IIT Bombay has emerged as the most preferred institute among the top 100 rankers of JEE Advanced 2026. As many as 68 students among the top 100 rankers chose IIT Bombay for admission.
The figures show the strong preference for the country’s older IITs among students who secured the highest ranks in JEE Advanced. IIT Delhi was the second most preferred institute, followed by IIT Madras. JEE Advanced is the entrance examination for admission to undergraduate programmes at the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). Students first have to qualify for JEE Main to become eligible to appear for JEE Advanced. Admission to IITs is then based on the JEE Advanced rank, subject to the admission rules and seat availability. For students preparing for future JEE Advanced examinations, the figures also highlight the continued popularity of IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi and IIT Madras among top rankers.
Because students who secure top JEE Advanced ranks generally have the widest choice of programmes and IITs during the admission process, the preference is particularly notable. IIT Delhi followed with 18 students, while IIT Madras was chosen by 11 students. IIT Kanpur accounted for the remaining one student among the top 100. Among the top 100 rankers, IIT Bombay was clearly ahead of the other institutes, with more than half of the students choosing it. Together, these three IITs accounted for 97 of the top 100 rankers. The 2026 preference data offers an insight into the IIT choices made by some of the country’s highest-ranked engineering aspirants.
