JEE Advanced 2026 has recorded significant changes in the composition of its qualifying candidates, with women and candidates from Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe categories registering higher qualification rates than in the previous year.
According to the 2026 Joint Implementation Committee report released by IIT Roorkee, 10,107 women qualified for JEE Advanced this year. This was the highest number of women qualifiers in the six-year period covered by the report.
Editorial Insight
Key Highlights
Important points readers should notice.
56,880 candidates qualified for JEE Advanced 2026.
10,107 women qualified, the highest number in the six-year period covered by the JIC report.
Women's qualification rate reached 23.4%, also a six-year high.
15,856 SC candidates qualified.
The SC qualification rate reached 50.16%.
6,379 ST candidates qualified, with a qualification rate of 42.14%.
Of the 43,112 women who registered, 40,562 appeared in both papers and 10,107 qualified. Their qualification rate stood at 23.4%, compared with 21.7% in 2025, making it the highest in the six-year period covered by the report.
The overall examination saw 1,87,389 candidates register, while 1,79,694 appeared in both papers. A total of 56,880 candidates qualified for the examination.
The SC qualification rate crossed the 50% mark in 2026. A total of 31,613 SC candidates registered, including candidates with and without PwD status, and 15,856 qualified, resulting in a qualification rate of approximately 50.16%.
Editorial Analysis
Why This Matters
The JEE Advanced data offers a current view of how qualification patterns are changing across gender and social categories in India's premier engineering entrance examination. The increase in the number and qualification rate of women candidates is particularly significant because women's participation in IIT admissions has been a long-standing focus of policy measures, including the creation of supernumerary seats. The rise in SC and ST qualification rates also changes the composition of the qualifying pool and provides useful data for understanding participation and access to India's IIT system.
This was higher than the 40.41% SC qualification rate reported for 2025. The number of SC qualifiers also increased from 12,499 in 2025 to 15,856 in 2026.
The ST category also recorded an increase. 15,136 ST candidates registered and 6,379 qualified, putting the qualification rate at approximately 42.14%, compared with 33.99% in 2025.
The changes came as the examination's qualifying criteria were adjusted for the 2026 rank lists. The JIC report noted that qualifying criteria were set with the objective of ensuring sufficient candidates for the available seats across categories.
Women also recorded a higher presence in IIT admissions. In 2026, 3,814 female-only seats were allotted, while 37 women secured seats through the gender-neutral pool. Women therefore accounted for about 20.2% of the 18,861 seats allotted in the final IIT admission process.
The latest figures provide a broader picture of participation and qualification patterns in one of India's most competitive engineering entrance examinations.
