The admission cut-off for enrolling into BTech Mechanical Engineering in NITs is highly dependent on your rank in JEE Main and differs based on institutes and category. In the case of top NITs, the general category cutoff ranks generally fall in the 8,000-20,000 range in recent rounds, and the OBC, EWS, SC and ST cutoff ranks are lower at 3,000-18,000 (depending on the NIT and round). JEE Main cut off percentile is approximately 93-95 percentile in General category, 79-81 percentile in OBC/ EWS category, and as low as 46-65 percentile in SC/ ST categories.
Cut-offs and counselling happen round wise, and category, seat type as well as state quota also play a major role. Year after year, Mechanical Engineering has been one of the core and demanded courses, with closing ranks for top NITs such as NIT Trichy, NIT Surathkal, and NIT Warangal commonly ranging between 5,000 and 12,000 for the General category (Other State).
Parameters that affect these cut-offs are the level of difficulty of the JEE Main exam, number of candidates appeared, availability of seats in each of the NITs, and overall inclination for Mechanical Engineering over current streams such as CSE or ECE. For example, in 2024, NIT Trichy's closing rank was approximately 8,000 for ME (General-OS), whereas new NITs extended up to 33,000 or higher. Candidates should try to obtain a rank significantly lower than the estimated closing ranks to stand a better chance of gaining entry into NITs of superior stature for Mechanical Engineering.
Category Wise JoSAA Cut Off for BTech ME 2025
The category-wise JoSAA cut-off for BTech Mechanical Engineering (ME) in 2025 represents the minimum JEE Main ranks required for admission into NITs across various reservation categories, such as General, OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and EWS. These cut-offs differ for each category and are further influenced by home state and gender-based quotas.
Learn more about NIT CSE Cutoff 2025
JoSAA Cut Off for BTech ME Past Trends
The JoSAA cut-off for BTech Mechanical Engineering reflects the closing ranks at which students are admitted to various NITs each year. These cut-offs vary based on factors like category, quota, and the institute's popularity. Analyzing past trends helps candidates understand the level of competition and estimate the rank needed to secure admission in ME at top NITs.
Click to learn more about NIT BTech Civil Engineering Cut Off 2025
BTech ME JoSAA Cut Off in NITs 2025
The JoSAA rank for BTech Mechanical Engineering in NITs for 2025 represents the minimum JEE Main ranks required for admission across different categories. These cut-offs vary each year based on factors like seat availability, exam difficulty, and candidate preferences.
Read about NIT BTech EE Cut Off
How to Check JEE Main 2025 BTech ME Cut Off Marks?
In order to receive the admission in BTech ME via JEE Main 2025, you should know where and how to observe the original cut off marks. Cut offs are minimum rank or score that needs to be achieved so that one gets eligible and varies based on NIT, category, and year. A simple step-by-step process which will allow you to get the recent cut off details easily is as follows:.
- Go to the official JoSAA website during seat allotment.
- Go to the "Opening and Closing Ranks" page under BTech courses category.
- Choose the year 2025 and the ME course and its corresponding NIT.
- Choose a filter by selecting your category (General, OBC, SC, ST, PwD, etc.).
- Note down the opening and closing ranks for all the rounds of seat allotment.
- Mark official notices and news on JoSAA or NIT websites for any update announcement.
Factors Affecting BTech ME JEE Main Cut Off
Some of the factors that affect the BTech ME JEE Main cut off are mentioned below:
- Institution placement track record, location, and reputational ranks also contribute, with some NITs being student-popular relative to others, thus cut-off ranks are impacted.
- The quantity of seats available in ME streams at NITs and other locations decides the scale to which the cut-offs are, i.e., to what extent or to what degree.
- The total number of applications in ME streams determines the degree of competition and thus the cut-off ranks.
- Institute placement record, place, and reputation ranks also play a part, with some NITs student-preferred than others, thus cut-off ranks are influenced.
- The number of seats available in ME streams at NITs and elsewhere decides the order to which the cut-offs are, i.e., the amount or the quantity.
