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What is NTA Score in JEE Main 2026?
The results of the JEE Main exam result is one of the most anticipated events for engineering hopefuls across India. When the results are released, students often find it difficult to understand the NTA Score listed on their result. Students are shown a percentile score for each subject and an overall performance rather than just the raw marks for each of the subjects.
So what is the NTA Score in JEE Main 2026? How does it get calculated? Why is there a difference between raw marks and your NTA Score? How does the NTA Score affect your rank in the JEE Advanced and your eligibility to enter the JEE Advanced?
Let’s discuss all of the above topics further.
JEE Main 2026 Rank Calculation
What is NTA Score in JEE Main 2026 Results?
The National Testing Agency (NTA) used a method called normalization to calculate the NTA Score for JEE Main 2026 Results, which is the percentile score. This score is determined based on the performance of individuals who appeared for a particular session (i.e., the same shift) within the total pool of candidates.
As an example, if you received a 95 as your NTA score, that means that you did better than 95% of the people who were in your session. It does not mean that you got 95 out of a possible 100 points on the exam.
Since the NTA administers JEE Main multiple times with different difficulty levels between the shifts in which the exam is given, the NTA uses a normalization method to try to treat all candidates fairly by providing them with the same chance of achieving a successful score for each administration of JEE Main. The NTA Score is referred to as the normalized percentile score.
The results of JEE Main 2026 Session 1 are supposed to be released in mid-February, on or about February 16, along with the NTA percentiles.
Why Does NTA Use Percentile Instead of Raw Marks?
The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main is conducted in different sessions, over a variety of days. Each of the different sessions have different test booklets & versions. The National Testing Agency (NTA) will try and keep all of the test session’s difficulties uniform but the slight variations between sessions cannot be avoided.
If you were to take the raw marks as is:
- Those students who take the examination in an easier shift may have an unfair advantage to others that take in a more difficult shift.
- Those students who take their shift in a more difficult shift could score poorly in relation to their performance.
NTA converts raw marks to a percentile score using a normalization formula; then all candidates’ raw scores will have been converted into their respective percentile scores/different percentages of candidates ranked the same across all sessions.
How Does NTA Score Work in JEE Main 2026?
The NTA score is based on using a normalization formula that incorporates the following:
- Your raw score
- Total number of candidates in your session
- Number of candidates who scored less than or equal to your score
Therefore a percentile shows the percentage of candidates that scored the same as you, or worse, during that session.
NTA Percentile Formula:
Percentile Score = (Number of candidates having raw score equal to or lower than your score) /
(Take total candidates in session) * 100
So no one candidate can be disadvantaged due to the difficulty of their shift.
Types of NTA Scores in JEE Main 2026
Your JEE Main 2026 score report will indicate four percentiles:
- Total Percentile (T1P)
- Mathematics Percentile (M1P)
- Physics Percentile (P1P)
- Chemistry Percentile (C1P)
Calculation Breakdown:
- Total Percentile (T1P): (100 × Number of candidates with total raw scores below or equal to your score) ÷ Total number of candidates in the session
- Mathematics Percentile (M1P): (100 × Number of candidates with math raw scores below or equal to your score) ÷ Total number of candidates in the session
- Physics Percentile (P1P): (100 × Number of candidates with physics raw scores below or equal to your score) ÷ Total number of candidates in the session
- Chemistry Percentile (C1P): (100 × Number of candidates with chemistry raw scores below or equal to your score) ÷ Total number of candidates in the session.
NTA (National Testing Agency) two methods for measuring students’ accomplishments – the accumulation of NTA scores will establish the candidate’s All India Rank (AIR).
Understanding NTA Score vs Raw Score
Many students confuse raw marks with NTA score.
Raw Score:
- The actual number of points awarded for a specific exam
- Based on the specific scoring method used
- Scored before normalization
NTA Score:
- A percentile score based upon a student’s performance relative to all other students in that JEE Main (Joint Entrance Examination Main) and is calculated after normalization.
- NTA scores are used to determine the rank of students.
To ensure equitable treatment of Steven in both the pre- and post-normalization scoring process, two students obtaining identical raw scores from two different shifts would receive the same NTA score after normalization.
JEE Main 2026 Marking Scheme
The marking scheme for JEE Main 2026 will be the same as previou years, follow these points:
- Correct Answer: +4 Marks
- Incorrect Answer: -1 Mark
- Unattempted Question: 0 Marks
- Numerical Questions: -1 for incorrect answer
Because of the negative score, the correct answer is very important. Guessing without thinking could give a person a lower raw score and thus a lower percentile.
Importance of NTA Score in JEE Main 2026
The NTA score in JEE Main 2026 will be critical for the following reasons:
- To provide for equal Assessment of all candidates (throughout all shifts).
- To help with determining a final All India Rank (AIR) through the use of the NTA Percentile.
- To determine who is eligible to take part in the JEE Advanced test based on the NTA Percentile Cut-off.
- To determine tiebreakers amongst candidates.
JEE Main 2026 Tie-Breaking Rules (Paper 1 – B.E./B.Tech)
If two candidates have an equal total NTA Score, this is the order in which Tie-breakers will be established:
- Higher Mathematics NTA Score
- Higher Physics NTA Score
- Higher Chemistry NTA Score
- Lower Overall Incorrect Answer Percentage
- Lower Incorrect Answer Percentage in Mathematics
- Lower Incorrect Answer Percentage in Physics
- Lower Incorrect Answer Percentage in Chemistry
If a tie remains after these criteria are applied, both candidates will receive the same rank.
