JEE Main is the first step towards the ladder of the top engineering colleges in the country. The National Testing Agency is responsible for conducting the computer-based online test for JEE Main. The JEE Main 2026 exam would be conducted to assist aspiring students to pursue undergraduate courses in the top engineering institutes-IITs, NITs, etc. The JEE exam is divided into two papers first JEE Main and second JEE Advanced. Only those students who are able to clear JEE Main cut-off are given the chance to appear for JEE Advanced paper. Admissions in IITs, NITs, and CFTIs are based on the marks obtained in JEE exam. The top 2, 50,000 students who are able to qualify for JEE Main are given the chance to appear for JEE Advanced.

The tentative dates for both JEE Main 2026 and JEE Advanced 2026 are given on this page. You can obtain all the information about IIT JEE 2026 and draft a detailed study plan for your exam to secure a good rank.

JEE Main 2026 Latest Updates

This section is focused on helping you in being aware of the latest updates, highlights, and notifications in context with JEE Main 2026 exam.

Table of Contents

JEE Main 2026 Latest Updates

This section is focused on helping you in being aware of the latest updates, highlights, and notifications in context with JEE Main 2026 exam.

Overview- JEE Main 2026

About JEE Main 2026

JEE Main is an All-India level entrance exam conducted in different states to offer admission to some of the best engineering and technical institutions that are funded by the government or privately hold. The exam is conducted by the NTA. It is an undergraduate-level exam.

JEE Main 2026 would be conducted for three groups of aspirants:

• Students aspiring to take up B.E. or B. Tech. courses would appear for Paper 1
• Students aspiring to take up B. Arch. the course would appear for Paper 2A
• Students aspiring to take a B. Planning course would appear for Paper 2B

Most of the questions that are asked in JEE Main are NCERT based. To have a clear analysis of the candidates understanding of the concepts and analytical skills the questions are framed in a tricky manner.

JEE Main 2026 Exam Schedule

The JEE Main 2026 exam dates have been announced by the NTA and are available on their official website. To support students, we've outlined the schedule for both sessions of JEE Main 2026 here. Check the dates and begin your preparation with confidence!

JEE Main Registration – 2026

The exam conducting authority opens the registration process for JEE Main before the final exam. For the year 2026, the registration would be conducted in 2 instances. Registration for the January session started from October 2025, and for the April session registration will start from January 2026 onwards. To register for JEE Main 2026 the candidates can visit the official JEE Main website and pay their fees. Before submitting the JEE Main application form, all the academic and personal details should be checked properly by the candidate.

JEE Main 2026 January Session Dates:

JEE Main 2026 April Session Dates:

To know about JEE Main application form and the steps to complete the registration check out the given link: JEE Main 2026 Application Form

The students should go through the JEE Main eligibility criteria for 2026 properly to avoid rejection in later stages. Aspirants should satisfy all the terms and conditions that are mentioned in JEE Main eligibility criteria for 2026. There are some points that are to be taken into consideration before registering for the exam:

Age limit : There is no age limit for the candidate in the case of JEE Main exam. Though, IITs can set age criteria for admissions.

Qualifying Exam : For JEE Main age is not the criteria, the applicant should have qualified class 12 or any equivalent examination such as the Joint Services Wing of the National Defence Academy exam, senior secondary school examination, Higher Secondary Certificate Vocational Examination, a two-year Pre-University exam, Intermediate or two-year Pre-University examination, a diploma recognized by the AICTE or a State board, General Certificate Education (GCE) examination (London/Cambridge/Sri Lanka) at the Advanced (A) level, High School Certificate Examination of the Cambridge University or International Baccalaureate Diploma of the International Baccalaureate Office, Geneva.

Year: Candidates who have passed their Class 12 or equivalent examination in 2024 or 2025, or those appearing for it in 2026, are eligible to apply for JEE Main 2026.

Number of Attempts: Students aspiring to appear for JEE Main can give three attempts in consecutive years.

Subjects Pursued in the Qualifying Exam : It is mandatory for the aspirant to pass the qualifying exam with a minimum of 5 subjects. The set of 5 subjects includes Language, Physics, Mathematics, Chemistry/Biology/Biotechnology/Technical Vocational Subject, and any other subject.

