One of India’s most prestigious engineering entrance examinations is the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main. Organized by the National Testing Agency (NTA), JEE Main is the key to the best engineering colleges in India. JEE Main scores are accepted by thousands of colleges in India for admission into BTech, BE, and BArch courses. Knowing the colleges accepting JEE Main scores, their cut-off marks, and rankings is important for candidates planning the trajectory of higher education.
Categories of colleges that accept the JEE Main score
1. NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (NIT)
There are 31 NITs in India. They are independent public colleges and one of the best engineering colleges in India. Admission is through JoSAA (Joint Seat Allocation Authority) on the basis of JEE Main Rank.
Home State Quota: 50% of seats reserved for candidates from the same state.
2. INDIAN INSTITUTE OF INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY (IIIT)
There are 26 IIITs set up either by the government or under private-public partnership. These institutions are prominent for their emphasis on information technology and computer science.
3. GOVERNMENT FUNDED TECHNICAL INSTITUTES (GFI)
There are more than 30 GFIs in India such as institutions like the Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra and Assam University, Silchar. These are of good quality and accept JEE Main ranks via JoSAA counselling.
4. STATE GOVERNMENT COLLEGES
Several government engineering colleges of state governments in India also use JEE Main ranks in lieu of or in addition to their own state-level entrance examinations. Some examples include colleges in Rajasthan, Haryana, Madhya Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.
5. PRIVATE COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES
Some private colleges or universities utilize JEE Main score for admissions. These include institutions such as Amity University, Jaypee Institute and Shiv Nadar University.
Top Colleges Accepting JEE Main Scores
Below is a categorized list of prominent colleges accepting JEE Main scores, along with their approximate cutoff ranks and rankings.
TOP NITs
| NIT | Opening Rank (GEN) | Closing Rank (GEN) | NIRF 2023 Rank |
| NIT Trichy | 1000 | 8000 | 8 |
| NIT Surathkal | 1000 | 9000 | 10 |
| NIT Warangal | 900 | 7000 | 21 |
| NIT Rourkela | 3000 | 12000 | 16 |
| NIT Calicut | 5000 | 13000 | 23 |
TOP IIIT
| IIIT | Opening Rank | Closing Rank | NIRF Rank |
| IIIT Hyderabad (uses JEE Main and its own exam UGEE) | 600 | 2500 | Not Ranked by NIRF |
| IIIT Allahabad | 4000 | 11000 | 89 |
| IIIT Delhi (Through JAC Delhi) | 2000 | 10000 | 75 |
| IIIT Gwalior | 6000 | 12000 | 78 |
POPULAR GFTIs
| Institute | Opening Rank | Closing Rank | Notable Programs |
| BIT Mesra | 2000 | 15000 | CSE, ECE |
| Assam University | 15000 | 30000 | Various |
| Punjab Engineering College (PEC), Chandigarh | 5000 | 13000 | Mechanical, Civil, CSE |
| Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering and Technology (SLIET) | 20000 | 40000 | Various |
STAGE COLLEGE ACCEPTING JEE MAIN
Most states take JEE Main scores for admissions to BTech either alone or in combination with state-level exams:
HARYANA
State engineering colleges such as Deenbandhu Chhotu Ram University of Science and Technology, YMCA Faridabad, etc., take the JEE Main score.
MADHYA PRADESH
The Directorate of Technical Education (DTE) MP takes the JEE Main score for all admissions to engineering in government and private colleges.
RAJASTHAN
Largest state universities such as MBM Jodhpur and CTAE Udaipur admit based on JEE Main score under REAP ( Rajasthan Engineering Admission Process).
UTTAR PRADESH
AKTU institutions such as most prominent ones such as IET Lucknow and KNIT Sultanpur, admit on the basis of JEE Main ranks under UPTAC counselling.
