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How Much Marks Required For NIT In JEE Mains?

By:
Dhruva Angle
Date:
18 Mar 2025
How Much Marks Required NIT JEE Mains
Table of Content:

National Institutes of Technology (NITs) hold an important place in the Indian engineering education system. NITs are among the most prestigious engineering colleges in India, second only to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). These institutes are known for their excellent academic standards, infrastructure, and opportunities for placements and research. The reputation of NITs is recognized nationwide, and securing a seat in one of these institutions is a dream for thousands of engineering aspirants every year.

For admission into NITs, students must appear for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains. JEE Mains is a national-level entrance exam that serves as a qualifying test not only for NITs but also for other central engineering colleges like IIITs and GFTIs. In some cases, it also serves as a gateway for eligibility to appear for JEE Advanced, which is required for IIT admissions. As a result, scoring well in JEE Mains is crucial for students aspiring to secure a seat in an NIT.

Given the competition and importance of the exam, many students are unsure about the marks they need to get into an NIT. This article aims to provide clarity on the marks required for NIT admission, the factors affecting NIT cutoff marks, and effective strategies to improve JEE Mains scores. By the end of this article, you will have a clear understanding of the admission process and what it takes to get into an NIT.

Understanding JEE Mains and NIT Admission Process

JEE Mains is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), which is responsible for organising the exam, conducting multiple sessions, and declaring the results. The JEE Mains exam is held twice a year, usually in January and April, giving students multiple chances to improve their scores. This flexibility is especially beneficial for those who may not perform well in their first attempt.

The JEE Mains exam consists of three subjects: Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. Each subject carries equal weight, with a total of 300 marks for the entire exam. The structure of the exam includes 90 questions—30 from each subject—but students need to attempt only 75 questions (25 from each subject). The questions are divided into two sections:

  • Section A: Multiple-choice questions (MCQs), where students are awarded 4 marks for each correct answer, and 1 mark is deducted for each incorrect answer.
  • Section B: Numerical value-based questions, where students must write the correct numerical value. In Section B, there is no negative marking.

The total score is calculated out of 300 marks, and the final rank is determined based on the normalised score of the best attempt if a student appears for both sessions.

Breakdown of JEE Mains Sessions

JEE Mains is conducted in multiple sessions each year to provide flexibility and reduce the pressure on students. Typically, the exam is held twice a year—once in January and again in April. Students can choose to appear in either one or both sessions, and the best score out of the two attempts is considered for the final ranking. This helps students who may have faced difficulties during one session and gives them a second chance to improve their performance.

The normalisation process is used to ensure fairness in ranking since the difficulty level of the exam may vary across different sessions. The NTA uses statistical methods to convert the raw scores of each student into a percentile score, which represents the relative performance of a candidate in comparison to others. The final All India Rank (AIR) is determined based on these percentile scores.

NIT Admission Criteria: JEE Mains Rank vs. Marks

Admission to NITs is based primarily on the All India Rank (AIR) obtained in JEE Mains. The marks scored in the exam determine the rank, and higher marks generally lead to a better rank. However, it is not just the marks that matter; the rank is what ultimately decides the chances of getting into an NIT.

Each NIT has its own cutoff ranks for different branches, which vary based on factors like the popularity of the branch, the number of seats available, and the number of applicants. The admission process for NITs is conducted through the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA), which oversees the allocation of seats based on rank, category, state quota, and preferences filled by the students.

Role of Home State Quota and Category-wise Reservations

NITs follow a reservation policy to ensure fair representation of students from different categories and states. Each NIT reserves a certain percentage of seats for students from the state where the NIT is located—this is known as the Home State Quota. Generally, 50% of the seats in an NIT are reserved for students belonging to the home state, while the remaining seats are filled through the Other State Quota, which is open to students from other states.

