Maharashtra HSC Cut Off: Passing Marks and Top 20 Percentile

The Maharashtra HSC cut off is not one number. The Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education (MSBSHSE) sets only one cut-off of its own: 35% in each subject to pass. Students who search for an HSC cut-off usually need one of two other things. The first is the top 20 percentile cut-off that JoSAA publishes for admission to IITs, NITs and other centrally funded institutes. The second is the minimum Class 12 marks that courses and colleges ask for.

This page brings all three together. It covers the board's passing marks, the official top 20 percentile cut-off for the Maharashtra board from 2023 to 2026, the pass percentage trend, and the minimum HSC marks for common routes after Class 12. It ends with a simple way to set your own target for the February-March 2027 exams.

Table of Contents

1. Maharashtra HSC passing marks

2. Maharashtra board top 20 percentile cut-off

3. HSC pass percentage trend

4. Minimum HSC marks for courses after Class 12

5. What affects these cut-offs

6. How to set your HSC target for 2027

Maharashtra HSC Passing Marks

You need at least 35 out of 100 in each subject. Where a subject has a separate practical, oral or internal component, the theory and internal parts are also checked separately against the 35% mark.

Your result is then shown as a division based on your aggregate: Distinction at 75% and above, First Division from 60%, Second Division from 45% and Pass from 35%. For the subject-wise marks split, see the Maharashtra HSC exam pattern.

Maharashtra Board Top 20 Percentile Cut-off

To join an IIT through JEE Advanced, or an NIT, IIIT or other centrally funded institute through JEE Main, you must meet a Class 12 condition. You need either 75% aggregate (65% for SC, ST and PwD candidates) or a place in the top 20 percentile of your board. JoSAA publishes the top 20 percentile marks for each board every year, based on information supplied by the boards.

The marks are out of 500 and are counted across five subjects: Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry (or the permitted alternative), one language, and one other subject. The table shows the official figures for the Maharashtra board.

Source: JoSAA top 20 percentile lists on josaa.nic.in. Cut-offs for 2027 will be published around JoSAA counselling in mid-2027.

What the trend tells you

The General cut-off has moved between 348 and 378 out of 500 over four years, or roughly 70% to 76%. A score near 380 has cleared it in every year shown. If your five-subject total is likely to fall short of 75%, the top 20 percentile route gives some cushion, but it is not a safe margin on its own.

HSC Pass Percentage Trend

The overall pass percentage gives a rough idea of how the board exam is marked from year to year.

The pass rate fell in both 2025 and 2026. That does not change the 35% rule, but it is a reminder that a pass is not automatic, especially in theory papers. Results are published on mahresult.nic.in.

Minimum HSC Marks for Courses After Class 12

Most courses use your HSC marks as an eligibility filter, not for ranking. Your entrance score or a college merit list decides the seat.

Degree college cut-offs vary widely between colleges, courses and rounds, and popular colleges often close well above 85% in their first list. Always check the merit list on the university or college admission portal rather than relying on figures from earlier years.

What Affects These Cut-offs

• Paper difficulty: A tougher year lowers the marks of most students, which pulls down percentile-based cut-offs.

• Marking trends: When more students score high, the top 20 percentile mark rises. This is why 2024 was the highest year in the table.

• Number of applicants: Degree college cut-offs rise when more students apply for the same seats.

• Seats and reservation: Each category has its own seats and its own cut-off, which is why the category columns differ.

How to Set Your HSC Target for 2027

Cut-offs change every year, so treat past figures as a benchmark only and aim for a clear margin above them rather than a bare pass.

• Planning for JEE: Aim for 75% or more across your five JoSAA subjects. That removes any dependence on the percentile list.

• Planning for MHT CET or NEET: The eligibility marks are modest, but your subject marks still need to clear them. Do not neglect English or the language paper while focusing on entrance practice.

• Planning for a degree college: Look at the first-list cut-offs of your target colleges from the last two years, and set your aggregate target a few marks above them.

• Protect the internal marks: Practicals and orals carry 20 to 30 marks per subject. Securing them early takes pressure off the theory paper.

Keep checking the official board website, mahahsscboard.in, for exam updates, and the JoSAA website for the 2027 top 20 percentile list.