IIT Roorkee was established in 1847. It is one of India’s oldest and most prestigious technical institutions. The institution is consistently ranked among the top five IITs by the NIRF. Every year, it attracts hundreds of thousands of JEE Advanced aspirants. For the Class of 2026, understanding the IIT Roorkee cutoff is the most important step in building a realistic admission strategy. For structured guidance, aspirants can explore trusted platforms like JEE Advanced preparation resources.
The IIT Roorkee cutoff refers to the last rank at which a seat was allotted in a given programme during JoSAA counselling. These ranks serve as the benchmark that every aspirant must surpass to secure admission.
In this article, we will look into a detailed, data-driven breakdown of opening and closing ranks with JEE Advanced 2026 on the horizon. It covers all major branches and categories.
Factors That Influence the IIT Roorkee Cutoff
The IIT Roorkee cutoff is not a static number; it shifts every year based on several interconnected variables. Understanding these factors helps you make a more accurate prediction for 2026:
- Difficulty Level of JEE Advanced 2026: A tougher paper generally results in lower raw scores, compressing the rank distribution and potentially relaxing cutoffs for lower-tier branches while tightening them for top ones. To better understand difficulty trends, aspirants should practice JEE Advanced PYQs regularly.
- Total Number of Qualified Candidates: More qualifiers mean greater competition for the same number of seats, which typically pushes closing ranks upward.
- Seat Matrix & Supernumerary Seats: Admissions for B.Tech in IIT Roorkee are governed by a fixed seat matrix. Any change in total seats, including female supernumerary seats, directly impacts closing ranks.
- Candidate Preferences in JoSAA Counselling 2026: Branch popularity drives demand. A surge in interest for Data Science & AI, for example, tightens its cutoff even if the overall rank pool remains unchanged.
- Performance of Top Rankers: If high-rankers prefer other IITs over Roorkee for a specific branch, the opening rank may shift lower, affecting the overall cutoff band.
IIT Roorkee Branch-wise Cutoff: Top-Tier vs Core Branches
1. Top-Tier Branches (Highest Competition)
Computer Science & Engineering (CSE) remains the crown jewel of the IIT Roorkee branch-wise cutoff table. With an opening rank near 275 and a closing rank around 592 (General category), it demands a top-tier JEE Advanced score. Data Science & Artificial Intelligence has rapidly climbed the demand ladder, with its closing rank settling near 845 in 2025, a clear reflection of the industry’s appetite for AI professionals.
Electronics & Communication Engineering (ECE) follows at a closing rank of approximately 1,486, while Electrical Engineering closes near 2,091. Both remain highly competitive options for students who narrowly miss the CSE cutoff.
2. Core Engineering Branches
Mechanical Engineering typically closes around AIR 3,200, making it accessible to a wider pool of candidates. Chemical Engineering hovers near 4,800, while Civil Engineering and Metallurgical & Materials Engineering are often called lower-demand branches, and see closing ranks between 6,800 and 7,400. These branches offer excellent research and placement outcomes and should not be overlooked when filling JoSAA preferences. Additionally, newer interdisciplinary programs such as IIT Guwahati’s BSc in Biomedical Science & Engineering are also gaining traction.
3. IIT Roorkee Opening & Closing Ranks 2025 (General Category)
| Branch / Programme | Category | Opening Rank | Closing Rank |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer Science & Engineering | General | ~275 | ~592 |
| Data Science & Artificial Intelligence | General | ~310 | ~845 |
| Electronics & Communication Engg. | General | ~820 | ~1,486 |
| Electrical Engineering | General | ~900 | ~2,091 |
| Mechanical Engineering | General | ~1,500 | ~3,200 |
| Chemical Engineering | General | ~3,000 | ~4,800 |
| Civil Engineering | General | ~5,200 | ~6,800 |
| Metallurgical & Materials Engineering | General | ~5,900 | ~7,400 |
Category-wise IIT Roorkee Cutoff Insights
One of the most critical aspects of IIT Roorkee B.Tech admissions is how the IIT Roorkee cutoff varies across reservation categories. Reserved categories benefit from significantly relaxed closing ranks, opening doors to premium branches for a broader range of students.
1. OBC-NCL Category
OBC-NCL candidates enjoy approximately 27% reservation. For CSE, the closing rank for OBC-NCL typically falls near AIR 340, nearly 43% lower than the General category closing rank of 592, making highly coveted programmes accessible to a larger talent pool.
2. SC & ST Categories
SC candidates can secure a CSE seat at IIT Roorkee with a rank around 220, while ST candidates have seen closing ranks as low as 115 in recent cycles. These significantly relaxed cutoffs reflect the constitutional mandate of inclusive education.