In addition to the state quota, there are category-wise reservations for students belonging to SC (Scheduled Caste), ST (Scheduled Tribe), OBC (Other Backward Class), EWS (Economically Weaker Section), and PwD (Persons with Disabilities). The reservation percentages are as follows:

CategoriesReservation Percentage
General Economically Weaker Sections (GEN-EWS)10%
Scheduled Castes (SC)15%
Scheduled Tribes (ST)7.50%
Non-Creamy Layer of Other Backward Classes (OBC-NCL)27%
Persons with Disabilities5% in each category

These quotas significantly affect the cutoff ranks and marks required for admission. Students from reserved categories often have lower cutoff requirements compared to students from the General category. Additionally, students applying under the Home State Quota may have different cutoff ranks compared to those applying under the Other State Quota.

Factors Affecting NIT Cutoff Marks

The cutoff marks for NITs are influenced by various factors that determine the level of competition and the availability of seats. Understanding these factors can help students set realistic expectations and prepare accordingly.

Factors affecting NIT Cutoff Marks

1) Number of Applicants vs. Available Seats

The number of applicants appearing for JEE Mains has a direct impact on the cutoff marks for NITs. When the number of applicants is high, the competition becomes tougher, and the cutoff marks tend to increase. Conversely, if the number of applicants is lower, the cutoff marks may decrease, making it relatively easier to secure admission.

Each NIT has a limited number of seats for each branch of engineering, and the demand for popular branches like Computer Science and Engineering (CSE), Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE), and Mechanical Engineering is usually higher than others. This increased demand results in higher cutoff marks for these branches.

2) Difficulty Level of JEE Mains Exam

The difficulty level of the JEE Mains exam plays a crucial role in determining the cutoff marks. If the exam is particularly difficult in a given year, the overall scores of students tend to be lower, which in turn leads to a lower cutoff. Conversely, if the exam is easier, students tend to score higher marks, resulting in higher cutoff marks.

The NTA uses a normalisation process to account for the varying difficulty levels across different sessions, ensuring that all students are evaluated on a fair scale. However, the general difficulty of the exam each year still affects the overall trend in cutoff marks.

3) Previous Year Trends and Cutoff Analysis

Analysing previous years’ cutoff trends can provide valuable insights into the expected cutoff marks for the current year. The cutoff marks for each NIT and branch are released after the counselling process, and students can refer to these trends to understand the minimum score required for admission to a particular NIT.

While the cutoff marks may vary each year based on factors like the number of applicants and the difficulty level of the exam, analysing past trends can help students set realistic goals and prepare accordingly. For example, if the cutoff for a specific branch at an NIT was 180 marks in the previous year, students can expect a similar cutoff for the current year, with some variations.

4) Ranking of NITs and Their Corresponding Cutoffs

The ranking of NITs also plays a significant role in determining the cutoff marks for each institute. NITs are ranked based on factors like academic quality, infrastructure, faculty, placement records, and research opportunities. The higher the rank of an NIT, the more sought-after it is, and thus the higher the cutoff marks for admission.

For example, NIT Trichy, NIT Warangal, and NIT Surathkal are some of the top-ranked NITs in India, and they tend to have higher cutoff marks compared to other NITs. Students aiming to secure admission to these top-ranked NITs need to score well above the average to have a good chance of getting in, especially in popular branches like Computer Science and Electronics.

How Much Marks Required for NIT in JEE Mains?

The marks required for admission depends on various factors, including the NIT’s ranking, the branch of engineering, the category of the student, and the state quota. Below is a detailed overview of the approximate cutoff marks for various NITs based on previous years’ data. Please note that these are indicative ranges and may vary from year to year.