Private Colleges Accepting JEE Main Scores
Many reputed private universities also accept JEE Main scores in addition to their own entrance tests:
Top Private Colleges
| College | Admission Mode | NIRF Rank |
| Shiv Nadar University | JEE Main + SNUSAT | 95 |
| Amity University | JEE Main / 12th Marks | 35 (Private Univ.) |
| Jaypee Institute of Information Technology | JEE Main + Boards | 101–150 |
| UPES Dehradun | JEE Main / UPESEAT | 52 |
| NIIT University | JEE Main / NUAT | Not Ranked |
These universities often provide scholarships for students who score high in JEE Main.
DECODING JEE MAIN CUTOFFS
CONSIDERATIONS INFLUENCING CUTOFFS
- Number of students
- Difficulty level of the paper
- Seat availability
- Last year trends
- Category (GEN/OBC/SC/ST)
| Institute | General | OBC | SC | ST |
| NIT Trichy | 7000 | 2500 | 1500 | 600 |
| NIT Surathkal | 8000 | 3000 | 1600 | 700 |
| NIT Warangal | 6000 | 2000 | 1400 | 500 |
RANKING APPROACH
Colleges are ranked by various organizations such as NIRF (National Institute Ranking Framework), India Today and QS rankings. The main parameters are:
- Teaching, learning and resources
- Research and professional practices
- Graduation outcomes
- Outreach and inclusivity
- Perception
TIPS FOR STUDENTS BASED ON JEE MAIN SCORES.
- Know your Rank: Estimate your rank through online predictors based on your JEE main score.
- Use JoSAB and CSAB(Central Seat Allocation Board) Tools: These are the centralized counselling tools that are official portals for NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs.
- Check College Cutoffs: Check the opening and closing ranks of every branch in the past year.
- Have Backup Options: Always make multiple college applications, including private universities and state colleges.
- Join Spot Rounds: CSAB special rounds or state-level counselling should not be misses.
Top Colleges Accepting JEE Main Scores – Key FAQs (2025 Guide)
Planning your engineering admission through JEE Main 2025? Here are answers to frequently asked questions about colleges, cutoffs, and more.
1. Which Colleges Accept JEE Main Scores?
Top institutions accepting JEE Main scores include:
- NITs (National Institutes of Technology)
- IIITs (Indian Institutes of Information Technology)
- GFTIs (Government-Funded Technical Institutes)
- Private universities like Shiv Nadar, UPES, Amity, and Jaypee (some may also have separate entrance exams)
2. What Is a Good Rank for NIT Admission?
A competitive JEE Main rank varies by category:
- General: Under 25,000 for top NITs and popular branches
- OBC: Under 35,000
- SC: Under 1,00,000
- ST: Under 1,50,000
- Home state quota can improve chances for higher ranks
3. Do Private Colleges Accept JEE Main?
Yes. Many private institutes like Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, NIIT University, and others use JEE Main scores for B.Tech admissions.
4. How to Check JEE Main Cutoffs?
Cutoffs are available on:
- JoSAA website
- Official college websites
- Portals like Shiksha, Careers360, and College Pravesh
5. What’s the Difference Between JoSAA & CSAB?
- JoSAA conducts main counselling for NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs
- CSAB manages special rounds for leftover seats after JoSAA
6. Do State Colleges Accept JEE Main?
States like UP, MP, Haryana, and Odisha accept JEE Main. Others (e.g., Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu) use state exams like MHT CET or Class 12 marks.
JEE MAIN SCORE VS PERCENTILE VS RANK
Score: raw marks out of 300
Percentile: Normalized score in comparison to all the candidates
Rank: Rank among all the candidates; counselling is done based on this.
A score of approximately 180-200 + will generally result in a 99+ percentile and secure admission to most NITs and IIITs. For admission to stop streams such as CSE in NITs, you will usually have to rank within the top 7,000- 10,000.
Conclusion
JEE Main provides access to the full gamut of engineering institutes in India, ranging from best-ranked NITs and IITs to well-known state and private colleges. With a good score and wise decisions, candidates can get into quality colleges that suit one’s goals and merit. It is necessary to monitor counselling deadlines, category-wise cutoffs and institute ranking to optimize one’s opportunity in the engineering admission cycle.
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