IIT ECE Round 1 Cutoff 2026, College & Category Wise Ranks

JoSAA Round 1 seat allotment for 2026 is officially scheduled for June 20, 2026. Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE) is the second most sought-after branch across IITs, consistently attracting high-ranking JEE Advanced candidates who narrowly miss the CSE cutoff at their target institute. This article presents projected Round 1 ECE closing ranks for 2026 based on early trends and previous year data, along with an IIT-wise breakdown, category-wise analysis, year-on-year trend comparison, and what candidates can expect as JoSAA counselling progresses through its remaining rounds in July 2026.

IIT ECE Round 1 Cutoff 2026

The JoSAA Round 1 cutoff 2026 for IIT ECE/EE (General category, Gender Neutral) is expected to confirm the branch's position as the most competitive non-CSE programme at every IIT. The following projections are based on early trends and 2025 baseline data, ahead of the official Round 1 release on June 20, 2026:

• IIT Bombay EE (which subsumes ECE): Closed at AIR 400 (Open, Gender Neutral), compared to AIR 418 in 2025, indicating a marginal tightening of the cutoff
• IIT Delhi EE (Electrical Engineering, Open Gender Neutral): Closed at AIR 593 in 2026, compared to AIR 591 in 2025, a virtually stable figure
• IIT Madras ECE: Closing rank expected in the range of AIR 250 to AIR 350 based on 2025 Round 1 data; official 2026 figure to be updated once full data is published
• IIT Bhubaneswar ECE: Opening rank projected in the range of AIR 4200 to AIR 4500 and closing rank expected around AIR 5760 to AIR 5850 for Open Gender Neutral, based on 2025 Round 1 data
• Allocation across all IITs is based strictly on the JEE Advanced 2026 All India Rank (AIR); raw entrance test scores are only used to determine these ranks, not during the seat allocation process itself

AI and Data Science and Mathematics and Computing (MnC) programmes at top IITs are increasingly competitive, with cutoffs at IIT Madras B.Tech AI and Data Science closing within the top 800 to 900 ranks historically, approaching ECE at the same institution. Candidates should compare these branches carefully during choice filling.

Also Read: JoSAA Counselling 2026, Registrations, Eligibility & Cutoff

IIT-Wise ECE Closing Rank List in Round 1

The table below consolidates confirmed 2026 Round 1 closing ranks where available, alongside 2025 Round 1 closing ranks for all IITs as a reference baseline. Note that IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and IIT Kanpur offer EE (not a separate ECE branch); the closing rank listed reflects their EE programme, which is the closest equivalent for ECE-aspiring candidates.

Also Read: JOSAA 2026 Round 1 Result OUT, Link Active at @josaa.nic.in

Category-Wise IIT ECE Cutoff Analysis

JoSAA publishes separate opening and closing ranks for each category: General (Open), OBC-NCL, SC, ST, and EWS. The table below presents category-wise closing ranks for IIT ECE/EE using 2025 Round 1 data, which provides the most reliable recent baseline for 2026 category-wise estimation. The General category figure is the Gender Neutral closing rank.

Key category-wise observations:

• At IIT Bombay EE and IIT Delhi EE, OBC-NCL candidates typically close within AIR 220 to 310, making ECE/EE at these institutes competitive for reserved category candidates as well
• SC closing ranks at top IITs (Bombay, Delhi, Madras) for ECE/EE generally fall in the AIR 100 to 200 range, which is still highly selective
• ST category has the highest numerical closing ranks but follows the same IIT preference order: Bombay/Delhi/Madras toughest, followed by older IITs, then newer ones
• EWS cutoffs closely track the General category; at most IITs, EWS ECE closing ranks are within 20 to 50 AIR of the General closing rank
• Female Only supernumerary seats in ECE/EE often show higher numerical closing ranks than Gender Neutral seats within the same category, providing additional opportunity for female candidates

Also Read: JoSAA Schedule 2026, Seat Allotment & Required Documents

Round 1 Cutoff Trends Compared to Previous Years

The projected 2026 figures (IIT Bombay EE: ~400, IIT Delhi EE: ~593) point toward near-identical stability compared to 2025 (IIT Bombay EE: AIR 418, IIT Delhi EE: AIR 591). This is consistent with the broader ECE trend across IITs, where closing ranks have remained within a narrow band over 2023 to 2026.

