JEE Advanced 2025 IIT closing ranks tightened further compared to 2024 for CSE and Electrical branches at the old IITs, continuing a year-on-year trend of rising competition for top seats.
Knowing how closing ranks shifted between 2024 and 2025 helps you set a realistic rank target for JEE Advanced 2026. This comparison covers category-wise qualifying marks, JoSAA closing ranks for Computer Science, Electrical, and Mechanical Engineering at the top IITs, and what the two-year trend suggests for 2026 counselling.
- JEE Advanced total marks stand at 360 across both papers; the 2024 General category qualifying mark was 93 out of 360.
- IIT Bombay CSE closing rank (CRL) moved from 67 in 2024 to 63 in 2025, reflecting sharper competition.
- IIT Delhi CSE closing rank shifted from 85 in 2024 to 79 in 2025.
- OBC-NCL and SC closing ranks followed a similar tightening pattern across the old IITs.
- JEE Advanced 2026 results are expected around July 25, 2026; JoSAA 2026 counselling will begin immediately after.
| Direct Link — JEE Advanced 2026 Official Website (ACTIVE) jeeadv.ac.in — Important Dates and Schedule |
JEE Advanced Qualifying Marks: 2024 vs 2025
JEE Advanced is conducted across two papers with a combined total of 360 marks, covering Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. The minimum aggregate marks required to qualify — separate from JoSAA seat allotment cutoffs — are set each year by the organising IIT. The table below shows category-wise qualifying marks for 2024 and 2025.
| Category | 2024 Qualifying Marks (out of 360) | 2025 Qualifying Marks (out of 360) |
|---|---|---|
| General (CRL) | 93 | 94 |
| OBC-NCL | 84 | 85 |
| SC | 47 | 47 |
| ST | 47 | 47 |
| PwD (General) | 47 | 47 |
Qualifying marks remained broadly stable across the two cycles, with marginal upward movement for General and OBC-NCL categories in 2025. Clearing the qualifying marks only makes you eligible for JoSAA; the real competition is the branch-specific closing rank at each IIT.
IIT CSE Closing Ranks: 2024 vs 2025
Computer Science Engineering (CSE) at the old IITs draws the highest demand among all branches. The closing rank is the rank of the last student allotted a seat during the final JoSAA round. A lower closing rank means the branch became more competitive; a higher number means it relaxed.
| IIT | CSE CRL Closing Rank 2024 | CSE CRL Closing Rank 2025 | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| IIT Bombay | 67 | 63 | More competitive |
| IIT Delhi | 85 | 79 | More competitive |
| IIT Madras | 125 | 118 | More competitive |
| IIT Kanpur | 138 | 132 | More competitive |
| IIT Kharagpur | 182 | 176 | More competitive |
| IIT Roorkee | 255 | 248 | More competitive |
| IIT Hyderabad | 530 | 512 | More competitive |
CSE closing ranks tightened at every old IIT from 2024 to 2025. Rising placement packages and AI-driven demand for software roles continued to channel top-ranked students into CSE seats. Seat count in this branch has not expanded proportionately, sustaining the upward pressure on competition.
Top IIT Closing Ranks Across Branches: 2024 vs 2025
Electrical Engineering and Mechanical Engineering remain the second and third most sought-after branch families at the old IITs. The table below covers CRL closing ranks for IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and IIT Madras — the three most competitive institutions by admission rank.
| IIT and Branch | CRL Closing Rank 2024 | CRL Closing Rank 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| IIT Bombay — Electrical Engineering | 398 | 382 |
| IIT Bombay — Mechanical Engineering | 1190 | 1148 |
| IIT Bombay — Chemical Engineering | 1420 | 1385 |
| IIT Delhi — Electrical Engineering | 448 | 427 |
| IIT Delhi — Mechanical Engineering | 1488 | 1440 |
| IIT Madras — Electrical Engineering | 482 | 462 |
| IIT Madras — Mechanical Engineering | 1620 | 1572 |
Electrical Engineering tightened at all three IITs in 2025. Mechanical and Chemical Engineering saw moderate compression as well. Students ranked between 400 and 1,500 should use these numbers to build a realistic branch and IIT shortlist before JoSAA round one opens.
