Students with 87 percentile in JEE Main 2026 usually remain in contention for NIT admissions, particularly in branches with comparatively higher closing ranks.
This percentile generally places students around the 90,000 to 1.3 lakh AIR range, although the exact rank changes every year.
Branches such as Mechanical, Civil, Chemical, Electrical, Production, and Metallurgical Engineering can still be available across several NITs depending on category and quota.
In recent counselling rounds, students around this percentile have received options in NITs such as:
- NIT Mizoram
- NIT Nagaland
- NIT Manipur
- NIT Arunachal Pradesh
The admission in the above mentioned NITs, depends on candidates having home state quota (HS). The past JOSAA counselling data clearly shows students with 87 percentile range got admission in these institutes.
One important thing to understand is that the closing ranks visible in the opening rounds are not always the final closing ranks of the admission process.
As seats move through upgrades and withdrawals, additional branches and colleges can become available in later rounds.
This is why Round 4 & 5 and CSAB counselling become particularly important for students in this percentile range.
Since cutoff movement can be significant in the later rounds, checking JEE Main College Predictor can give a clearer picture of which NITs may be within reach at a similar rank.
Those who stay till the final rounds often end up with options that seemed unavailable at the start of counselling.
Which NITs Are Possible at 87 Percentile?
At this percentile, realistic expectations become very important. Students should mainly target newer NITs and core branches instead of expecting top NIT CSE seats.
| NIT | Branches |
| NIT Mizoram | Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Chemical Science & Technology |
| NIT Nagaland | Civil, Mechanical, Electrical |
| NIT Arunachal Pradesh | Civil, Mechanical |
| NIT Manipur | Civil, Mechanical, Chemical |
| NIT Sikkim | Civil, Mechanical |
| NIT Meghalaya | Civil |
| NIT Srinagar | Civil, Chemical |
Note:
Available NIT options at 87 percentile can vary considerably based on category, Home State quota, gender quota, branch preference, and cutoff movement in the final counselling rounds.
What Happens in Later JoSAA and CSAB Rounds?
Many students at 87 percentile do not get any seat in the first few counselling rounds. This is completely normal. Major cutoff drops usually happen after:
- Students upgrade to better colleges
- Some students leave counselling
- Vacant seats move into CSAB rounds
This is why students who stay patient till the end often get better results than students who leave counseling early. In fact, many admissions in newer NITs at this rank range happen only after Round 5 or in CSAB counselling.
One Common Mistake Students Make
Many students stop preparation completely after seeing an 87 percentile. But counselling and improvement opportunities still remain open. Some students improve their options later through:
- Better counselling strategy
- CSAB participation
- State counselling
- Drop year preparation
Even a small change in AIR can affect counselling options at this percentile, which is why many students first estimate their likely rank using the JEE Main Rank Predictor before shortlisting colleges.
What if you don’t get an NIT?
In case you have scored 87 percentile, but don’t have a powerful home state quota. Here’s what you can do next.
You can consider IIITs, state government colleges and private colleges! Here are some of the options that you can try.
State Government Colleges
- Delhi Technological University (DTU)
- Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT)
- Punjab Engineering College (PEC Chandigarh)
- Jadavpur University (JU)
- College of Engineering Pune (COEP)
Private Colleges
- Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology
- Jaypee Institute of Information Technology (Noida)
- Shiv Nadar University
- SRM Institute of Science and Technology
- Vellore Institute of Technology
GFTIs
- Assam University (Silchar)
- Gurukula Kangri Vishwavidyalaya (Haridwar)
- Birla Institute of Technology Mesra
- Central University of Rajasthan
- Central University of Haryana
FAQs
Q. Can I get an NIT with 87 percentile in JEE Main 2026?
A. Yes, some newer NITs may still be possible at 87 percentile, mainly in branches like Civil, Mechanical, or Electrical during later JoSAA and CSAB rounds.
Q. Can OPEN category students get NIT at 87 percentile?
A. Yes, but options remain limited and mostly depend on final counselling rounds, branch flexibility, and seat availability.
Q. What AIR is expected at 87 percentile in JEE Main 2026?
A. Expected AIR at 87 percentile is usually around close to 1.7 lakh to 2 lakh rank, depending on paper difficulty and total number of students.
Q. Which counselling round is most important at 87 percentile?
A. Round 4, Round 5, and CSAB are usually the most important rounds because major cutoff drops happen there.
Q. Is dropping a year better than joining a lower NIT?
A. It depends on your goals, branch preference, and preparation confidence. Some students prefer improving their percentile while others continue with available college options.