With the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 results announced, thousands of engineering aspirants are now focused on securing seats at India’s top NITs (National Institutes of Technology). One of the most common questions among students is: “What percentile is required for admission to the best NITs?”
Top NITs and Their Rankings
According to the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2025, the top 10 NITs in India are:
| College Name | State | NIRF Rank 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| NIT Tiruchirappalli | Tamil Nadu | 9 |
| NIT Rourkela | Odisha | 12 |
| NIT Surathkal | Karnataka | 16 |
| NIT Warangal | Telangana | 21 |
| NIT Calicut | Kerala | 23 |
| NIT Durgapur | West Bengal | 43 |
| NIT Silchar | Assam | 48 |
| NIT Jaipur | Rajasthan | 52 |
| NIT Kurukshetra | Haryana | 58 |
| NIT Nagpur | Maharashtra | 60 |
NIT Tiruchirappalli is widely regarded as the best NIT in the country due to its academic excellence, strong placements, and quality engineering programs.
JEE Main Percentile for Top NITs
Admission to NITs is primarily based on JEE Main scores and participation in JoSAA counseling. Percentile cut-offs vary by category, state quota, and branch preference. On average:
- General Category: 99+ percentile (core branches like CSE, ECE, ME, CE)
- EWS: 78–83+ percentile (approx.)
- OBC-NCL: 77–81+ percentile (approx.)
- SC: 57–61+ percentile (approx.)
- ST: 51–54+ percentile (approx.)
Students with 99 percentile or higher have a strong chance of getting core branches at top NITs such as NIT Tiruchirappalli, NIT Warangal, NIT Rourkela, and NIT Calicut. Those scoring 98–99 percentile may secure seats in secondary branches.
Factors Affecting Admission
Admission depends on multiple factors:
- Category-based reservation (SC/ST/OBC/EWS)
- Home-state quota
- Choice of branch
- Seat availability in subsequent counseling rounds
- Competition level and difficulty of the exam
Some less competitive branches or newly established NITs may have lower closing ranks, allowing slightly lower percentile students to secure admission.
With the JEE Main results out, aspirants must carefully evaluate their percentile, preferred branch, and home-state quota to make the best decisions during the JoSAA counseling process.
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