Perfect Scores No Longer Rare: 26 Ace JEE Main with 100 NTA Score

In a striking development, 26 candidates have secured a perfect 100 NTA score in the latest edition of JEE Main , the National Testing Agency (NTA) announced on Monday marking a noticeable rise from 24 perfect scorers in 2025 and continuing an upward trend in recent years.

Traditionally, achieving a near-perfect score in India’s highly competitive engineering entrance exam was considered exceptionally rare. However, the growing number of top scorers suggests a shift, possibly driven by intensive coaching, improved preparation strategies, and familiarity with the exam’s computer-based format .

This year, over 13 lakh candidates appeared in the January session, while more than 10 lakh took the April session. Notably, over 8 lakh students appeared in both attempts , leveraging the system that considers the best score for ranking.

Among the top scorers, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana lead with five candidates each , followed by Rajasthan (4) and Delhi (3) . Maharashtra and Haryana produced two candidates each , while Chandigarh, Bihar, Tamil Nadu, Odisha, and Gujarat contributed one each. Significantly, all 26 toppers are male , and none belong to Scheduled Caste (SC) or Scheduled Tribe (ST) categories, continuing a pattern observed in previous years.

Officials clarified that the NTA score is a normalised metric , not a direct percentage. It reflects a candidate’s relative performance across multiple shifts , ensuring fairness despite varying difficulty levels.

A total of 2.5 lakh candidates have qualified for JEE Advanced , the gateway to prestigious institutions such as NITs, IIITs, and other centrally funded technical institutes .

The steady rise in perfect scores raises questions about increasing competition at the top end , evolving exam patterns, and the growing role of standardised preparation ecosystems in shaping outcomes.