 is a "Power Score" for the SC Category?
What SC category rank can I expect with 170 marks in JEE Advanced 2026?
Students scoring 170 marks in JEE Advanced 2026 can expect a rank anywhere between 180 and 320, depending on the normalization trends, competition, and overall exam difficulty levels. Besides, this score clearly sits way above the SC category qualifying cutoff, which was 37 marks last year (2025). In terms of the Common Rank List (CRL), 170 marks equates to an estimated AIR 4,000–5,200.
How Have SC Rank Trends Changed in the Last 3 Years?
Over the last 3 years (2023-25), JEE rank density has considerably decreased in the 150–200 score range. This means even a difference of 10 marks can drastically alter SC category ranks. Here is a comparison of SC rank vs marks of the past three years and a predictive analysis based on that.
Year | Marks | Approx. SC Rank Range | Approx. CRL Rank Range | Trend Analysis |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2023 | 170 | SC Rank 350–600 | AIR 6000–7000 | Moderate competition |
2024 | 170 | SC Rank 250–450 | AIR 5000–6200 | Tough paper, tighter ranks |
2025 | 170 | SC Rank 180–350 | AIR 4200–5500 | Higher rank compression |
2026 (Predicted) | 170 | SC Rank 180–320 | AIR 4000–5200 | Similar trend expected |

Also Check - Is 200 a Safe Score in JEE Advanced 2026? Rank and Percentile Standing Explained
Which IITs Can SC Candidates Target with 170 Marks?
According to the official JoSAA closing ranks 2025, SC category cutoff trends, and 2026 predictive analysis, students scoring 170 marks will fall in the highly competitive range and can target top-tier IITs for core branches, like Electrical, Mechanical, CSE, Mathematics & Commuting etc.
Here is a look at the various IIT options for SC at 170 marks:
IIT Name | Realistic Branches for SC Category with 170 Marks | Official 2025 Closing Rank (SC) | Expected 2026 Closing Rank (SC) |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIT (BHU) Varanasi | CSE Mathematics & Computing Electrical Engineering | 283 674 999 | 260–300 650–720 950–1050 |
| IIT Hyderabad | AI Mathematics & Computing Electrical Engineering | 222 303 553 | 210–240 280–340 520–600 |
Mathematics & Computing CSE Electrical Engineering | 2,719 (Overall) | 2,500–2,800 (Overall) | |
| IIT Guwahati | Electronics & Communications Engineering Mechanical Engineering | 700–1,800 | 650–1,700 |
| IIT Roorkee | Mechanical Engineering Electrical Engineering | 600–1,600 | 550–1,500 |
CSE AI & Data Science | 900–2,200 | 850–2,100 | |
Electrical Engineering | 1,200–2,400 | 1,100–2,300 | |
CSE | 1,800–3,200 | 1,700–3,000 |
Key Takeaways
The 2025 official reports published by IIT Hyderabad indicate that SC category admission for Artificial Intelligence closed at 222 ranks while Mathematics & Computing closed at 303, making these highly realistic targets in the 170-marks range.
Similarly, the SC closing ranks for the most demanded Computer Science Engineering program at IIT BHU Varanasi was recorded at 283, indicating high probability of students securing a seat with around 170 marks.
So, to sum it up, a score of 170 in JEE Advanced 2026 is an excellent milestone for the SC category with an estimated rank around 180-320. This gives them plenty of opportunities to explore key engineering branches in the most reputable IITs - be it CSE core or specializations, Electrical, Mechanical or so on. Refer to the past official reports and predictions, choose your branch and institute strategically to increase your admission probability.
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FAQs
In 2025, IIT Hyderabad's SC closing rank for Artificial Intelligence was 222 and for Mathematics & Computing was 303. IIT (BHU) Varanasi's SC closing rank for Computer Science Engineering was 283.
Over the last 3 years (2023-25), the SC rank density has considerably decreased in the 150–200 score range, leading to tighter ranks. For 170 marks, SC rank shifted from 350-600 (2023) to 180-350 (2025).
With 170 marks, SC candidates can target top-tier IITs for core branches like Electrical, Mechanical, Chemical, and even CSE at newer IITs like IIT Guwahati or IIT Roorkee.
For 170 marks, the estimated Common Rank List (CRL) is between AIR 4,000–5,200.
Students scoring 170 marks in JEE Advanced 2026 can expect an SC rank anywhere between 180 and 320.















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