JEE Main 2026: Exam Date, Eligibility, Syllabus, Pattern & Result
JEE Main 2026 is one of the most important national-level engineering entrance exams in India. Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), JEE Main is the gateway for admission to NITs, IIITs, GFTIs, and also serves as the qualifying exam for JEE Advanced 2026 (for IIT admissions).
What is JEE Main 2026?
JEE Main is a computer-based test (CBT) conducted twice a year to assess candidates for undergraduate engineering and architecture programs such as B.Tech., B.E., B.Arch, and B.Plan.
Exam Authority: National Testing Agency (NTA)
Exam Level: National
Mode: Online (CBT)
Frequency: Twice a year (Session 1 & Session 2)
JEE Main 2026 Important Dates (Tentative)
| Event | Session 1 | Session 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Application Start | November 2025 | February 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | December 2025 | March 2026 |
| Admit Card Release | January 2026 | April 2026 |
| Exam Date | January 2026 | April 2026 |
| Result Declaration | February 2026 | May 2026 |
Note:Candidates can appear in one or both sessions. Best score is considered for ranking.
JEE Main 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Educational Qualification
Passed or appearing in Class 12 (10 2) in 2024, 2025, or 2026
Subjects required:
B.Tech/B.E.: Physics, Mathematics one of Chemistry/Biology/Technical Vocational
B.Arch.: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics
B.Plan.: Mathematics mandatory
Age Limit
No age limit for JEE Main 2026
Individual institutes may have age criteria
JEE Main 2026 Application Process
Online registration on NTA official portal
Fill personal, academic, and exam details
Upload scanned documents
Pay application fee
Submit and download confirmation page
Application Fee (Expected)
General (Male): ₹1000–₹2000
General (Female): ₹800–₹1600
SC/ST/PwD: ₹500–₹1000
JEE Main 2026 Exam Pattern
Paper 1 – B.Tech / B.E.
| Subject | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Physics | 25 | 100 |
| Chemistry | 25 | 100 |
| Mathematics | 25 | 100 |
| Total | 75 | 300 |
MCQs Numerical Value Questions
Negative marking: −1 for MCQs
Duration: 3 hours
Paper 2A – B.Arch
Mathematics
Aptitude Test
Drawing Test (Offline)
Paper 2B – B.Plan
Mathematics
Aptitude Test
Planning-based questions
JEE Main FAQs
JEE Main 2026 is a national-level engineering entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for admission to undergraduate engineering, architecture, and planning courses in NITs, IIITs, GFTIs, and other colleges.
JEE Main is compulsory for admission to NITs, IIITs, GFTIs, and many state and private engineering colleges. It is also mandatory to qualify JEE Advanced for IIT admission.
Candidates who have passed or are appearing in Class 12 in 2024, 2025, or 2026 with required subjects are eligible. There is no age limit for appearing in JEE Main 2026.
No. There is no age limit for JEE Main 2026. However, individual institutes may have their own age criteria for admission.
A candidate can appear in JEE Main for three consecutive years. Since the exam is held twice a year, a student can attempt it up to six times.
Yes. Candidates can appear in both Session 1 and Session 2. The best score out of the two sessions is considered for ranking and admission.
JEE Main includes Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics for BTech and BE programs. For BArch and BPlan, Mathematics is compulsory along with aptitude and drawing or planning sections.
JEE Main 2026 is conducted in online mode as a computer-based test, except for the drawing section of BArch, which is conducted offline.
The overall structure remains similar, but the number of questions, optional questions, and marking scheme may change slightly each year as notified by NTA.
Yes. One mark is deducted for each incorrect MCQ answer. Numerical value questions generally do not have negative marking, as per recent exam patterns.
The JEE Main syllabus is based on Class 11 and Class 12 NCERT curriculum for Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.
NCERT books are essential and sufficient for Chemistry. For Physics and Mathematics, NCERT should be supplemented with additional problem-solving practice.
JEE Main 2026 is expected to be conducted in two sessions, likely in January and April 2026. Exact dates will be announced through the official notification.
JEE Main results are declared online in percentile format. After the final session, an All India Rank is prepared based on the best score.
The qualifying percentile for JEE Advanced depends on category-wise cutoffs, which vary every year based on difficulty level and number of candidates.
After qualifying JEE Main, candidates can participate in counselling conducted by the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) for NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs, or apply through state counselling processes.
JEE Main scores are accepted by NITs, IIITs, GFTIs, state government engineering colleges, and many private engineering institutes across India.
No. Qualifying JEE Main makes a candidate eligible for counselling, but admission depends on rank, cutoff, seat availability, and choices filled.
Yes. Foreign nationals can apply for JEE Main 2026 as per eligibility conditions specified by NTA and the participating institutes.
JEE Main is the qualifying and screening exam for engineering admissions, while JEE Advanced is a separate exam conducted for admission to IITs only.