Category-wise Closing Rank Trends: 2024 vs 2025
Reserved category students compete within separate seat pools. The category-wise closing ranks for IIT Bombay CSE are shown below as a representative sample; other IIT-branch combinations follow similar proportional patterns.
| Category | IIT Bombay CSE Closing Rank 2024 | IIT Bombay CSE Closing Rank 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| General (CRL) | 67 | 63 |
| OBC-NCL | 185 | 174 |
| SC | 580 | 558 |
| ST | 1238 | 1192 |
| PwD (General) | 208 | 196 |
OBC-NCL closing ranks fell by roughly 10 to 15 ranks across most IIT CSE programmes in 2025. SC and ST closing ranks showed a proportional tightening. Students from all categories should plan with a rank buffer of at least 10 to 15 percent above the closing rank of their target IIT-branch combination to account for variation across JoSAA rounds.
What 2024-2025 Trends Mean for JEE Advanced 2026
Based on 2024 and 2025 data, JEE Advanced 2026 IIT closing ranks are expected to tighten marginally for CSE and remain broadly stable for Mechanical and Chemical Engineering branches.
Key factors shaping the 2026 outlook include:
- Seat intake: IITs added seats in AI, Data Science, and Mathematics-Computing programmes between 2024 and 2025. Any expansion in 2026 may provide limited relief in non-CSE branches.
- Qualifier pool size: Around 1.8 lakh students appeared for JEE Advanced 2025. A comparable pool in 2026 sustains similar pressure on top-rank seats.
- Preference shifts: Newer interdisciplinary branches such as AI and Mathematics-Computing are drawing students who earlier preferred Electrical Engineering, which may ease Electrical closing ranks slightly at mid-tier IITs.
- New IIT growth: Newer IITs expanding CSE intake widen options for students ranked between 500 and 3,000.
| IIT and Branch | 2025 CRL Closing Rank | Expected 2026 CRL Closing Rank |
|---|---|---|
| IIT Bombay — CSE | 63 | 58–65 (expected) |
| IIT Delhi — CSE | 79 | 74–84 (expected) |
| IIT Madras — CSE | 118 | 112–124 (expected) |
| IIT Kanpur — CSE | 132 | 126–140 (expected) |
| IIT Bombay — Electrical Engineering | 382 | 368–398 (expected) |
| IIT Delhi — Electrical Engineering | 427 | 410–445 (expected) |
These are expected projections based on 2024 and 2025 trends. Official JoSAA 2026 closing ranks will be published after each round of seat allotment on the JoSAA portal.
JEE Advanced IIT Cutoff FAQs
Ques. What is the difference between JEE Advanced qualifying marks and JoSAA closing rank?
Ans. The qualifying marks are the minimum aggregate score needed to pass JEE Advanced and become eligible for JoSAA counselling. The closing rank is the rank of the last student allotted a specific IIT branch during JoSAA seat allotment. Both are separate thresholds — qualifying the exam does not guarantee a seat at a top IIT.
Ques. Did IIT CSE cutoffs become more or less competitive from 2024 to 2025?
Ans. IIT CSE closing ranks became more competitive from 2024 to 2025 at all old IITs. For example, IIT Bombay CSE closing rank fell from 67 in 2024 to 63 in 2025, meaning you needed a higher rank (lower number) to secure the seat.
Ques. Which IIT branches are accessible for students ranked between 1,000 and 3,000?
Ans. Students ranked between 1,000 and 3,000 (CRL) can consider Mechanical, Civil, and Chemical Engineering at IITs like Roorkee, Kharagpur, and Guwahati. CSE at newer IITs such as IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore, and IIT Gandhinagar is also reachable within this rank range based on 2025 trends.
Ques. How do OBC-NCL cutoffs compare with General category cutoffs at IITs?
Ans. OBC-NCL closing ranks are typically 2.5 to 3 times higher than the General (CRL) closing rank for the same IIT-branch combination. This means OBC-NCL students with ranks roughly 2.5 to 3 times the General closing rank may still secure that seat through the reserved category pool.
Ques. When will JEE Advanced 2026 JoSAA closing ranks be published?
Ans. JoSAA 2026 seat allotment results will be released round by round, with round one expected shortly after JEE Advanced 2026 results (tentatively July 25, 2026). Final closing ranks for all rounds are published on the official JoSAA portal once the last allotment round concludes.
Ques. Is a rank of 500 in JEE Advanced 2026 sufficient for IIT Bombay?
Ans. A rank of 500 is unlikely to secure CSE or Electrical Engineering at IIT Bombay based on 2025 trends. However, it may be sufficient for Mechanical Engineering at IIT Bombay (2025 closing rank around 1,148) and gives strong options at IIT Roorkee CSE (2025 closing rank around 248) or Electrical Engineering at IIT Kanpur, based on trends from 2024 and 2025.
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