JEE Main
Conducted by National Testing Agency (NTA)
About JEE Main
JEE Main 2026 was conducted by NTA in two sessions — Session 1 (January 22–February 2) and Session 2 (April 1–8). Results for both sessions determine the composite NTA Score used for JoSAA counselling for admission to NITs, IIITs and GFTIs across India. JEE Main is also the qualifying examination for JEE Advanced; the top 2.5 lakh unique candidates from JEE Main 2026 became eligible for JEE Advanced (May 18, 2026). The next JEE Main cycle (2027) registration typically opens October–November 2026.
For students from Northeast India — Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim — JEE Main opens access to dedicated NITs in the region: NIT Silchar (Assam), NIT Meghalaya, NIT Nagaland, NIT Manipur, NIT Arunachal Pradesh, NIT Mizoram, and NIT Sikkim, all with home-state quota seats accessible at moderate scores.
Eligibility
- Passed Class 12 or appearing in 2026 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects
- No age limit (as per NTA JEE Main 2026 bulletin — verify latest notification)
- Maximum 3 consecutive years of attempts from Class 12 pass year (2 sessions per year = 6 total attempts)
- Students who appeared in Class 12 in 2024 and 2025 are also eligible for JEE Main 2026
- For NIT/IIIT/GFTI admission: minimum 75% aggregate in Class 12 required (65% for SC/ST/PwD)
- For JEE Advanced eligibility: must rank in top 2.5 lakh in Paper 1
Exam Pattern
Mode and Duration
- Computer-Based Test (CBT) — conducted at designated test centres
- Duration: 3 hours (4 hours for PwD candidates with scribe)
- Total marks: 300
Subject-wise Breakdown (Paper 1 — BE/BTech)
- Physics: 20 MCQs + 10 Numerical Value Questions (attempt any 5) = 100 marks
- Chemistry: 20 MCQs + 10 Numerical Value Questions (attempt any 5) = 100 marks
- Mathematics: 20 MCQs + 10 Numerical Value Questions (attempt any 5) = 100 marks
Marking Scheme
- MCQ correct: +4 | MCQ incorrect: −1 | Unanswered: 0
- Numerical correct: +4 | Numerical incorrect: 0 (no negative marking)
Languages Available
- 13 languages: English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu
Paper 2 (B.Arch / B.Planning — separate registration)
- B.Arch: Mathematics + Aptitude + Drawing test (offline component)
- B.Planning: Mathematics + Aptitude + Planning-based MCQs
Official Resources
Always verify exam dates and details from the official source before applying.
JEE Main — FAQs
What is JEE Main?+
JEE Main 2026 was conducted by NTA in two sessions — Session 1 (January 22–February 2) and Session 2 (April 1–8). Results for both sessions determine the composite NTA Score used for JoSAA counselling for admission to NITs, IIITs and GFTIs across India. JEE Main is also the qualifying examination for JEE Advanced; the top 2.5 lakh unique candidates from JEE Main 2026 became eligible for JEE Advanced (May 18, 2026). The next JEE Main cycle (2027) registration typically opens October–November 2026.
For students from Northeast India — Assam, Meghalaya, Manipur, Tripura, Nagaland, Arunachal Pradesh, Mizoram, Sikkim — JEE Main opens access to dedicated NITs in the region: NIT Silchar (Assam), NIT Meghalaya, NIT Nagaland, NIT Manipur, NIT Arunachal Pradesh, NIT Mizoram, and NIT Sikkim, all with home-state quota seats accessible at moderate scores.
What is the eligibility for JEE Main?+
- Passed Class 12 or appearing in 2026 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects
- No age limit (as per NTA JEE Main 2026 bulletin — verify latest notification)
- Maximum 3 consecutive years of attempts from Class 12 pass year (2 sessions per year = 6 total attempts)
- Students who appeared in Class 12 in 2024 and 2025 are also eligible for JEE Main 2026
- For NIT/IIIT/GFTI admission: minimum 75% aggregate in Class 12 required (65% for SC/ST/PwD)
- For JEE Advanced eligibility: must rank in top 2.5 lakh in Paper 1
What is the exam pattern of JEE Main?+
Mode and Duration
- Computer-Based Test (CBT) — conducted at designated test centres
- Duration: 3 hours (4 hours for PwD candidates with scribe)
- Total marks: 300
Subject-wise Breakdown (Paper 1 — BE/BTech)
- Physics: 20 MCQs + 10 Numerical Value Questions (attempt any 5) = 100 marks
- Chemistry: 20 MCQs + 10 Numerical Value Questions (attempt any 5) = 100 marks
- Mathematics: 20 MCQs + 10 Numerical Value Questions (attempt any 5) = 100 marks
Marking Scheme
- MCQ correct: +4 | MCQ incorrect: −1 | Unanswered: 0
- Numerical correct: +4 | Numerical incorrect: 0 (no negative marking)
Languages Available
- 13 languages: English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu
Paper 2 (B.Arch / B.Planning — separate registration)
- B.Arch: Mathematics + Aptitude + Drawing test (offline component)
- B.Planning: Mathematics + Aptitude + Planning-based MCQs
Which colleges accept JEE Main scores?+
Several top colleges in India accept JEE Main scores. Browse colleges accepting JEE Main on Gyan Sanchaar and apply for free.
Find colleges accepting JEE Main scores
Browse Colleges