JEE Advanced 2025: Expected Safe Scores for General, OBC, SC, and ST Categories

One of India's most prominent and tough engineering entrance tests is the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced. It acts as a gateway to the internationally renowned Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), which are renowned for their academic prowess. Since the exam's complexity varies and lakhs of students vie for a few thousand seats each year, it's critical to know what a "safe score" is.

The "safe score" is the minimal score that considerably raises a candidate's chances of being accepted into an IIT. These scores vary by category and are influenced by several variables, including the exam's general difficulty, the number of applicants, the IITs' reservation rules, and the availability of seats.

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For General Category (CRL):

Due to its lack of reservations, the general category—also referred to as the Common Rank List (CRL)—is the most competitive. A general category candidate should strive for a score of at least 190 out of 360 to have a reasonable and secure chance of getting into a reputable IIT.

Although it might be in a less sought-after field like metallurgical, chemical, or civil engineering, this score typically guarantees a rank that could secure a place in one of the older IITs. The needed score is usually substantially higher—250 or higher—for top-tier courses like Computer Science or Electrical Engineering at IIT Bombay or IIT Delhi. However, you have a good chance of getting into a lot of IITs, especially the more recent ones, if you score about 190.

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For OBC-NCL Category:

Under the Non-Creamy Layer category, students who fall under the Other Backward Classes are eligible for a reserved quota, which lowers the minimum score needed to get admitted. To be in the safe zone, an OBC-NCL candidate should strive for a minimum score of 180 out of 360.

OBC candidates should anticipate a respectable ranking with a score of 180 or above, which may result in admission to mid-tier branches at older IITs like IIT BHU, IIT Roorkee, or IIT Guwahati, or even excellent branches at more recent IITs. Those who want to pursue the most prestigious fields, such as computer science, will still need to aim for a score of at least 220.

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For the GEN-EWS Category:

The government recently created the Economically Weaker Section (GEN-EWS) category to provide reservation benefits to economically disadvantaged applicants from the general category. Historically, this category's cutoffs have been comparable to those of the OBC-NCL category.

A safe score for GEN-EWS candidates is about 180 out of 360. A score in this range gives you a good chance of getting into one of the more recent IITs or one of the older IITs' non-core branches. We advise aiming slightly higher—possibly in the 190–200 range—for better alternatives due to the constant increase in competition in this category.

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For SC Category:

Candidates from Scheduled Castes (SC) enjoy substantial reservations and lenient cutoff scores. SC applicants should aim for a minimum score of 150 out of 360 to be safely within the IIT admission range.

Although scores as low as 120 to 130 have allowed several SC applicants to get branches at more recent IITs, a score of 150 or more greatly increases the likelihood. Depending on other elements like home state benefits or gender-based quotas, it might even provide access to older IITs or better branches.

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For the ST Category:

Like SC candidates, Scheduled Tribe (ST) applicants are subject to a reserved quota, which permits them to have lower qualifying and admission scores. For candidates in the ST category, a safe score is approximately 140 points. This threshold is merely a general rule, though. ST applicants have occasionally been admitted with even lower scores, particularly at the more recent IITs.

However, as it increases the likelihood of obtaining a favored branch or IIT, it is wise to aim for 140 or above. At earlier IITs, ST candidates with higher scores might even be able to get into competitive branches like mechanical or electrical engineering.

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Factors Influencing Safe Scores:

It is crucial to realize that the idea of a safe score is a dynamic and relative one. The actual safe score may vary annually based on the paper's difficulty, changes in the number of applicants, the number of available seats, and the performance of other students. In recent years, the competition has become more diverse, although it is not necessarily less competitive, due to the addition of new IITs and an increase in seat capacity.

Furthermore, patterns over the past few years suggest that competition is progressively growing in every category. More students are enrolling in coaching programs sooner, honing their exam-taking techniques, and practicing with practice exams. Cutoff scores may therefore increase gradually every year.

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Final Advice:

Instead of only aiming for the lowest safe score for your category, it would be prudent to try for the greatest possible mark on JEE Advanced 2025. Aiming for at least 200 points gives you a larger buffer if you fall into the general group. Scores above 190 are advantageous for GEN-EWS and OBC. Aiming for 150 or higher puts you in a competitive position for the SC and ST classifications.

Although these safe scores provide useful benchmarks, it is important to understand that they do not guarantee admission, especially to specific IITs or popular fields of study. During therapy, your choices, rank, and preferences are also crucial.

Keep practicing, maintain your attention, and keep in mind that every JEE Advanced mark matters. Your rank can change by hundreds or even thousands of places with a mere 5–10 mark differential. Set ambitious goals, be well-prepared, and have faith in your planning.