JEE Advanced 2026 SC Category Cutoff: Branch-Wise Opening and Closing Ranks

JEE Advanced 2026 SC category cutoff for CSE at top IITs is expected to range between 300 and 520 in the SC merit list, based on 2025 JoSAA Round 6 closing rank trends.

JEE Advanced 2026 results are expected on July 22, 2026, with IIT Kanpur as the conducting body. After results are declared, JoSAA counselling determines IIT seat allotment in up to six rounds. SC category students hold a 15% reservation in every IIT branch, and JoSAA publishes separate opening and closing ranks for the SC pool. Knowing these cutoffs in advance helps you shortlist realistic branch-IIT combinations before choice filling begins.

• JEE Advanced 2026 results are expected on July 22, 2026; JoSAA SC category cutoffs will be published round-wise after that.
• SC category students are ranked in a separate SC merit list; all cutoffs below are SC-specific ranks, not CRL (Common Rank List) ranks.
• Based on 2025 JoSAA Round 6 data, IIT Bombay CSE SC closing rank was 295 and IIT Delhi CSE closed at 388.
• Less-competitive branches such as Civil and Chemical Engineering at newer IITs have SC closing ranks above 4,000, offering wider access.
• All figures in this article are expected estimates based on 2024 and 2025 JoSAA trends and will be updated once official JoSAA 2026 data is released.

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JEE Advanced SC Category Cutoff: Overview

The JEE Advanced SC category cutoff is the closing rank in the SC merit list at which the last seat was allotted in a specific IIT branch during JoSAA counselling. These cutoffs are published after each round, with the Round 6 (final round) closing rank serving as the standard reference. Cutoffs vary widely — CSE at IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi has the lowest (most competitive) SC closing ranks, while branches like Civil Engineering and Metallurgy at newer IITs have significantly higher closing ranks, giving students with mid-range SC ranks viable IIT options.

The 15% SC reservation applies to every branch at every IIT. Your JEE Advanced SC merit rank — not your overall CRL rank — is what JoSAA uses for seat allotment in the SC pool. Students who qualify the JEE Advanced minimum percentage criteria for SC (which is lower than the general category threshold) are eligible for SC category seats.

• The opening rank is the numerically lowest SC rank that received a seat in a branch during Round 1 of JoSAA.
• The closing rank is the numerically highest SC rank allotted a seat in the final round — this is the key figure for planning.
• Lower closing rank number means more competition; a higher closing rank means more students can qualify for that seat pool.

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Expected JEE Advanced 2026 SC Category Cutoffs for CSE at Top IITs

The table below shows the expected SC category opening and closing ranks for Computer Science and Engineering at the top IITs in JoSAA 2026, based on 2025 JoSAA Round 6 trends. These are estimates; official cutoffs will be released during JoSAA 2026 counselling.

All ranks above are expected estimates based on 2025 JoSAA Round 6 trends and are subject to change once official JoSAA 2026 data is published.

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JEE Advanced 2025 SC Category Cutoffs: Branch-Wise Reference

The following table lists the JEE Advanced 2025 SC category opening and closing ranks from JoSAA Round 6 across multiple branches and top IITs. This is the primary benchmark for estimating 2026 cutoffs. Treat this as your baseline when assessing chances.

Data based on 2025 JoSAA Round 6 final allotment results, provided as a reference for 2026 planning.

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Expected JEE Advanced 2026 SC Cutoffs for Other Popular Branches

SC students with ranks outside the CSE range at top IITs have strong options in Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Civil Engineering. The table below shows expected 2026 SC category closing ranks for these branches at major IITs, based on 2025 trends.

All closing ranks above are expected figures based on 2025 JoSAA Round 6 trends and are subject to change.

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Factors Affecting JEE Advanced 2026 SC Category Cutoff

SC category cutoffs shift year to year based on several variables. Understanding these helps you read the expected ranges with the right context and avoid over- or under-estimating your chances.

• Size of the qualifying SC pool: If more SC students qualify JEE Advanced 2026, competition for the reserved seats increases and closing ranks may tighten. A smaller pool generally eases cutoffs.
• Paper difficulty in JEE Advanced 2026: A harder paper compresses the score distribution, which can shift rank boundaries and alter closing ranks for SC seats.
• IIT seat intake changes: If IITs expand seats — especially in high-demand branches like CSE and Electrical Engineering — the SC quota rises proportionally and the closing rank may ease.
• JoSAA choice-filling behaviour: If SC students avoid a particular branch-IIT combination during choice filling, the closing rank for those seats softens automatically.
• New IIT capacity additions: Newer IITs adding branches and seats provide additional SC options, reducing concentrated pressure on top-ranked IITs and older institutions.

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