Best Backup Entrance Exams for JEE 2026: Top Engineering Entrance Exams (State & Private)
Joint Entrance Exam - Advanced 2026 ( JEE Advanced )
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.
Explore more B.Tech exams with upcoming dates
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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 JEE Advanced 2026 exam will be held in May 2026.
The complete schedule of the JEE Advanced 2026 exam is expected to be out in December 2025 alongwith the information brochure of the exam. the official website of JEE Advanced - jeeadv.ac.in will be updated for the 2026-27 session by the end of this year and the exam dates will be displayed therein.
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 2 weeks ago
Candidates should ideally try to solve at least 3 previous year JEE question papers per week. However, candidates can also increase the frequency of this to 5 to 6 papers per week, one month before the exam.
M
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 3 weeks ago
Well, becoming a rocket scientist is a long-term commitment, and it depends on your education path and goals It takes almost 5 to 6 years with a bachelor's and 8 to 12 years if you want to study higher. Here below is how long it usually takes:
- Bachelor's degree: You have to study aeronautical enginee
M
Beginner-Level 3
Answered 3 weeks ago
Who work on the rocket-propelled vehicles, they apply the principles of Mathematics, Physics, and Material Science to solve challenges related to these vehicles. Rocket Scientists are involved in the process of design and development of the vehicles such as small drones, satellites, and commercial a
L
Beginner-Level 2
Answered 3 weeks ago
Yes, this field is considered hard. It is complex and demands high precision. There can be extreme consequences for minor errors. The overall field is extremely challenging as it requires to apply the basic scientific principles to design and develop rockets. It requires sophisticated engineering wi
P
Beginner-Level 2
Answered 3 weeks ago
The following are the qualification which can help you to become a rocket scientist:
· Bachelor's Degree such as B.Tech/B.E can take up to four years to complete.
· You can do a two years Master's Degree M.Tech/M.E./M.S. after graduation.
· For advanced level study in this field, you
C
Beginner-Level 2
Answered 3 weeks ago
There can't be a straightforward answer to this question. The salary package differs as per the experience, location and employer. In India, one can expect somewhere between Rs 10 Lacs to Rs 43.5 Lacs annual salary. In US, it can range between $65,000 to $118,000.
Y
Beginner-Level 2
Answered 4 weeks ago
Well, that's great, as you are preparing for JEE Advanced Physics. From my research, I would like to recommend some of the books and resources that will help you learn the basics and understand the concept:
1. Concept of Physics (Vol 1 and 2) by H.C. Verma
2. Understanding Physics Series by D.C. Pande
M
Beginner-Level 3
Answered 2 months ago
- Candidates should have JEE Advanced rank.
- Candidates must have at least 75% aggregate marks in class 12 and SC, ST and PWD candidates must have atleast 65% marks.
- Candidates must be within the category wise top 25 percentile of successful candidates of their respective class 12 boards.
Y
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
No, your candidature will be rejected as you need to have minimum of 75% in class 12 to be eligible for admisison to the IITs, NIT, IIITs and GFTIs via the JoSAA counselling. Even if you pass JEE Advanced and JEE Main, of you do not have 75% minimum marks in class 12 boards you will no get admission
V
Contributor-Level 6
Answered 2 months ago
Devdutta Majhi was the female topper in JEE Advanced 2025. She has scored 312 marks out of 360 marks and got anm all India rank of 16.
A
Contributor-Level 6
JEE Advanced 2026 is expected to be conducted by IIT Roorkee. All details related to the JEE Advanced 2026 exam will be made available on the official website - jeeadv.ac.in.