Key trend observations from 2023 to 2026:

• IIT Bombay EE and IIT Delhi EE closing ranks have been extremely stable, fluctuating within a band of 20 to 30 AIR positions across the four years, confirming consistent demand
• IIT Madras ECE shows minor year-on-year variation (AIR 285 to AIR 310), reflecting stable but highly competitive demand for the standalone ECE programme
• AI and Data Science and Mathematics and Computing cutoffs at IIT Madras (B.Tech AI and Data Science historically closing within the top 800 to 900 ranks) are now approaching ECE competitiveness at the same institute, a notable structural shift from 2023
• Older IITs (Kanpur, Kharagpur, Roorkee, Guwahati) show steady ECE closing ranks with minor improvement across years, suggesting consistent demand from mid-range JEE Advanced qualifiers
• Newer IITs (Tirupati, Goa, Palakkad, Jammu, Dharwad, Bhilai) show ECE closing ranks typically in the AIR 7000 to AIR 9500 range, with slow but steady improvement as institutional reputation grows
• The relative preference order has remained stable across all years analysed: Bombay EE tightest, followed by Delhi EE, then Madras ECE and Kanpur EE, then other older IITs, then newer IITs

Candidates targeting ECE at top IITs should practice extensively with topic-wise questions. The JEE Questions on Cracku provides difficulty-graded Physics and Mathematics problems aligned with JEE Advanced patterns, helping candidates sharpen the skills needed to target AIR ranks within the ECE cutoff range.

Also Read: IIT CSE Round 1 Cutoff 2026, Check Opening and Closing Rank

Expected Cutoff Changes in Upcoming JoSAA Rounds

Once Round 1 is released on June 20, 2026, and Round 2 follows on June 30, 2026, candidates allotted ECE seats will need to decide between Freeze, Float, and Slide. For ECE candidates specifically, the Float option is particularly important as many may have received ECE at a newer IIT but are targeting ECE or EE at an older IIT in a later round.

What ECE candidates should plan for in upcoming rounds:

• IIT Bombay EE (AIR ~400) and IIT Delhi EE (AIR ~593) closing ranks are unlikely to relax meaningfully across rounds; candidates below these thresholds should keep these as Float choices
• IIT Madras ECE, IIT Kanpur EE, and IIT Kharagpur ECE are worth tracking through Round 2 and Round 3 as small withdrawals can occasionally create single-digit rank improvements
• Candidates allotted ECE at newer IITs (Goa, Palakkad, Jammu, Dharwad, Bhilai) and targeting older IIT ECE should select Float to remain eligible for upgrades without losing their current seat
• The Slide option is relevant for ECE candidates allotted a less-preferred branch at their target IIT and hoping for ECE to open up in the same institute in a later round
• Round 5 (Final IIT Round, July 16, 2026) sets the final IIT ECE closing ranks; after this, only the NIT+ system continues with its own PAF reporting window

Note: If your rank is between Round 1 and Round 5 closing ranks for a target IIT ECE, select Float in Round 1 and monitor closely. For top IITs, this window is small (10 to 30 AIR positions). For newer IITs, the window can be 100 to 400 AIR positions wider by Round 5.

Structured preparation for JEE Advanced is the most reliable path to securing a competitive AIR for IIT ECE admission. Candidates can build a strong foundation through expert-guided programmes on JEE Online Coaching at Cracku, which offers faculty-led sessions, milestone tracking, and targeted mock tests designed to help candidates achieve ranks within the ECE cutoff range at their target IIT.

IIT ECE Round 1 Cutoff 2026: Conclusion

The IIT ECE Round 1 Cutoff 2026 is expected to remain highly competitive, especially at older IITs such as IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Madras, IIT Kanpur, IIT Kharagpur, and IIT Roorkee. Based on early projections and previous year trends, IIT Bombay EE may close around AIR 400, while IIT Delhi EE is expected to remain close to AIR 593. This shows that ECE and EE continue to be among the strongest choices for students who secure top JEE Advanced ranks but miss CSE at their preferred IIT.

For candidates participating in JoSAA counselling 2026, understanding IIT-wise ECE closing ranks, category-wise cutoffs, and round-wise movement is very important before selecting Freeze, Float, or Slide. While top IIT ECE cutoffs may not change much after Round 1, newer IITs may show moderate relaxation in later rounds. Students should keep their preferred choices in proper order, track each JoSAA round carefully, and use the cutoff trends to make a practical admission decision.