Do's and Don'ts for JEE Main 2026 Exam Day: What To Carry & Avoid, Reporting Guidelines
Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Main 2026 ( JEE Main )
Exam On - 2 Apr '26 - 9 Apr '26
JEE Main 2026 session 1 exam fast approaches. The real test does not start inside the hall but in the journey of making it to the hall. This article will give students the dos and don'ts of JEE Main 2026. Following these will ensure students have a smooth exam experience, and that will keep their morale high before entering the exam hall.
Do's & Don'ts for JEE Mains 2026: What to Carry, What to Avoid and Other Instructions
Dos and Don'ts for JEE Mains 2026: Candidates need to follow the dos and don'ts for the JEE Main 2026 exam day. This will ensure they are prepared for D-Day. Candidates can check this article to know what documents to carry, what to avoid, etc. NTA will conduct the JEE Mains 2026 session 1 exam from January 21 to 29, 2026. JEE Mains aspirants should now read dos and don'ts and ensure they are prepared for the exam.
Check: JEE Main 2026 Admit Card LIVE: Download Link for Session 1 Hall Ticket @ jeemain.nta.nic.in
- Things to Carry on JEE Main 2026 Exam Day (Do’s)
- What Not to Carry to the JEE Main 2026 Exam Centre (Don’ts)
- JEE Main Exam Timing: Shift-wise
- JEE Main 2026 Dos Inside the Exam Hall
- Mistakes to Avoid on JEE Main 2026 Exam Day (Don’ts)
Things to Carry on JEE Main 2026 Exam Day (Do’s)
Before leaving for the exam, candidates must ensure that they carry all mandatory items as prescribed by NTA. Failing to carry the mandatory documents may lead to denial of entry. The list of documents is provided below.
- JEE Main 2026 Admit Card - Carry a clear printout of the admit card. Students must ensure that all the details are visible. The admit card also mentions important instructions that must be followed strictly.
- Valid Photo Identity Proof - A government-approved photo ID, such as Aadhaar Card, Passport, Voter ID, PAN Card or Driving Licence, has to be carried for verification.
- Passport-size Photograph - Students must carry at least two passport-size photographs, preferably the ones uploaded in the application form.
- Photo verification certificate - Only for those candidates who have received an email from NTA.
NTA has conducted the JEE Main 2026 January session exam for BE/BTech candidates successfully across multiple cities in India and abroad. The exam was held on January 21, 22, 23, 24 and 28 and on each day, there were 2 shifts. A total of 10 shifts were held for Paper 1. As per the official NTA data, across the 10 shifts, 13,00,368 candidates have appeared out of the 13,50,969 candidates scheduled to appear.
As per many experts, JEE Main 2026 exam held in session 1 was the toughest in recent history.
Chemistry was the easiest subject and NCERT based. It was lengthy and tricky this year.
Maths was the toughest, and physics was also moderate to tough. Overall paper was lengthy, and candidates found it difficult to manage time and complete paper on time.
What Not to Carry to the JEE Main 2026 Exam Centre (Don’ts)
Only a limited number of items are allowed inside the exam hall. Carrying restricted items can lead to disqualification or cancellation of candidature. Students can check the list of items not be carried inside the exam hall below.
- Electronic Devices - Mobile phones, smart watches, calculators, Bluetooth devices, earphones, or any electronic gadgets.
- Study Material or Written Notes - Any form of paper, notes, etc is not allowed.
- Accessories and Jewellery - Candidates should avoid wearing rings, bracelets, chains, underwired bras, or metal accessories, as they will create issues during security checks.
JEE Main Exam Timing: Shift-wise
NTA will conduct the JEE Main 2026 exam in two sessions. Candidates will be allotted a specific date, time and exam centre which can be checked from their JEE Main admit card.
| Event |
Shift 1 (Morning) |
Shift 2 (Afternoon) |
|---|---|---|
| Reporting & Entry |
7:00 AM - 8:30 AM |
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM |
| Last Entry Allowed |
8:30 AM |
2:30 PM |
| Instructions by Invigilator |
8:30 AM - 8:50 AM |
2:30 PM - 2:50 PM |
| Log in to Read Instructions |
8:50 AM |
2:50 PM |
| Test Commences |
9:00 AM |
3:00 PM |
| Test Concludes |
12:00 PM |
6:00 PM |
NTA has announced the JEE Main 2026 exam date for Session 2. JEE Main 2026 Session 2 exam will be held from 2nd April 2026 to 9th April 2026. The JEE Main Application Form 2026 for Session 2 will be available on the website jeemain.nta.nic.in.
