JEE MAIN 2026
The first stage of the IIT Joint Entrance Exam is called JEE Main, or Joint Entrance Exam. The National Testing Agency administers this computer-based online test for students who want to enroll in undergraduate programs at famous engineering institutions in India, like IITs and NITs. Therefore, a student’s JEE Main scores determine their admission to IITs, CFTIS, NITS, and other government-funded technical colleges. When creating the ranks and merit list, the exam conducting authorities take into account the highest NTA score. Additionally, candidates can choose to take one test or all of them. Additionally, the top 2,50,000 JEE Main students would be eligible to take the JEE Advanced exam.
This article contains the official JEE Main 2026 exam dates. With the help of this knowledge, you can make a comprehensive study plan for the IIT JEE and do well on the test.
The NTA had already announced the changes to the JEE Main exam pattern. There will now only be five questions per subject in Section B of the JEE Mains exam, and applicants will not be able to select how they answer these questions. This aligns with the updated exam format.
Latest Update About JEE Main 2026
The National Testing Agency has announced the exam dates for Sessions 1 and 2. According to the schedule, the first session of the JEE Mains exams will be held from 21 January 2026 to 30 January 2026, while the second session will be held from 02 April 2026 to 09 April 2026.
JEE MAIN Exam 2026 Important Date
The Joint Entrance Examination Main 2026 will be administered in two sessions: Session 1 (January) and Session 2 (April). Below is the important for JEE Main exam 2026:
Session 1 (January):
| Events | Dates |
| Online Submission of Application Form | 31 October 2025 to 27 November 2025 (up to 09:00 PM) |
| Last Date for Successful Transaction of Application Fee | 27 November 2025 (up to 11:50 PM) |
| Correction in Application Form | Will be displayed on the NTA website |
| City Intimation Slip | First week of January 2026 (Tentative) |
| Downloading of Admit Cards | 3–4 days before the examination |
| Dates of Examination | 21 January 2026 to 30 January 2026 |
| Display of Question Paper & Answer Key for Challenges | Will be displayed on the NTA website |
| Declaration of Result | By 12 February 2026 |
Session 2 (April):
| Events | Dates |
| Online Submission of Application Form | Last week of January 2026 onwards |
| Last Date for Successful Transaction of Application Fee | Will be notified later |
| Correction in Application Form | Will be displayed on the NTA website |
| City Intimation Slip | Second week of March 2026 (Tentative) |
| Downloading of Admit Cards | 3–4 days before the examination |
| Dates of Examination | 02 April 2026 to 09 April 2026 |
| Display of Question Paper & Answer Key for Challenges | Will be displayed on the NTA website |
| Declaration of Result | By 20 April 2026 |
JEE Main Exam Highlight
| Full Exam Name | Joint Entrance Exam Main |
| Also Known As | JEE Main |
| Exam Frequency | Two Sessions in a Year |
| Available Exam Languages | 10+ Languages |
| Exam Level | Undergraduate Level Exam |
| Conducting Authority for the Exam | NTA (National Testing Agency) |
| Examination Mode | Computer-based exam (Online) |
| Exam Duration | Total 3:00 Hours |
| Maximum Marks | 300 Marks (BE / B. Tech) |
| Total Questions | 75 Total Questions (BE / B. Tech) |
| Accepting Colleges | Admissions to All IITs, IIITs, NITs & CFTIs |
| Official Website for the exam | https://jeemain.nta.ac.in/ |
What is JEE Main Exam?
Joint Entrance Examination (Main) is the full name of the JEE Main exam. Admission to B. Tech, B. Arch, and B. Plan programs at NITs, IIITs, and CFTIs, as well as institutes and universities supported or approved by participating State Governments, requires passing this exam. The JEE Main exam is taken to assess eligibility for JEE Advanced and to gain admission to IITs.
The JEE Main exam has been unified and administered in a number of Indian states. The exam is administered at the undergraduate level in order to be admitted to some of the top engineering and technical schools, both publicly funded and privately owned.
Usually, This exam is administered to three categories of candidates:
- Students who want to enroll in B.E. or B. Tech. programs should read Paper 1.
- Students who want to enroll in a B. Arch. course should complete Paper 2A.
- Students who want to enroll in a B. Planning course should complete Paper 2B.
- A January and an April total two session will be held for the JEE exam.
Who Conduct the JEE Main Exam 2026?
