Best Backup Entrance Exams for JEE 2026: Top Engineering Entrance Exams (State & Private)
Joint Entrance Exam - Advanced 2026 ( JEE Advanced )
Registration - 6 Apr '26 - 2 May '26
For lakhs of students in India, JEE Main and JEE Advanced are the most sought-after gateways to prestigious IITs, NITs, and IIITs. But not everyone can crack it, as the competition is high. In this article, we have provided the top engineering entrance exams that you should keep an eye on beyond JEE Mains and Advanced as your backup and safety net.
Best Backup Engineering Entrance Exams for JEE Main and Advanced
Best Backup Engineering Entrance Exams for JEE Main and Advanced 2026: Candidates planning to pursue engineering after class 12 must have a certain goal set. Most of the candidates dream of getting into an IIT or NIT, which requires them to compete in highly competitive entrance exams - JEE Mains and JEE Advanced.
However, cracking JEE Main and JEE Advanced is not easy, and not everyone can pass the examination well enough to secure a seat in the IITs, NITs, IIITs and CFTIs. But the good news is that there are many alternatives to IITs, NITs, and IIITs. There are many reputed engineering colleges like BIT, VIT, SRM, and KIIT that offer admission without JEE. Additionally, various state-level entrance exams offer admission to great government colleges in various states. Check below the top alternatives to JEE Main and Advanced in 2026, which can be your backup if the JEE 2026 exam does not go as planned.
- Top Alternative State-Level Exams to JEE 2026
- Top Alternative Private Entrance Exams to JEE 2026
- Strategy to Follow while Applying for the Alternative Exams to JEE 2026
Top Alternative State-Level Exams to JEE 2026
Various states in India intake admission based on JEE Main scores. However, various states in India still conduct their own state-level engineering admission for admission to top colleges. However, note that these entrance exams will be advantageous to the candidates belonging to that state due to various state domicile-related reservations. Check out the list of top state-level entrance exams that can be a good backup option to JEE 2026:
| Exam - State Covered | Application Window (Expected) | Exam Date (Expected) | Top Colleges Through Exam |
|---|---|---|---|
| MHT CET- Maharashtra |
Jan - Mar 2026 | May 2026 | COEP Pune, VJTI Mumbai, ICT Mumbai |
| WBJEE- West Bengal | Dec 2025 - Jan 2026 | Apr 2026 | Jadavpur University, IIEST Shibpur |
| AP EAMCET - Andhra Pradesh | Mar - Apr 2026 | May 2026 | JNTU Kakinada, AU College of Engineering |
| TS EAMCET- Telangana | Mar - Apr 2026 | May 2026 | JNTU Hyderabad, College of Engineering - Osmania University |
| KEAM - Kerala | Feb - Mar 2026 | May 2026 | CET Trivandrum, Govt. Engineering Colleges |
| GUJCET- Gujarat | Jan - Feb 2026 | Apr 2026 | MSU Baroda and L D College of Engineering |
Also Read: State Wise BTech Admission via JEE Main 2026: Counselling, Eligibility, Cutoff
Top Alternative Private Entrance Exams to JEE 2026
For candidates who want to explore private colleges with no restrictions related to state domicile and reservations, some private colleges conduct their own entrance exam for admission. These colleges are known for their good placement programmes and industry exposure. Check out the list below.
| Exam - University / Institutes Covered | Application Window (Expected) | Exam Date (Expected) | Highlights |
|---|---|---|---|
| BITSAT - BITS Pilani (Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad, Dubai) | Jan - Apr 2026 | May and Jun 2026 (two sessions) | Prestigious, excellent placements, global recognition |
| VITEEE - VIT (Vellore, Chennai, Bhopal, AP) | Nov 2025 to Mar/Apr 2026 | Apr 2026 (single phase) | Popular backup, strong IT/CSE placements |
| SRMJEEE - SRM Institute (Chennai, Amaravati, Sonepat, NCR) | Nov 2025 - Apr 2026 (Phase 1) | Apr, Jun, Jul 2026 (multiple phases) | Multiple chances, good industry connections |
| MET - Manipal University (MIT Manipal, etc.) | Sept/Oct 2025 - Mar/Apr 2026 | Apr and May 2026 (two phases) | Strong reputation, good placements in core + IT |
| KIITEE - KIIT University (Bhubaneswar) | Nov 2025 - Apr/Jun 2026 | Apr - Jun 2026 (phased) | NAAC A++, decent IT sector placements |
| AEEE - Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham (Kerala, TN, Bangalore campuses) | Dec 2025 - Apr 2026 | Feb 2026, May 2026 (two sessions) | Well ranked college, strong academics, placements |
| LPU NEST - Lovely Professional University (Punjab) | Nov 2025 - Ongoing phases | Apr 2026 onwards (multiple phases) | Large scholarships, big campus, CSE placements |
Candidates preparing for JEE Main and Advanced should apply for backup exams like BITSAT, VITEEE, SRMJEEE, MET, COMEDK, and state CETs like TS EAMCET, KCET, WBJEE, KEAM, etc. To be able to track the application and dates of all these exams, candidates must devise a strategy for themselves. Mark the dates in your calendar, use the alarm/reminder to be able to keep track of the dates or whatever works for you.