- The relative level of difficulty from one year to another of the JEE Main examination impacts overall scores, not to mention thereby college cut-offs.
- Requirement of specialization in ME because of the jobs and requirement for jobs in the space age technology firms is bound to result in tighter cut-offs.
Also read about NIT BTech ECE Cut Off
BTech ME JEE Main Tie Breaking Criteria
Tie-breaking: If a tie occurs when two or more students obtain equal marks in JEE Main for BTech ME admission, a logical process is adopted to announce rankings step by step in order to uphold fairness. The tie is broken using the methods as given below:
- Higher Mathematics marks -A higher rank is assigned to the candidate with a higher Mathematics mark.
- Higher Physics marks -Candidate who gets higher mark in Physics is of higher rank if still the same.
- Higher Chemistry marks -If still the same, the candidate who gets a higher Chemistry mark is of higher rank.
- Older in age - Where there is tie in the same subject marks, the older candidate is given preference.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is the emerging technology affecting the cut-off trends for Mechanical Engineering in NITs?
The emergence of new areas such as automation, robotics, and renewable energy in Mechanical Engineering has increased diversity of student interest, which is impacting cut-off trends. Though core subjects such as Mechanical remain in great demand, interdisciplinary subjects and specialty labs in NITs are also drawing candidates with diverse skill sets. It sometimes causes relatively minor differences in cut-offs depending on candidates' preference for newer courses that are tech-oriented, impacting the rank ranges of core Mechanical streams indirectly.
Are shifts in the level of difficulty of JEE Main exams to be blamed for abrupt variations in Mechanical Engineering cut-offs?
Yes. The level of difficulty of the JEE Main exam impacts candidate performance, and hence cut-offs. If the paper is more difficult, it can lower cut-offs as there are fewer candidates with high ranks, while if the paper is less difficult, then cut-offs rise. Mechanical Engineering being a perennially sought stream undergoes these fluctuations reasonably; however, even slight variations in the pattern or the level of difficulty can cause enormous variations year-on-year in closing ranks.
Does it have any impact on Mechanical Engineering cut-offs in NITs at all if there are supernumerary or female-only seats?
Yes, gender reservation policies such as supernumerary seats for women candidates do change the cut-off dynamics. As Mechanical Engineering has traditionally witnessed fewer women aspirants, the reserved seats enhance the gender ratio and can even lower closing ranks for women candidates. The policy increases diversity but affects aggregate cut-off trends slightly by re-allocating the seats between the general and the reserved category.
Can home state quota influence cut-off ranks?
The answer is yes, there is a lower competitive cut-off rank when using home state quota in comparison to other state quota, particularly reserved category favouring ease of admission to a greater extent when using home state quota. Students in their home state can vary greatly, perhaps thousands of ranks higher. But in highly renowned NITs that have a high demand, this difference can be minimal.
Do cut-off ranks remain constant between years?
Cut-off ranks vary every year depending on variables such as total number of candidates, JEE Main difficulty level, number of seats, and reservation criteria. Small changes or fluctuations are common over years. Keeping track of the past three years can assist in identifying trends, but it is never an accurate prediction. Cut-offs may also be affected by changes in seat matrix or new NIT openings.
Which is more crucial, JEE Main ranking or percentile to get admission?
JEE Main rank will play an important role in seat allotment as the cut-offs will depend on ranks. Qualification is on percentile basis however the rank and seat availability in the selected NITs determine the actual admission. Rank provides you with a direct standing with the rest of the candidates, which is important in case of counselling. To get into the top branches such as Mechanical Engineering in desirable NITs despite high percentile, good rank is required.
What will happen if I fail the cut-off of Mechanical Engineering?
In case you do not make the cut-off to your preferred NIT/category, you can look to the next round of counselling, the NITs possessing higher cut-offs, or other branches / institutes. You can also take a drop year to rewrite JEE Main and get a higher rank. In some other cases, state or privately owned engineering colleges can provide acceptable mechanical programs as alternatives.