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has been designated with administering the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) since 2019 by the Department of Higher Education, Ministry of Education, Government of India.
The Joint Entrance Examination (Main) consists of two sections. The outcomes of Section 1 decide admission to undergraduate engineering programs (B.E./B. Tech.) at National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), and other government-sponsored or state-recognized Central Technical Institutions (CFTIS).
It also acts as a precondition for the Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced), which applicants to IITs have to take. Additionally, the results of Section 2 of the JEE (Main) are used to determine admission to the country’s Bachelor of Architecture (B. Arch) and Bachelor of Planning (B. Plan) programs.
Eligibility Criteria For JEE Main Exam 2026
The JEE Main Eligibility Criteria are available on the National Testing Agency’s website, jeemain.nta.ac.in. The complete list of eligibility requirements is available to candidates here.
The candidate’s nationality, class 12 grade percentage, and year of passing the qualifying exam or class 12 are the main prerequisites for JEE admission to universities. Candidates should check the JEE Main 2026 eligibility requirements before submitting the application.
Each JEE Main 2026 applicant must fulfill the prerequisites specified by NTA in order to be admitted to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. The two main prerequisites for JEE eligibility are:
Age limitations, qualifying test requirements, qualifying exam subjects, number of attempts, and qualifying exam passing year are the main prerequisites for JEE Main exam eligibility.
Eligibility required to participate in the exam:
- The test may be taken by candidates for up to three years in a row.
- There is no upper age limit for applicants who wish to take the exam.
- There is no minimal passing percentage to take the test. However, the students must pass their board exams from Class 12 or other similar exams.
- The candidate must have earned 50% of the potential points in math, physics, and chemistry on the qualifying test, in addition to 50% of the total points for papers two and three.
- Mathematical proficiency is a prerequisite for enrollment in B.Arch. or B.Planning programs.
How to apply for JEE Main Exam 2026?
The section below goes into detail about the registration and counseling procedures. Students should carefully comprehend the complete process if they want to apply for JEE Main.
Step 1: Fill out the registration form
Applicants must visit the official website in order to register online.
The candidate must fill out the online application form with the required details, choose a security question, set a password, and provide an answer.
Once the personal information has been successfully submitted, an application number will be generated. This number will be needed to finish the application form’s remaining phases and for all future correspondence and references.
The generated application number will be utilized or referred to for both JEE (Main) sessions. Using the application number and password that the system produced, the candidate will be able to log in immediately for any further logins.
Step 2 Fill out the application:
Candidates can use the application number and password that the system generates to log in and finish the application form, which includes filling out personal information, applying for the paper, choosing the cities for the examination, and providing details about their educational background.
Step 3 Documents Uploading:
The required files and images must be uploaded by applicants in the proper format:
- Scan copies of the candidate’s signature, class X certificate, or comparable grades sheet, and, if applicable, PwD or PwBD certificate should be uploaded.
- The most recent passport-size photo should be colored, with a white background and 80% of the face—including the ears—visible without a mask. The image should be in the easily readable JPG/JPEG format, include the title “Photograph,” and be between 10 and 300 kb in size.
- The signature file should be in the easily legible JPG/JPEG format, have the name “Signature,” and be between 10 and 50 kb in size.
- A Class X or comparable certificate or marks sheet scan should be named “Class-X Certificate” and be a legible PDF file that is between 10 and 300 kb in size.
- The PwD/PwBD certificate should be scanned and called “Disability Certificate.” It should be a readable PDF file that is between 10 and 300 kb in size.
Note: -Only the candidate’s photo, signature, and the certificate or certificates mentioned above (and no one else’s) must be uploaded correctly and appropriately, as there will be no opportunity for further adjustments.
Step 4: Registration Fee Payment
Participants must pay the required examination fees after completing Steps 1, 2, and 3. The fees can only be paid online using UPI, credit cards, debit cards, and Net Banking.
In addition to the exam fees, candidates will be charged processing fees and GST, if applicable, by the appropriate bank or payment gateway integrator.
The applicant can print the Confirmation Page following a successful payment. The transaction is canceled and candidates must contact the relevant bank to obtain a refund if, after paying the fee, the Confirmation Page is not generated.
If the Confirmation Page is not generated, the candidate will need to make another payment or transaction.