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Strategy to Follow while Applying for the Alternative Exams to JEE 2026
To be able to maximise the chances of admission to a good engineering college, here are some tips on how you can apply to various entrance exams efficiently:
- Check for ROI and Reputation: Apply to colleges that have a good return on investment (ROI) and reputation. For example, exams like BITSAT, VITEEE, SRMJEEE, MET, and COMEDK offer admission to top colleges of the nation with good placement and industry reputation. Make these exams your priority.
- State CETs will offer domicile benefits: Candidates can take advantage of the state-level entrance exams of their state. They will get domicile benefits which might increase their chances of admission to good government colleges of their state.
Read More:
The exam date for JEE Advanced 2026 has been announced. IIT Roorkee is the organising institute for JEE Advanced exam 2026. The exam will be held on May 17, 2026.
The complete schedule of the JEE Advanced 2026 has been announced on the website - jeeadv.ac.in. The information brochure for JEE Adv 2026 has also been released. IIT Roorkee will conduct the IIT JEE Advanced exam 2026 on May 18, 2026. The registration form will be released on April 23 for Indian nationals and on April 6 for foreign candidates.
The JEE Advanced cetre list is released city wise and zone wise on the official website of JEE Advanced - jeeadv.ac.in. The candidates can check the name of the cities in all the states on India and also broad where the exam will be held in computer based test mode.
Yes, the JEE Advanced exam is held in India as well as abroad. The list of abroad centres are mentioned on the brochure.
The JEE Advanced 2026 exam time for paper 1 is expected to be 9 am to 12 noon.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
The number of questions in each subjects are generally not same, but the total number of questions mostly ranges from 17 to 18 across all three subjects in both Paper 1 and 2. The number of questions will also be different for each type (MCQ, Matching, Single/Multi correct) within the subjects in pa
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
No, same questions never get repeated in IIT JEE exam. However, questions with similar concepts can find places in the exam. The question paper of JEE Advanced is prepared considering the syllabus and exam pattern.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
You will not be eligible for admission as preparatory ranks are not considered under round 1. Since you have already qualified to appear for JEE (Advanced), all you need to do is meet the second criterion and apply for round 2, which will be only conducted if seats from round 1 remain vacant.
J
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, you can still get admission in Round 2 if you meet eligibility criteria to appear in JEE (Advanced) and have a valid JEE (Mains) rank. Also, you must have scored 60% or above in class 12th. For SC/ST/PwD category students, 55% or above is required.
J
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
No, candidates need not pay any fees to participate in JEE Adv counselling. However, once the seat is allotted, candidates will need to pay approximately INR 35,000 (less for reserved category) as a seat acceptance fee and around INR 20,000 as partial admission fees. Both these payments are adjusted
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
To participate in JEE Advanced counselling, candidates must keep the following documents ready.
- JoSAA Seat Allotment Letter
- Admit card of JEE Advanced 2026
- Proof of Date of Birth Class 12/HSC/Birth Certificate/Any other certificate as proof of date of birth
- Photo ID card
- Class 12/SSC/Equivalent exam Mark
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
No, candidates have to carry the printout of their JEE Advanced admit card downloaded from the website to appear in the exam. Soft copies will not be accepted.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
Mock test released by organising IITs are very useful in understanding the pattern and difficulty level of exam. However, solving official mock test paper only is not advised. It is recommended to solve additional mock test to score good marks in JEE Advanced.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
Absolutely NO. Exact same questions have never been repeated in JEE Advanced exam. However, questions having same concepts do come.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 days ago
Yes, candidates can register for IIT JEE only using the application number of NTA JEE Mains. Also, candidates can apply for JEE Advanced only if they score above the JEE cutoff.
S
Contributor-Level 10
IIT Roorkee is the organising institute for JEE Advanced 2026 exam. Details related to the exam date, eligibility criteria and syllabus of JEE Advanced 2026 can be checked on the website jeeadv.ac.in.