JEE Advanced Eligibility & Cutoff: How to Qualify from JEE Main
To register for JEE Advanced, you must be among the top 2,50,000 qualifying candidates in JEE Main, distributed across category quotas. This is measured by your JEE Main percentile relative to the category-wise qualifying cutoff announced after the final JEE Main result.
In JEE Main 2026 Session 2, the qualifying cutoff for the General category was approximately 93.41 percentile. Cutoffs vary by cycle and category — always confirm the official cutoff from the NTA result announcement. Additionally, you must not have attempted JEE Advanced more than once before, and if you have previously qualified and taken admission at an IIT, you are generally not eligible.
JEE Advanced eligibility rules
| Criterion | Rule |
|---|---|
| JEE Main qualification | Must be in the top 2,50,000 across category quotas (General, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, PwD) |
| Maximum Advanced attempts | 2 attempts in 2 consecutive years |
| Year of Class 12 pass | Must have passed Class 12 in the qualifying year or the immediately preceding year (confirm in current brochure) |
| IIT admission history | Candidates who have previously accepted IIT admission are generally not eligible (confirm current rule) |
| Age | Born on or after 1 October of the relevant year for General; relaxation for SC/ST/PwD — confirm in brochure |
Eligibility rules change every cycle. Always read the current information brochure at jeeadv.ac.in.
Two-attempt rule is strict: JEE Advanced allows a maximum of 2 attempts in 2 consecutive years — unlike JEE Main, which currently has a more liberal attempt policy. If you use both Advanced attempts without securing an IIT seat, you cannot appear again. Plan accordingly. Always confirm on the official portal.
Frequently asked questions
If I am in the top 2.5 lakh overall but not in my category quota, do I qualify?
Eligibility is distributed across category-wise seat allocations, not just a single overall rank. Being in the top 2,50,000 overall is necessary but the category-wise cutoff is what determines final eligibility. Confirm the live cutoff list from the official announcement.
JEE Advanced mein do attempts ki limit kab se count hoti hai — when does the two-attempt count start?
Each year you appear in JEE Advanced counts as one attempt, whether or not you qualify or take IIT admission. Confirm your attempt history on the official portal during registration.