S. NoNIRF RanksNIT NameGeneralOBC-NCLSCSTEWS
19NIT Trichy89-15478-13754-11344-9477-134
217NIT Surathkal90-15580-13956-11546-9881-138
319NIT Rourkela84-14973-13452-11243-9679-136
421NIT Warangal93-16083-14359-11949-10384-142
525NIT Calicut80-14269-12546-10236-8872-124
640NIT Silchar68-12758-11339-9130-7962-112
743NIT Jaipur78-14066-12345-10035-8671-122
844NIT Durgapur75-13564-11943-9634-8367-118
945NIT Delhi85-14874-12949-10540-8975-128
1055NIT Patna73-13463-11942-9633-8366-118
1158NIT Jalandhar81-14570-12848-10639-9174-127
1260NIT Allahabad87-15176-13452-10943-9378-132
1371NIT Raipur76-13865-12344-10035-8669-124
1479NIT Srinagar63-12154-10836-8427-7258-107
1581NIT Kurukshetra83-14872-13251-11142-9477-134
1682NIT Agartala61-11652-10434-8025-6655-103
1797NIT Puducherry62-11953-10535-8126-6955-103
18NANIT Hamirpur72-13261-11540-9231-7865-114
19NANIT Manipur64-12355-10938-8729-7557-106
20NANIT Meghalaya62-11953-10535-8126-6955-103
21NANIT Mizoram59-11349-9931-7523-6352-98
22NANIT Nagaland57-10947-9529-7121-6150-96
23NANIT Arunachal56-10846-9629-7221-6150-96
24NANIT Goa65-12356-10938-8729-7559-108
25NANIT Sikkim59-11349-9931-7523-6352-98
26NANIT Uttarakhand63-12154-10836-8427-7258-107
27NANIT Andhra Pradesh66-12556-11138-8829-7660-112

Category-wise JEE Main 2024 Cut-off Ranks for some top NITs

Category-wise JEE Main 2024 Cut-off for NIT Trichy

CoursesCategoryHome StateOther State
Opening RankClosing RankOpening RankClosing Rank
Chemical EngineeringOpen1507320271302011137
Open PwD607607
SC3620484514702422
SC-PwD
OBC-NCL4477615934244887
OBC-NCL PwD309309
ST25785900803880
ST PwD3030
EWS109822275317691859
EWS-PwD
Civil EngineeringOpen159792714438613212
Open PwD9494
SC3961597812942230
SC-PwD
OBC-NCL6388861832824739
OBC-NCL PwD741741185185
ST59297407280478
ST PwD
EWS1888993891918332305
EWS-PwD7878
Computer Science EngineeringOpen224354321386
Open PwD21121155
SC38411718142
SC-PwD88
OBC-NCL967151094204
OBC-NCL PwD1111
ST50820283847
ST PwD
EWS1532320537100
EWS-PwD207207
Electrical and Electronics EngineeringOpen6980987826084818
Open PwD2802807474
SC77533557331130
SC-PwD5353
OBC-NCL2272301213732201
OBC-NCL PwD
ST4863867103376
ST PwD
EWS56556612541862
EWS-PwD
Electronics and Communication EngineeringOpen5364785617132773
Open PwD2872877373
SC15582227178573
SC-PwD30303232
OBC-NCL157720616301227
OBC-NCL PwD6161
ST24603238170244
ST PwD
EWS15304889310430
EWS-PwD
Instrumentation and Control EngineeringOpen1015115337761211856
Open PwD17361736384384
SC3445510217842651
SC-PwD7070
OBC-NCL3805549837534858
OBC-NCL PwD161161
ST58538569846980
ST PwD
EWS86841569715671887
EWS-PwD
Mechanical EngineeringOpen37411321633577320
Open PwD119119
SC666343510031537
SC-PwD7676
OBC-NCL2957395821613317
OBC-NCL PwD2122129999
ST37954696319500
ST PwD
EWS51732400410561344
EWS-PwD6565
Metallurgical and Materials EngineeringOpen16657274631294216986
Open PwD893893
SC4576646529583994
SC-PwD
OBC-NCL7251819842006333
OBC-NCL PwD543543
ST822996768311419
ST PwD4242
EWS239932638124912711
EWS-PwD
Production EngineeringOpen15589246941437918928
Open PwD12181218
SC3936623332364174
SC-PwD
OBC-NCL5831701651427277
OBC-NCL PwD291291661661
ST9553114389411654
ST PwD
EWS312123832029883256
EWS-PwD222222

