General category cut-off surges by 18 marks as Rajasthan coaching hubs dominate six out of the top ten national positions
The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) released the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced results late on Sunday night, with Shubham Kumar from Bihar securing the All India Rank (AIR) 1. Kabir Chillar from Delhi achieved the second position, followed by Jatin Chahar from Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan, in third place.
National data shows that out of 1,79,694 candidates who appeared for the highly competitive engineering entrance test, 56,880 qualified. This brings the overall pass percentage for the 2026 exam cycle to 31.65 per cent.
Education experts highlighted a massive spike in competitiveness this year. The qualifying cut-off score jumped to 92 marks, registering a sharp increase of 18 points compared to the 2025 metrics. Additionally, the subject-wise cut-off criteria for the general category increased by 8 marks.
Following the announcement, Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Samrat Choudhary extended his congratulations to the national topper, stating that the historic achievement has brought glory to the state and serves as an inspiration to millions of youth across the country.
जेईई एडवांस्ड 2026 में ऑल इंडिया रैंक-1 प्राप्त कर देशभर में बिहार का नाम गौरवान्वित करने वाले प्रतिभाशाली छात्र शुभम कुमार को हार्दिक बधाई एवं शुभकामनाएं।
आपकी अथक मेहनत, अनुशासन, समर्पण और उत्कृष्ट प्रतिभा ने लाखों युवाओं को प्रेरित करने का कार्य किया है। यह ऐतिहासिक उपलब्धि… pic.twitter.com/bxRCUvYAym
— Samrat Choudhary (@samrat4bjp) June 1, 2026
Kota and Sikar Coaching Hubs Maintain Dominance
The results once again highlight the major role of Rajasthan’s premier coaching ecosystems in Sikar and Kota, with six out of the top ten students training at institutes within the state.
Third-rank holder Jatin Chahar, who scored 319 marks, completed his preparations in Sikar. Similarly, Kota-based students secured multiple positions within the elite bracket. Arnav Gautam achieved the 7th rank, Kanishk Jain placed 8th, and Darsh Sikka closed the top tier at 10th place.
The city also celebrated success in the female category. Aarohi, the national topper among female candidates with an All India Rank of 77, completed her intensive training program in Kota.
JEE Advanced 2026 National Toppers
The official merit list shows tight competition at the top, with mere single-digit margins separating the leading candidates:
| Rank | Student Name | Score (Out of 360) |
| 1 | Shubham Kumar | 330 |
| 2 | Kabir Chillar | 329 |
| 3 | Jatin Chahar | 319 |
| 4 | Mohit Shekhar Shukla | 319 |
| 5 | Kuchi Sandeep | 318 |
| 6 | B Jayakrishna Srinivas | 314 |
| 7 | Arnav Gautam | 314 |
| 8 | Kanishk Jain | 313 |
| 9 | Medisetti Naga Sahasra | 312 |
| 10 | Darsh Sikka | 311 |
Successful candidates will now participate in the central JoSAA counselling rounds to secure seats across premier Indian Institutes of Technology nationwide.
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