JEE Main 2026 Normalization Process

JEE Main 2026 was conducted across multiple days and multiple shifts. Each shift used a different set of questions to prevent paper leaks and ensure exam integrity. However, this creates a fundamental challenge: a student who got a harder paper should not be penalized compared to a student who got an easier paper.

NTA addresses this through percentile-based normalization. Instead of comparing absolute raw marks across sessions, NTA converts every student's raw marks into a percentile score — called the NTA score — that reflects relative performance within their session and shift.

The NTA score is calculated using this formula:

This means:

• An NTA score of 99.50 means you scored better than 99.50% of all candidates in that session.
• An NTA score of 100 means you are in the top group with the highest raw marks in your session.
• The NTA score is calculated separately for Physics, Chemistry, and Maths — and also as an overall combined score.

Subject-wise NTA scores are used for tie-breaking when two candidates have identical overall NTA scores. The tie-breaking rules give priority to Maths, then Physics, then Chemistry percentile.

Students who appear in both JEE Main 2026 sessions (January/February and April) benefit from NTA's best-of-two policy:

• NTA considers the higher NTA score across Session 1 and Session 2 for the final merit list.
• If a student appears in both sessions, only the best NTA score is used — there is no averaging.
• This policy encourages students to attempt Session 1 as a trial run and improve in Session 2.

After the final result, NTA publishes the Common Rank List (CRL) and category rank lists. Use the JEE Main College Predictor to find colleges based on your final NTA score.