Category-wise JEE Main 2024 Cut-off for NIT Surathkal

CoursesCategoryHome StateOther State
Opening RankClosing RankOpening RankClosing Rank
Chemical EngineeringOpen12442138021060112472
SC300739315902662
OBC-NCL4781717343885145
ST8551011843843
EWS3014303819312089
Civil EngineeringOpen1238223143950415587
SC3356595317572626
OBC-NCL6856841343785965
ST8512001402506
EWS4072441822312690
Computer Science EngineeringOpen164273434618
SC14779668190
OBC-NCL6041418176296
ST662641365
EWS404837103135
Electrical and Electronics EngineeringOpen5003698132685295
SC230931639921369
OBC-NCL3675406116982686
ST271749383519
EWS22492667876984
Electronics and Communication EngineeringOpen2951474011963404
SC11962253613768
OBC-NCL138234569381355
ST407717267333
EWS10062210432524
Mechanical EngineeringOpen63591193060939791
SC1427505015262128
OBC-NCL4402666726924190
ST8151292581863
EWS2751402613031473
Metallurgical and Materials EngineeringOpen15371226261308417681
SC5142575834704130
OBC-NCL78141030663987330
ST1849275014791479
EWS4973561328593167

Category-wise JEE Main 2024 Cut-off for NIT Rourkela

CoursesCategoryHome StateOther State
Opening RankClosing RankOpening RankClosing Rank
Chemical EngineeringOpen18411237691170516272
SC3745520531483468
OBC-NCL62201045848966036
ST2177231311501234
EWS5746636024202544
Civil EngineeringOpen14994261141538518763
SC2562526027203278
OBC-NCL98081153261466681
ST156020916111023
EWS6103664427123012
Computer Science EngineeringOpen187482558612033
SC5631530396535
OBC-NCL17804244331543
ST157303125185
EWS12953272214309
Electrical and Electronics EngineeringOpen82571718411088819
SC202530967842092
OBC-NCL5878841232153801
ST8921270446680
EWS4024493611931362
Electronics and Communication EngineeringOpen84611025834845300
SC64319589551179
OBC-NCL3310517116891880
ST559782356437
EWS33743465628682
Mechanical EngineeringOpen1382619732989113189
SC162433335492641
OBC-NCL56321000642054778
ST42814438491027
EWS4459553619002005
Metallurgical and Materials EngineeringOpen24697320291909723253
SC4011673445325184
OBC-NCL105471282464428294
ST2551257715671663
EWS6367704333653667

The above table provides an approximate range of cutoff marks for various NITs and branches. The cutoff marks vary based on factors such as the popularity of the branch, category-wise reservations, and state quotas. For example, Computer Science at top NITs like Trichy, Warangal, and Surathkal generally requires higher marks compared to other branches due to the high demand.

Strategies to Improve JEE Mains Score for NIT Admission

To secure admission to an NIT, it is essential to have a good preparation strategy for JEE Mains. The following strategies can help you improve your JEE Mains score and increase your chances of getting into an NIT.

Strategies Improve JEE Mains Score NIT Admission

1) Effective Study Plan and Time Management

A well-structured study plan is crucial for JEE Mains preparation. It helps you organise your time effectively, ensuring that you cover the entire syllabus and have enough time for revision. Here are some tips for creating an effective study plan:

Set Clear Goals: Start by setting clear goals for what you want to achieve in your preparation. Break down your goals into smaller, achievable targets, such as completing a specific chapter or solving a certain number of practice questions each day.

Allocate Time for Each Subject: Allocate sufficient time for each subject—Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics—based on your strengths and weaknesses. If you find a particular subject more challenging, dedicate extra time to it while ensuring that you maintain a balance across all three subjects.

Stick to a Schedule: Consistency is key to effective preparation. Create a daily study schedule that includes specific study hours, breaks, and time for revision. Stick to this schedule as much as possible to build a routine and maintain discipline in your preparation.