3. EWS Category
Introduced in 2019, the Economically Weaker Section (EWS) quota offers 10% reservation. EWS closing ranks for CSE are approximately 780, bridging the gap between the General and reserved category cutoffs.
4. Female Supernumerary Seats
IIT Roorkee allocates additional supernumerary seats exclusively for female candidates to improve gender diversity across all programmes. These seats carry substantially relaxed closing ranks, often 20–35% higher in rank number than the corresponding open-category cutoff, giving female aspirants a meaningful advantage when making their JoSAA counselling for 2026 preference list.
5. IIT Roorkee CSE Cutoff 2025: Category-wise Opening & Closing Ranks
| Category | Opening Rank | Closing Rank | Female-Only Open | Female-Only Close |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| General (OPEN) | ~275 | ~592 | — | — |
| EWS | ~350 | ~780 | ~130 | ~260 |
| OBC-NCL | ~150 | ~340 | ~70 | ~155 |
| SC | ~85 | ~220 | ~38 | ~95 |
| ST | ~40 | ~115 | ~18 | ~52 |
| General – PwD | ~1 | ~50 | ~1 | ~22 |
How to Use the IIT Roorkee Cutoff Data for JoSAA Counselling 2026
JoSAA counselling 2026 is conducted over 5-6 rounds, and the closing rank after the final round is considered the official IIT Roorkee cutoff for that academic year. Here is how to strategically use this data:
- Set Realistic Targets: If your expected JEE Advanced rank is around 700, CSE at IIT Roorkee may be a stretch. Consider DS&AI or ECE as primary targets, with CSE as an aspirational choice.
- Fill a Balanced Preference List: Include a mix of dream, realistic, and safe options across IIT Roorkee branches. Avoid limiting your list to only top-demand programmes.
- Monitor Round-by-Round Movement: Closing ranks often loosen by 5–15% between Round 1 and Round 6 as seats vacated by candidates who upgrade get re-allotted.
- Leverage Category Advantages: OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and EWS aspirants should carefully study the category-specific IIT Roorkee opening and closing ranks to maximise their branch options.
- Use Previous Year Data as a Floor: The 2025 data in this article is your minimum benchmark. Expect a marginal fluctuation of +/- 5–8% depending on the 2026 JEE Advanced difficulty.
Conclusion: Your Road to IIT Roorkee B.Tech Admissions
In conclusion, cracking the IIT Roorkee cutoff 2026 demands more than just hard work. It requires smart, data-backed planning. Whether you are aiming for the ultra-competitive CSE programme or targeting core engineering branches, understanding the branch-wise cutoff landscape at IIT Roorkee is important. This knowledge is your first step toward making the right academic choice. IIT Roorkee is consistently ranked among the top five IITs by NIRF. To understand its position among other institutes, check the detailed list of top IITs in India.
Use the 2025 closing ranks as your performance benchmark. Stay consistent with your JEE Advanced preparation for 2026. Approach JoSAA counselling for 2026 with a well-researched preference list. IIT Roorkee’s legacy of excellence, combined with its diverse programme offerings, makes it a destination worth every hour of your preparation.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What is the minimum rank required for CSE at IIT Roorkee?
Generally, a candidate must secure an AIR below 600 in the General category to be considered for Computer Science & Engineering at IIT Roorkee. The closing rank for CSE hovers near 592, meaning aspirants with a rank up to this number stand a chance in the final rounds of JoSAA counselling for 2026. Category candidates have significantly lower thresholds.
2. Does IIT Roorkee have a female-only quota?
Yes. IIT Roorkee allocates supernumerary seats exclusively for female candidates across all programmes to improve gender diversity on campus. These seats are in addition to the regular intake, and the closing ranks for female supernumerary seats are often significantly more relaxed than the general open-category cutoff, making it an important consideration for female aspirants during admissions in IIT Roorkee B.Tech.
3. Which is the easiest branch to get into at IIT Roorkee?
Based on historical trends, programmes like Architecture, Biosciences, or Geological Technology typically have the highest closing ranks (i.e., lowest competition), often exceeding AIR 10,000 for the General category. However, ‘easiest to enter’ should not overshadow career fit; these programmes offer excellent placements and research opportunities in their respective fields.
4. How many rounds of JoSAA counselling determine the final IIT Roorkee cutoff?
The IIT Roorkee cutoff is determined through 5–6 rounds of JoSAA counselling for 2026. The closing rank recorded after the last round, commonly called the ‘Last Round Closing Rank’, is the official admission limit for that academic year. Candidates who receive a seat in earlier rounds and do not upgrade or exit retain their allotment, while remaining seats are filled in subsequent rounds.