Know more about -
NTA has announced the JEE Mains 2026 session 1 exam date. Paper 1 exam was held on January 21, 22, 23, 24 and 28, and paper 2 exam was held on January 29.
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JEE Main 2026 Dos Inside the Exam Hall
- Pay attention to key instructions about logging in, responding to questions and more.
- Use rough sheets properly. Write your roll number on the sheets and keep them in place during the exam.
- Manage your time. Allocate time for each subject depending on your strengths and weaknesses, and do not spend time on difficult or long questions.
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Mistakes to Avoid on JEE Main 2026 Exam Day (Don’ts)
- Do not reach the exam centre late.
- Do not visit any other centre than the one allotted to you.
- Do not carry any prohibited items to the JEE Main exam centre.
- Do not disrupt the decorum of the exam hall.
- Do not leave your seats while taking the test without the permission of the invigilator.
- Do not forget to carry the mandatory documents specified by NTA.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered Yesterday
For Sant Gadge Baba Amravati University (SGBAU), the JEE Main cutoff for the OBC category varies by branch and year.
J
Beginner-Level 2
Answered Yesterday
Yes, IIIT Hyderabad accepts JEE Main percentile for 4-year B.Tech programs, but dual-degree research programs are specifically through UGEE.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
SPA Delhi JEE Main cutoff 2025 for the first and last rounds are given below for the General AI category students:
| Course | Round 1 (Closing Rank) | Last Round (Closing Rank) |
|---|---|---|
| Bachelor of Architecture (B.Arch.) | 158 | 261 |
| Bachelor of Planning | 133 | 751 |
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered Yesterday
Yes, IIIT Vadodara- Diu Campus is achievable with a rank of 7000, depending on which category you belong to. For the General AI category, the overall cutoff ranged from 39003 to 79729. Hence, admission for this category is achievable. Please note that the IIIT Vadodara Diu campus cutoff 2025 will va
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
JEE focuses on speed and formula application, UGEE focuses on higher weight on logical reasoning, creative thinking, and research potential through its unique REAP section.
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 days ago
No, VIT only accepts VITEEE rank for its campus-wise admission. No other ranks or scores are accepted for admission at VIT Group of Institutions.
H
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 days ago
Check the number of registered and appeared candidates in JEE Mains below:
Year | No. of Registered Candidates | No. of Candidates Appeared |
|---|---|---|
2026
| January: 13,55,293 | January - 13,04,653 |
2025
| January - 13,11,544 | January - 12,58,136 |
April - 10,61,840 | April - 9,92,350 | |
2024
| January - 12,31,874 | January - 11,70,036 |
April - 11,79,569 | April - 10,67,959 | |
2023 | January - 8,60,064 | January - 8,23,967 |
April - 9,31,334 | April - 8,83,367 | |
2022 | June - 8,72,970 | June - 7,69,604 |
July - 6,22,034 | July - 5,40,242 | |
2021 | February - 6,52,628 | February - 6,21,033 |
March - 6,19,641 | March - 5,56,248 | |
July - 7,09,611 | July - 5,43,553 | |
August - 7,67,700 | August - 4,81,419 | |
2020 | 8,58,000 | 8,00,532 |
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
Not entirely, the core topics remain the same. VITEEE has 10 aptitude questions, and English has 5 questions. The physics, chemistry and maths questions are mostly formula-based and less tricky than JEE Main.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 days ago
Candidates can check their All India Rank on their JEE Main 2026 session 2 scorecard.
Y
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 days ago
To check the JEE Mains result, candidates have to use their application number and password.
C
Contributor-Level 7
The the toughest shift of the JEE Main 2026 session 1 exam was January 23, shift 2. Also, some candidates found the JEE Main 22 Jan shift 2 exam the hardest one. The JEE Main 2026 session 1 exam was held in 10 shifts. To overcome the difficulty level differences, NTA will normalise the score of the candidates.