Take Regular Breaks: Studying for long hours without breaks can lead to burnout. Make sure to take regular breaks to relax and recharge. Use these breaks to engage in activities that help you relax, such as exercise, meditation, or a hobby.

2) Importance of Understanding the Syllabus and Pattern

Understanding the complete syllabus and exam pattern is essential for effective JEE Mains preparation. The syllabus for JEE Mains is vast, and it is important to prioritise the topics that carry more weight in the exam. Here’s how to approach the syllabus and pattern:

Familiarise Yourself with the Syllabus: Go through the entire syllabus and identify the topics that are important. Pay special attention to the chapters that carry more weight in the exam. For example, topics like Electrostatics, Thermodynamics, Coordinate Geometry, and Organic Chemistry are often given more importance in the exam.

Focus on High-Weightage Topics: Prioritise the high-weightage topics during your preparation. While it is important to cover the entire syllabus, focusing on the topics that carry more marks can help you score better in the exam.

Understand the Exam Pattern: Familiarise yourself with the exam pattern, including the number of questions, the marking scheme, and the type of questions (MCQs and numerical value-based). Understanding the pattern will help you manage your time effectively during the exam and avoid surprises.

3) Practice and Mock Tests to Assess Preparation

Regular practice is essential for scoring well in JEE Mains. It helps you understand the application of concepts, improve your problem-solving skills, and build confidence. Here are some tips for effective practice:

Solve a Variety of Questions: Practice questions from each topic to get a thorough understanding of the concepts. Solve previous years’ question papers, sample papers, and questions from reference books to expose yourself to different types of problems.

Take Mock Tests Regularly: Mock tests are an integral part of JEE Mains preparation. Taking mock tests helps you assess your preparation, identify your strengths and weaknesses, and improve your time management skills. Make sure to take full-length mock tests in a timed environment to simulate the actual exam experience.

Opt for a Reliable Test Series: Joining a test series can provide you with access to quality mock tests and performance analysis. Phodu Club’s JEE Main Test Series, for example, offers a range of mock tests that closely resemble the actual exam. The test series also provides detailed performance analysis, helping you understand your mistakes and work on them.

4) Tips for Exam Day: Stress Management and Time Utilisation

Managing stress on the day of the exam is crucial for performing well. Here are some tips to help you stay calm and utilise your time effectively during the exam:

Stay Calm and Composed: It is natural to feel nervous on the day of the exam, but it is important to stay calm. Avoid last-minute cramming, and instead focus on revising key formulas and concepts. Trust your preparation and stay confident.

Read Each Question Carefully: During the exam, read each question carefully before attempting it. Make sure you understand what is being asked before you start solving it. Misreading questions can lead to careless mistakes.

Manage Your Time Effectively: Time management is key during the exam. Allocate a specific amount of time for each section and stick to it. If you find a question too difficult, do not waste too much time on it. Move on to the next question and come back to it later if time permits.

Attempt Easy Questions First: Start by attempting the questions you are confident about. This will help you build momentum and boost your confidence. Once you have attempted the easy questions, move on to the more difficult ones.

Conclusion

Securing admission to an NIT is a dream for many students, and achieving a good score in JEE Mains is the key to making that dream a reality. Understanding the JEE Mains structure, the factors affecting NIT cutoff marks, and the marks required for admission can help you set realistic goals and prepare effectively.

The cutoff marks for NITs vary depending on factors like the number of applicants, the difficulty level of the exam, previous year trends, and the ranking of the NIT. To increase your chances of getting into an NIT, aim for a high score and focus on consistent preparation.

To improve your JEE Mains score, it is important to have an effective study plan, understand the syllabus and exam pattern, practice regularly, and take mock tests to assess your preparation. On the day of the exam, stay calm, manage your time effectively, and attempt the questions you are confident about first.

With dedication, hard work, and the right strategies, you can achieve a score that will help you secure admission to an NIT and take the first step towards a successful engineering career. Remember that every student’s journey is unique, and with the right mindset and preparation, you can achieve your goals and fulfil your engineering dreams.

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