Eligibility Criteria for JEE Main 2026 Paper 2 and 3

The candidate can appear for JEE Main for three consecutive years:

The candidate requires 50% marks in Maths, Physics, and Chemistry and an aggregate of 50% marks in the qualifying exams. All the students appearing for B. Arch B.Planning courses should have Mathematics as their compulsory subject.

JEE Main 2026 Reservation Criteria

The National Testing Agency follows the reservation criterion that is laid by the government of India for granting admissions to the candidate. All India ranks are allotted to the candidate based on the category reservation policy. Let's have a look at the reservation percentage of categories for admission through JEE Main 2026

• OBC candidates: 27% reservation
• SC candidates: 15% reservation
• ST candidates: 7.5% reservation
• PwD candidates: 5% reservation
• GEN-EWS candidates: 10% reservation
• Women candidates: 5% reservation

JEE Main 2026 Exam Pattern

The students are advised to have complete knowledge regarding the JEE Main exam pattern for 2026. Understanding the exam pattern assists the students in drafting their study plan properly, not only this the students are able to have a clear idea of the marking scheme, sectional weightage, exam duration, and distribution of questions. There are three papers: paper 1 targets students aspiring for B.E./B. Tech courses in NITs, IIITs, DTU, and paper 2A is for B.Arch. aspirants and paper 2B is for B.Planning courses

JEE Main paper 1 comprises Maths, Physics, and Chemistry . Paper 2A includes Maths, Aptitude, and Drawing Tests. Paper 2B consists of Mathematics, Aptitude, and Planning based questions . It is completely the choice of the candidate whether he/she wants to appear for one or both sections. Like the previous year, there would be 90 overall questions and the candidate has to attempt a total of 75 questions. The total numbers of marks allotted are 300. The paper would be conducted online paper. Only the paper 2A drawing section is conducted offline in a pen and paper-based mode. The exam duration of all three papers is 3 hours.

JEE Main Paper 1 (B.E or B.Tech Courses)

• Exam Mode: Computer-based offline exam. All students will have to mark their responses on already downloaded answer sheets.
• Exam Duration: 3 hours
• The Questions will be from topics covered in Physics, Chemistry, and Maths.
• Nature of Questions: Objective-type multiple-choice questions, as well as numerical-based questions also.
• The paper will have total of 90 questions, with 20 questions in section A and 10 in section B. Candidates can attempt 75 questions (300 marks) with 20 questions in section A and 5 questions in section B for each subject – Physics, Chemistry, and Maths.

JEE Main Paper 1 Marking Scheme

• Unlike the earlier years, negative marking has been introduced in Section B.
• Every correct answer will be awarded 4 marks, while 1 mark will be deducted for every incorrect answer. This applies for both MCQs and numerical-based questions.
• No marks are awarded for unanswered questions.

JEE Main Syllabus 2026

JEE Main syllabus is mainly extracted from the NCERT textbooks but NTA has prescribed a separate JEE syllabus. Topics from classes 11th and 12th from Maths, Physics, and Chemistry are covered in the syllabus. JEE Main 2026 syllabus is similar to that of the previous year, there is no reduction. Students can refer to the subject-wise detail syllabus of JEE Main from the link given below:

•  JEE Main Physics Syllabus
• JEE Main Chemistry Syllabus
• JEE Main Maths Syllabus
• Know More About JEE Advanced Syllabus 2026

If the basics of the topics covered in the JEE syllabus are clear then it is easy to score well in the JEE Main exam. Basically, the JEE Main exam preparation requires smart work, practice, and preparation. One of the major challenges faced by the students preparing for JEE main exam is time constraints. The only way to overcome this problem is to develop and enhance problem-solving skills which eventually would help in time management and assist the students in the successful completion of the exam. Each and every topic covered in the JEE Main syllabus should be well-prepared in order to secure a good rank. Candidates should be familiar with the syllabus before so that they can plan how much time they have to invest in the topics and what topics require more attention. Below given is a list of all the important chapters of JEE Main 2026:

Important Chapters for JEE Main 2026

Maths

Physics

Chemistry

JEE Main 2026 Mock Test

As JEE Main is a Computer-Based online test, the NTA has set up several practice centers to help the JEE aspirants in getting acquainted with the exam pattern. The students can access the mock test for JEE Main online by visiting the NTA official website. Previously the facility of visiting the practice centers was given by the National Testing Agency. There is high chance that this facility might be available this time too. We will update the students about the same whenever the information is shared. The candidates can get their doubts cleared regarding the exam. It is an amazing way to train them for the Computer-Based test. Practicing JEE Main mock test is an amazing way to boost the preparation of the candidate as these mock tests help the candidate in getting familiar with the JEE Main exam pattern.

