IIT JAM 2026 category-wise qualifying cutoff scores for SC, ST, OBC-NCL and EWS have been officially released by IIT Bombay on March 19, 2026. Biotechnology (BT) records the highest General cutoff at 42.30 marks out of 100, while Physics (PH) has the lowest at 12.04 marks.
IIT Bombay conducted IIT JAM 2026 on February 15, 2026 across seven test papers. The qualifying cutoff is the minimum score a student must secure in their paper to be placed on the All India Merit List and become eligible for admission. With the fourth and final admission list released on June 27, 2026, the complete closing-score picture for all seven papers is now available.
- OBC-NCL and EWS students qualify at 90% of the General cutoff for each paper.
- SC, ST and PwD students qualify at 50% of the General cutoff for each paper.
- Biotechnology (BT) has the highest General cutoff at 42.30 marks in 2026 — up sharply from 24.46 in 2025.
- Physics (PH) has the lowest General cutoff at 12.04 marks — down from 14.66 in 2025.
- All scores are out of 100 marks (the total for every IIT JAM paper).
| Direct Link to IIT JAM 2026 Official Portal (ACTIVE) |
IIT JAM 2026 Category-Wise Qualifying Cutoff: All Papers
The table below gives the official IIT JAM 2026 minimum qualifying marks for each paper across all student categories. These are the closing scores that determine merit-list eligibility — every student who scores at or above these marks qualifies for admission consideration.
| Paper | General | OBC-NCL / EWS | SC / ST / PwD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biotechnology (BT) | 42.30 | 38.07 | 21.15 |
| Chemistry (CY) | 18.65 | 16.78 | 9.32 |
| Economics (EN) | 40.63 | 36.56 | 20.31 |
| Geology (GG) | 25.98 | 23.38 | 12.99 |
| Mathematics (MA) | 12.65 | 11.38 | 6.32 |
| Mathematical Statistics (MS) | 13.33 | 11.99 | 6.66 |
| Physics (PH) | 12.04 | 10.83 | 6.02 |
EWS students share the same qualifying threshold as OBC-NCL students (90% of General). SC and ST students share the same qualifying threshold as PwD students (50% of General). These are qualifying closing scores for the merit list — actual admission closing scores at individual IITs are higher and vary by program, institute and admission round.
IIT JAM 2025 vs 2026 General Category Cutoff Comparison
The table below compares General category qualifying marks between JAM 2025 and JAM 2026. Biotechnology saw the steepest increase (+17.84 marks) reflecting an easier paper in 2026, while Mathematics and Chemistry recorded the sharpest drops due to tougher question papers.
| Paper | JAM 2025 Cutoff | JAM 2026 Cutoff | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Biotechnology (BT) | 24.46 | 42.30 | +17.84 |
| Chemistry (CY) | 25.83 | 18.65 | -7.18 |
| Economics (EN) | 42.55 | 40.63 | -1.92 |
| Geology (GG) | 21.06 | 25.98 | +4.92 |
| Mathematics (MA) | 19.90 | 12.65 | -7.25 |
| Mathematical Statistics (MS) | 8.75 | 13.33 | +4.58 |
| Physics (PH) | 14.66 | 12.04 | -2.62 |
A rising cutoff indicates an easier paper or stronger candidate performance compared to the previous year. A falling cutoff indicates a tougher paper or weaker aggregate performance. Students appearing in 2027 should track both the paper difficulty and the cutoff trend together when setting target scores.
How Category Cutoffs Are Calculated in IIT JAM
IIT Bombay uses a fixed formula to derive category-wise qualifying marks from the General cutoff for each paper. The same rule applies across all seven JAM papers every year:
| Category | Qualifying Threshold | Example: Physics (PH) |
|---|---|---|
| General (GEN) | 100% of declared cutoff | 12.04 marks |
| OBC-NCL | 90% of General cutoff | 10.83 marks |
| EWS | 90% of General cutoff | 10.83 marks |
| SC | 50% of General cutoff | 6.02 marks |
| ST | 50% of General cutoff | 6.02 marks |
| PwD | 50% of General cutoff | 6.02 marks |
The General cutoff itself is set by IIT Bombay after analysing raw scores and the overall performance distribution of all students who appeared in that paper. Once the General cutoff is fixed, all reserved-category cutoffs follow automatically using these percentages.
Closing Score vs Qualifying Marks: What is the Difference?
Students often treat the qualifying cutoff and the admission closing score as the same figure — they are not. Understanding this distinction is essential for realistic admission planning:
| Parameter | Qualifying Cutoff | Admission Closing Score |
|---|---|---|
| What it represents | Minimum score to enter the All India Merit List | Score of the last student admitted to a specific program at a specific IIT |
| Set by | IIT Bombay (conducting body) — uniform India-wide | Participating institute based on seat availability and category quota |
| Same for all institutes? | Yes | No — varies by IIT, program and admission round |
| Where to check | Official JAM 2026 result page and scorecard | JOAPS portal: Opening and Closing Ranks section (login required) |
Students who clear the qualifying cutoff are placed on the merit list but are not guaranteed a seat. At premier institutes like IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi and IIT Madras, the actual admission closing score in popular papers such as Physics or Mathematics is often several times higher than the qualifying cutoff. Students can access program-wise and category-wise opening and closing ranks for all admission rounds at the official JAM 2026 portal.
IIT JAM 2026 Category-Wise Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What is the IIT JAM 2026 OBC-NCL cutoff for Biotechnology?
Ans. The IIT JAM 2026 qualifying cutoff for OBC-NCL students in Biotechnology (BT) is 38.07 marks out of 100. This is 90% of the General category cutoff of 42.30 marks.
Ques. What marks does an SC student need to qualify IIT JAM 2026 in Mathematics?
Ans. An SC student needs a minimum of 6.32 marks in Mathematics (MA) to qualify for the IIT JAM 2026 merit list. This is 50% of the General category cutoff of 12.65 marks.
Ques. Is the EWS cutoff different from OBC-NCL in IIT JAM 2026?
Ans. No. For qualifying purposes, EWS students have the same minimum marks as OBC-NCL students — 90% of the General cutoff for each paper. However, EWS students are allocated seats from a separate 10% EWS quota during admissions.
Ques. Which paper has the highest SC and ST cutoff in IIT JAM 2026?
Ans. Biotechnology (BT) has the highest SC and ST qualifying cutoff in IIT JAM 2026 at 21.15 marks, followed by Economics (EN) at 20.31 marks. Both are out of a total of 100 marks.
Ques. Why did the IIT JAM 2026 Biotechnology cutoff rise so sharply compared to 2025?
Ans. The BT General cutoff rose from 24.46 in JAM 2025 to 42.30 in JAM 2026 — a jump of 17.84 marks. This reflects a significantly easier Biotechnology paper in 2026, which led to higher overall scores among students who appeared in that paper.
Ques. Does qualifying the IIT JAM 2026 cutoff guarantee admission to an IIT?
Ans. No. Qualifying the cutoff only places you on the All India Merit List. Actual admission depends on your rank, seat availability per category at each institute and the choices you submitted through the JOAPS portal. The final closing score for admission is typically much higher than the qualifying cutoff at top IITs.
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