JEE MAIN Application Fee 2026
For Single Paper: (Paper 1: B.E./B.Tech OR Paper 2A: B.Arch OR Paper 2B: B.Planning)
| Category | Gender | Centres in India (₹) | Centres Outside India (₹) |
| General | Male | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| General | Female | 800 | 4,000 |
| Gen-EWS / OBC (NCL) | Male | 900 | 4,500 |
| Gen-EWS / OBC (NCL) | Female | 800 | 4,000 |
| SC / ST / PwD / PwBD | Male | 500 | 2,500 |
| SC / ST / PwD / PwBD | Female | 500 | 2,500 |
| SC / ST / PwD / PwBD | Third Gender | 500 | 3,000 |
For Two or More Papers: (Any combination of Paper 1, Paper 2A, and Paper 2B)
| Category | Gender | Centres in India (₹) | Centres Outside India (₹) |
| General / Gen-EWS / OBC (NCL) | Male | 2,000 | 10,000 |
| General / Gen-EWS / OBC (NCL) | Female | 1,600 | 8,000 |
| SC / ST / PwD / PwBD | Male | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| SC / ST / PwD / PwBD | Female | 1,000 | 5,000 |
| SC / ST / PwD / PwBD | Third Gender | 1,000 | 5,000 |
Important Instruction:
- For JEE (Main) Session 1, candidates may only apply online at the following website: https://jeemain.nta.nic.in/ We won’t accept applications in any other format.
- Only one application must be submitted by candidates. Candidates will never be allowed to complete more than one application. An applicant will still be subject to severe penalties even if they complete multiple application forms.
- Candidates must carefully follow the instructions found in the Information Bulletin and on the NTA website. Candidates that disregard the rules will be eliminated right away.
- Candidates must confirm that the email address and mobile number they enter on the online application form belong to them or to their parents/guardians, as NTA will only send information and messages via email to the registered email address or SMS to the registered mobile number.
- For Session 1 (January), a candidate may apply and pay the necessary exam fee.
- Using the same application number, candidates will be able to apply separately for Session-2 (April) and pay the fee; a new notification will be sent out for this purpose.
- If candidates wish to apply for Session 2 (April), they can log in and pay the Examination Fee during that period. If the candidate only wishes to apply for Session-2 (April), he can register after the application form becomes available.
- According to the details in the Information Bulletin, the application window for Session 2 will reopen. Applicants must check the official website or contact with The Career Counsellor – +917667692921
JEE MAIN Counselling 2026
JoSAA would provide online counseling to JEE Main aspirants. To apply for admission to participating colleges, applicants must register on the JoSAA portal and finish the choice-filling process. JoSAA allocates seats based on a number of variables, including the candidate’s rank, preferences, and available seats. Two practice sessions are included in the six rounds of the counseling procedure. The following stages are included in the JEE Main counseling process:
Registration Process:
To log in, candidates must provide their JEE Main roll number and password. Candidates for JEE Advanced should enter the required basic information and log in with their corresponding password.
Filling in the Choice:
Applicants must choose their desired courses and institutions in order of preference after registering.
Choice Locking:
Before making a decision, applicants must thoroughly consider their choices. Once it is locked, it cannot be altered. The locked selections need to be printed out.
Verification of Documents:
The following documents must be brought by candidates for authentication during the document verification procedure.
- Provisional seat allotment letter of JoSAA
- JEE Main Scorecard and Admit card
- Candidates Passport Size Picture
- Identity Card
- Birth Certificate
- Class 12th and 10th Passing certificate and Marksheet
- Category Certificate
- Domicile Certificate
FAQs: Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between JEE Main and JEE Advance?
JEE Main is required for applicants wishing to enroll in B.Tech programs offered by NITs, IIITs, and other CFTIs. It also acts as an eligibility test for candidates preparing for JEE Advanced, which leads to IIT entrance. While JEE Advanced can only be taken twice in a succession, JEE Main can be taken three times.
What are the exam dates for the JEE Main 2026 exam?
JEE Main sessions are scheduled for January through April. The first session will be held in January 2026. However, the second session is set for April 2026.
When will NTA provide the JEE Main 2026 Admit Card for the upcoming session?
The JEE Main Admit cards for the 2026 session will be posted on the National Testing Agency’s official website when applications have been completed. Successful aspirants can obtain their JEE Main Admit card from nta.ac.in or jeemain.nta.nic.in on the specified days.