Click Below to Practice JEE Main Sample Papers

Practicing is always beneficial for the JEE Main exam preparation. By solving sample paper, aspirants will not get to know the paper pattern but will also know their performance. Additionally, candidates will learn how to manage time during the exam. Students can access the various sample papers from the below links

Importance of JEE Main Mock Test

Mock tests are an amazing way to get acquainted with the types of questions, mark distribution, topics relevant to the exam, and the difficulty level of the question paper. The student is able to assess the preparation before the final exam. As per the analysis of the strong and weak points, the student can enhance the strategy to score better in the JEE Main. Practicing the mock test regularly can boost students’ speed and accuracy in completing the exam. The student is able to experience the real exam scenario and drives away the nervousness for the test.

JEE Main Previous Year Question Paper with Solutions and Answer Keys

Apart from the mock tests, the student should also devote their time to practicing the previous years’ JEE Main question papers. The previous years’ question papers are a great way of assessing the preparation level and boosting the chance of getting a good rank.

If you are searching for the JEE Main question paper with a solution then click on the link: JEE Main Question Papers

JEE Main Answer Keys

The set-wise answer key representing the correct options for all the questions asked in JEE Main is released by the National Testing Agency, soon after the examination. Students can calculate the expected scores before the results are announced with the help of these answer keys. After the completion of the exam, the answer keys will be made available on the official website. With the use of the link provided the applicant can download and access the documents.

Here are the previous JEE Main papers you can refer:

• JEE Main 2025
• JEE Main 2024
• JEE Main 2023
• JEE Main 2022
• JEE Main 2021
• JEE Main 2012
• JEE Main 2019
• JEE Main 2018
• JEE Main 2017
• JEE Main 2016
• JEE Main 2015
• JEE Main 2014
• JEE Main 2013
• JEE Main 2012

You can find more papers here.

How to Download JEE Main Answer Keys?

To download the answer keys the link provided by National Testing Agency should be opened. After clicking on the link the candidate has to enter the application number and password, and select the date and the slot of the JEE Main examination. After filling in the details the answer key would be displayed, and the student can choose to download it for future reference.

JEE Main Marks vs Ranks

With the help of the previous years’ trend, we have predicted JEE Main marks vs rank. The JEE Main aspirants can check marks and expected rank from the table provided below:

JEE Main Results

The National Testing Agency is responsible for declaring the results of JEE Main. In the case of students who choose to appear in all the phases of JEE Main, the best result would be taken into consideration while preparing for the final rank.

How to Check JEE Main Results?

In order to check the JEE Main result, follow the steps given below:

• First, open JEE Main result portal
• Second, enter the roll number and the date of birth
• Third, click on the submit button

By following these steps the JEE Main result will be displayed on the screen. To ease the counseling and admission process the student should always have their scorecard.

JEE Main Cutoff Marks

Along with the detailed result consisting of subject-wise marks scored, All India Rank, category rank, and the qualifying status for JEE Advanced, the National Testing Agency also declares JEE Main cutoff marks after the completion of the exam.

However, candidates are shortlisted for counseling based on the percentile score.

Below given factors determine the cut-off marks for JEE Main:

• Total candidates appeared
• The overall performance of the students
• The difficulty level of the questions
• The cutoff Trends of previous years

Previous Years JEE Main Cutoff Trends

The table given below shows the cut-off trends of JEE Main:

JEE Main Counselling Procedure

To regulate the admission processes for IITs, IIITs, NITs, and government-funded technical institutes the Joint Seat Allocation Authority is set up by the HRD Ministry. Through JoSAA counseling the students qualifying for JEE Main will be able to apply for NITs, IIITs and CFTIs

In the preferred Technical Institute the seat allocation is done based on merit, eligibility, preferences, and seat availability. The students who have qualified are required to register for JoSAA counseling. Registrations for the same commence after the declaration of the results.

