JEE Advanced Reservation Criteria: Eligibility, Category-wise Reservation, Documents Required

The JEE Advanced reservation criteria 2026 will be set by the conducting authority to provide equal opportunities to students from various backgrounds. As per the previous year’s JEE Advanced reservation criteria, gen-EWS category has a 10% share of the total seat intake, OBC has 27%, SC has 15%, and ST has a 7.5% share.

JEE Advanced reservation criteria 2026 are applicable only during admission and JoSAA counselling 2026 and not during the JEE Advanced application process 2026. Understanding the reservation policies is essential for candidates belonging to reserved categories such as SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS, and PwD, as it significantly impacts seat allocation in IITs and other centrally funded technical institutions.

JEE Advanced 2026 Category-Wise Reservation

JEE Advanced 2026 reservation policy is as per the norms set by the Government of India and is applicable to all category candidates. Here is the category-wise JEE Advanced reservation 2026:

Category	Reservation Percentage
Scheduled Caste (SC)	15%
Scheduled Tribe (ST)	7.5%
Other Backward Classes – Non-Creamy Layer	27%
Economically Weaker Section (EWS)	10%
Persons with Disabilities (PwD)	5%

Who Is Eligible for Reservation in JEE Advanced 2026?

To avail the JEE Advanced reservation benefits, candidates must meet the eligibility criteria set for each category. Given below are the JEE Advanced 2026 eligibility criteria to avail the reservation benefits:

• SC/ST Candidates: Must be listed under the Central Government’s recognized list of Scheduled Castes or Scheduled Tribes.
• OBC-NCL Candidates: Must belong to the Non-Creamy Layer section of OBC as per the latest central list. The certificate must be issued after April 1, 2025.
• EWS Candidates: Should belong to the general category and have a family annual income less than ₹8 lakh.
• PwD Candidates: Must have at least 40% disability as certified by a recognized medical authority.

Documents Required to Claim JEE Advanced 2026 Reservation

To claim the JEE Advanced reservation policy, you must submit certain documents such as the Caste Certificate, Tribe Certificate, Income Tax Certificate, etc, as required by the conducting authority during the counselling process.

Listed below are the documents required for JEE Advanced reservation 2026:

Category	Required Document	Issuing Authority
SC	Caste Certificate	District Magistrate
ST	Tribe Certificate	District Magistrate
OBC-NCL	OBC-NCL Certificate (Post April 1, 2025)	District Magistrate / Revenue Officer
EWS	Income & Asset Certificate	Revenue Officer
PwD	Disability Certificate (≥40% disability)	Medical Board (Central/State Govt.)

Reservation Criteria for Female Candidates JEE Advanced 2026

As proclaimed by the IIT council, the gender balance in UG programs in IIT should be improved. Thus, female candidates must consider a few things for the JEE Advanced Reservation Criteria 2026.

• Female candidates will have 20% of supernumerary category seats.
• The 20% of seats are on top of the non-female categories for JEE Advanced reservation. 
• Female students who qualify for the JEE Advanced exam will be allocated seats.
• According to the business rules of JoSAA 2026 the female category quota will be filled.

JEE Advanced Reservation Criteria 2026 for Foreign Candidates

If candidates apply for JEE Advanced admissions while they’re studying abroad, their status will be that of a foreign national. This also applies in case of high school education (10+2) in foreign countries. 

• Foreign nationals are allotted supernumerary seats, with a limit of 10% of the total seat intake. 
• Caste-based or otherwise seat reservation (SC/ST/OBC) does not apply to foreign nationals.
• Candidates under the umbrella of “foreign nationals” can visit the official JEE Advanced website for more information.
• Students are deemed as “foreign nationals” in cases of:
• Prior or current education in India at high school level (10+2)
• ALSO are not Indian citizens (due to birth or naturalization)
• ALSO do not have a OCI/PIO card (neither do their parents, who ALSO are NOT Indian citizens by birth or naturalisation)

Conclusion

The JEE Advanced Reservation Criteria 2026 aims to ensure fair access to IITs by supporting students from underrepresented and economically weaker backgrounds. With defined quotas for SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS, PwD, and female candidates, the system plays a crucial role during JoSAA counselling and seat allocation, not during the application or exam process.