Tie-Breaking for Paper 2A (B.Arch)
If two candidates have the exact same total NTA Score, this is the order in which Tie-breakers would be established:
- Higher Mathematics percentile
- Higher Aptitude Test percentile
- Higher Drawing Test percentile
- Lower incorrect attempt ratio
If unresolved, the same rank is awarded.
Tie-Breaking for Paper 2B (B.Planning)
For B.Planning exam:
- Higher Mathematics percentile
- Higher Aptitude Test percentile
- Higher Planning-Based Questions percentile
- Lower incorrect attempt ratio
Same rank is given if tie persists.
Expected JEE Main 2026 Cut-Off (Indicative)
The cut-off for each year will be based on the level of difficulty of the paper and the number of candidates that registered.
Expected Qualifying Percentile Range:
- General – 90 – 92 percentile
- OBC-NCL – 73 – 75 percentile
- SC – 50 – 55 percentile
- ST – 40 – 45 percentile
- EWS – 75 – 78 percentile
The above cut-offs will determine the eligibility for JEE Advanced 2026; they will not determine admission to JEE Advanced 2026. The cut-off will be officially declared after the Session 2 results.
Reservation Criteria for Central Government Institutions
|
Category |
Reservation Percentage |
|
GEN-EWS |
10% |
|
SC |
15% |
|
ST |
7.5% |
|
OBC-NCL |
27% |
|
PwBD |
5% in each category |
Reservation policies apply during admission to NITs, IIITs, and other centrally funded institutions.
How to Improve Your NTA Score in JEE Main?
As the NTA score is calculated based on how you have performed compared to all other candidates, pay close attention to:
- Accuracy rather than guessing
- Clear Conceptual Understanding
- Regularly take mock examinations
- Time Management
- Analyse Errors
By regularly attempting high-quality mock examinations simulate exam conditions you will significantly improve your NTA score.
Common Misconceptions About NTA Score
- If you have a percentile of 95, you get 95 marks (No! It means you performed better than 95% of all other candidates)
- The raw score is the same as the NTA score (No! Raw scores are converted to NTA scores through a normalization process)
- A lower amount of difficulty on a given shift will result in a higher NTA score (NTA score is based on how you performed relative to all other candidates not based on how difficult or easy it was).
Final Rank Calculation
For students who took both sessions, the highest percentile from each will be selected.
Using this method, a student can therefore improve on their performance by having more than one opportunity.
How Origin Educare Helps You Improve Your NTA Score
To hit high scores in JEE Main requires proper planning and studying, not just theory. Strategic preparation, smart practice in the exam room and constant monitoring of how well you’re doing is key to achieving the necessary scores.
At Origin Educare, we provide structured ways to help improve your NTA scores by providing:
- Concept-focused teaching for Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics
- Regular full-length mock tests based on the latest JEE pattern
- Detailed performance analysis after every test
- Personalized mentoring to improve weak areas
- Time-management and accuracy-building strategies
With expert faculty and systematic preparation, students can significantly improve their NTA percentile and maximize their chances of qualifying for JEE Advanced.
Conclusion
The NTA Score of JEE Main 2026 is a normalised percentile score, creating equal opportunity for all students at any one of the many different exam sittings. The NTA Score reflects how you did in comparison to all the other candidates who sat in your shift and plays a significant role in the calculation of your ranking and your eligibility to sit JEE-Advanced.
By having a good understanding of how the NTA score operates will enable a student to break down the results and make a well thought out plan of action moving forward.
Instead of focusing only on raw marks, aim to improve your percentile by enhancing accuracy, strengthening concepts, and practicing regularly.
With proper strategy, structured preparation, and consistent performance tracking, achieving a high NTA percentile in JEE Main 2026 is completely possible.
Explore JEE Online Coaching at Origin Educare for structured preparation and expert mentorship
Frequenlty Asked Questions
What is a good NTA score in JEE Main 2026?
A good NTA score is measured based on the individual students’ goals. Typically, for a General category student to qualify to sit for the JEE Advanced exam, they will typically aim for a percentile score above 90. Top NITs and IIITs may expect their candidates to meet a percentile expectation above 97+.
Is NTA score the same as JEE Main rank?
No, the NTA score is a way of measuring students’ scores relative to other students’ scores. The AIR (All India Rank) is calculated at the completion of the second session of JEE Main based on the final percentile of each candidate.
Can two students have the same NTA score?
Yes, two or more students can receive identical scores as other students in their respective states. The NTA uses their Tie-Breaking Rules when multiple students achieve identical scores and if those students have not moved past the Tie-Breaking Rules will receive identical AIRs.
How many sessions are considered for JEE Main 2026 ranking?
Only the best NTA percentile from either Session I or Session II will be used for determining JEE Main 2026 if a candidate participates in both Sessions.
Why is normalization important in JEE Main?
Normalization ensures fairness because JEE Main is conducted in multiple shifts with different difficulty levels. The NTA score adjusts raw marks so that no candidate is disadvantaged due to shift variations.
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