JoSAA Participating Institutes

23 IITs, 32 NITs, 26 IIITs, and 33 GFTIs making it a total of 114 engineering institutes participate in the seat allocation procedure through JoSAA.

Top 10 NIT Colleges

Every JEE Main aspirant aspires to get admission to a top NIT College. To get a seat in one of the top NIT colleges scoring a rank is essential. NIT Warangal, NIT Trichy, NIT Rourkela, and MNNIT Allahabad are the leading NIT institutes.

Several private engineering institutes like BIT Mesra, HBTI Kanpur, Tezpur University, JAYPEE Institute, LNMIIT Jaipur, Thapar University, and Assam University, offer admission based on the marks in JEE Main exam. DTU (Delhi Technical University), NSIT Delhi, and IIIT Delhi are technical institutes excluded from JoSAA counseling. But in the case of these institutes, the admission is based on JEE Main scorecard and hence the students are required to apply separately.

How to Prepare for JEE Main 2026?

The competition is tough but if the candidate is rigid towards the desire of reaching the list of the toppers then nothing can stop him/her from accomplishing the goal. A well-organized study plan is a vital aspect of the preparation for JEE Main exam. One needs to be physically and mentally fit in order to write the exam. A smart approach to everything would surely pave the way to success. The students should be aware of everything in context with the exam be it the syllabus, the right study materials, solving sample question papers, and previous years’ question papers.

JEE Main 2026 Preparation Tips

Beginning: The candidate should have a rigid understanding of the basics of all the subjects, once the basics are clear then learning becomes easier.

Understanding the importance of the timetable: It is an essential component. Invest time in studying all three subjects physics, chemistry, and maths. As the candidate prepares for JEE Main exam the timetable would help the candidate in utilizing every hour of the day in the right way. Optimum utilization of the hours would help in structuring the preparation.

Getting familiar with the syllabus and pattern: To enhance the preparation one of the most significant factors is to stay updated with the syllabus and the pattern of the exam.

Having the right study material: Burdening the study table with numerous books is of no help. Always remember, ‘Quality over quantity. Choose the right books before switching to any other book. Focus on completing the entire NCERT, and solve the entire NCERT textbook before jumping on any other reference books. Finish learning the topics, and keep revising them so that everything stays intact in the brain.

Best Books for JEE Main 2026 Preparation

The list of textbooks given below is preferred by most of the toppers and hence they are considered to be the best books for JEE main preparation:

Sample papers and previous year question papers: It is essential for all the aspirants to practice sample papers and previous year question papers. They are a way to get familiar with the question paper pattern and the allocation of marks to the different sections. Any candidate who practices these would not find it complicated to solve the question paper on the final day of the exam and hence time constraints won't be a challenge.

JEE Main is a goal and hard work is the only way to it. Get the best books for JEE preparation and the preparation tips should be strong enough that can ensure rank in JEE Main 2026.

Importance of NCERT Books for JEE Main 2026

There are students who don't prefer investing time in the NCERT book for JEE Main preparation. NCERT is indeed essential for cracking JEE Main. NCERT is the textbook that helps the candidates have a firm grasp on all the fundamental concepts of the subjects that are a part of the JEE Main syllabus. Let's have a look at why the NCERT curriculum is necessary for cracking JEE Main:

JEE Main Chemistry:

One of the most helpful resources for JEE's main preparation is the NCERT Chemistry textbook. There are many questions for organic and inorganic chemistry directly picked from the textbook. Hence the aspirants are recommended to go through the JEE Main NCERT Chemistry textbook and practice all the question papers, mock tests, and exercises.

JEE Main Maths:

The math section is considered the toughest in the entire exam. The candidates need to have more study materials to master all the concepts of this subject. Completing the NCERT math textbook should be the first goal as it consists of numerous explanations and exercises that boost the student's analytical and problem-solving skills.

JEE Main Physics:

The physics section is a bit tricky. The entire NCERT physics should be covered so that it becomes easy for the candidates to understand the wider concept from the other reference books.

For all the latest updates on JEE main eligibility criteria, important questions, exam pattern, application form, etc. keep visiting the website.