Engineering aspirants who have a question, such as 'How many times can I appear for JEE Main?', must go through this article. NTA conducts the JEE Mains exam twice a year, giving students an extra chance to improve their scores. But did you know you can appear for JEE Mains a total of 6 times? Let’s understand the exact guidelines and conditions on the JEE Main attempt limit.
How Many Attempts for JEE Mains 2026? - The National Testing Agency has specified the number of attempts for JEE Main 2026. Although the JEE Main exam is conducted twice a year, a student can take the exam 6 times. This is possible within 3 years of passing class 12th. To say how many attempts for JEE Mains 2026, is 6 times only if you are appearing for class 12th in 2026.
In other words, the attempt limit criteria of JEE Main are twice in three consecutive years of qualifying class 12th. This provision gives flexibility and opportunity to every aspirant, including droppers. It should be noted by the students that there is no age criterion for attempting JEE Mains.
- Number of Attempts in JEE Main 2026
- JEE Main 2026 Attempt Limit Category-wise
- What is Considered an Attempt?
- Eligibility based on Class 12 passing year
- Benefits of Multiple Attempts in JEE Mains
- How NTA Calculates Percentile For Multiple Sessions
Number of Attempts in JEE Main 2026
The JEE Main 2026 exam will be held for two sessions. The session 1 exam will be held in January and the session 2 in April. Candidates can appear in one or both sessions. Each of these sessions becomes an attempt despite being for the same academic year. NTA allows students to appear for JEE Main in three consecutive years from the year of passing Class 12. So, a student who passes Class 12 in 2026 can appear in JEE Main 2026, 2027, and 2028. Twice each year, making the total attempts 6. Students who passed class 12th in 2024 can apply for the JEE Mains 2026 exam.
Commonly asked questions
Criteria | Decription |
|---|---|
Age limit | There is no age limit to appear in JEE Main. |
Year of passing qualifying exam | The candidates who have passed the class 12 / equivalent examination in 2024, 2025 or are appearing in 2026, irrespective of their age, can appear in JEE Mains 2026. |
Nationality | Candidates must be Indian citizens. Foreign Nationals, NRIs, PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin), and OCIs (Overseas Citizens of India) can also apply. |
Both JEE Main ranks are used for admission to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. While allocating the seats the institute will take into consideration the category ranks first for the candidates who belong to any category.
The qualifying marks in JEE Main mean the minimum percentile needed to qualify for JEE Advanced exam. Check JEE Mains 2026 cutoff below:
Category | Cutoff 2026 |
|---|---|
Unreserved (UR) | 93.4123549 |
Gen-EWS | 82.4164528 |
OBC-NCL | 80.9232583 |
SC | 63.9172792 |
ST | 52.0174712 |
UR-PwD | 0.0023186 |
JEE Main 2026 Attempt Limit Category-wise
Since there is relaxation for the JEE Mains 75% criteria for SC/ST/OBC, it is a valid doubt whether there is any relaxation to the JEE Main 2026 attempt limit for SC/ST/OBC category. However, students must note that the JEE Main attempt limit for the general category and reserved categories is the same. JEE Main attempt limit for OBC or other categories is also 6 times in total.
What is Considered an Attempt?
Students must understand what is considered an attempt since we have discussed about 6 attempts for JEE Mains. Each session of the JEE Mains exam is considered for attempt counting. If in a year, the candidate appears for both January and April sessions, then they have attempted the exam twice. There is no provision on skipping a session to save on the attempts. This is the case because the attempt limit has been calculated keeping in mind the year of passing. Even if a candidate skips a session, the eligibility will expire on the completion of three years from passing class 12th.
Commonly asked questions
As per the JEE Main 2023 cutoff data released by the NTA, PwD category has the lowest cutoff of 0.0013527. The highest cutoff is for general category which is 90.7788642. The PwD candidates scoring above 0.0013527 NTA score are eligible to appear in JEE Advanced for admission to IITs. The PwD cutoff has been lowered in 2023 to 0.0013527 which was 0.0031029 in the year 2022.
Candidates need not have 75 percent marks in class 12 for appearing in JEE Main. As per the official brochure released by the NTA, there is no minimum percentage required for appearing in the JEE Main. The requirement of 75 percent marks need not be associated with appearing in the JEE Main exam.
It is to be understood that 75 percent marks is required for admission to institutes which include NITs, IIITs, GFTIs and IITs. Many institutes offer admission at 60% and even less, along with JEE Main. Candidates must clearly understand that the requirement of 75 percent marks in class 12 is only for taking admission in the institutes.
Candidates who do not score above JEE Main cutoff marks are eligible to take admissions in NITs, IIITs and GFTIs but not IITs. To appear in the admission process for IITs, candidates need to get marks above than the JEE Main cutoff and appear in JEE Advanced exam.
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Eligibility based on Class 12 passing year
To appear in JEE Main 2026, an applicant must have passed class 12 or equivalent in 2024 or 2025, or should appear for the same in 2026. Anyone who passed before 2024 cannot apply for the JEE Mains exam this year.
Benefits of Multiple Attempts in JEE Mains
Multiple attempts in JEE Mains have the following benefits for students.
- Improve your performance without wasting a year.
- Become familiar with the exam environment that will help reduce stress.
- Target a better percentile and rank in the second session.
- In case you are unable to attempt the exam for any reason, you still get another shot at it, in the same academic year.
Commonly asked questions
The cutoff for NITs vary for various branches and also category of students. Specialised branches like computer Science and electronics engineering has higher cutoff in comparison to other branches. Similarly, JEE Main cutoff for general category candidates is higher in comparison to OBC-NCL and SC, ST candidates. Candidates can check the previous year JEE Main cutoff below for some top NITs and branches. For detailed cutoff report, candidates can check Shiksha page.
- MNNIT Allahabad CSE Closing Rank Open Category: 5627 (Home State)
- MNNIT Allahabad CSE Closing Rank Open Category: 4254 (Open)
- MNIT Jaipur CSE Closing Rank Open Category: 5610 (Home State)
- MNIT Jaipur CSE Closing Rank Open Category: 4631 (Open)
The JEE Main ranks have been released with the JEE Main session 2 result. The ranks are released on an All India basis and also category-wise.
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How NTA Calculates Percentile For Multiple Sessions
If a candidate appears in both sessions, the higher NTA score from either session is considered for the final merit list and JoSAA counselling. The JEE Mains result validity is one year only. So the best of the two attempts for a single year will be considered.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 8 hours ago
The JEE Mains 2026 is not out till now. The data for 2025 is available for BIT Mesra.
As per the recent BIT Mesra JEE Main cutoff 2025, the round 6 results have been released. Based on the final cutoff for the General AI category, BTech in Computer Science and Engineering closed off at the rank of 18
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
If you are OBC candidate then you can
1) Fill JoSSA — try for NIT Manipur/Nagaland/Mizoram in Civil or Mechanical
2) Participate in CSAB — extra chance
3) Don't skip state counselling — OBC quota there can be very beneficial
4) Apply to NSUT/YMCA — placements rival many NITs
A lower branch NIT vs NSUT/YM
S
Beginner-Level 1
Answered Yesterday
No, interview round for BSc admission at BIT Mesra is part of BITCHEM which is not required for candidates who are open to pusuing BSc at Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra. Candidates who apply through JEE Main will not be required to appear in BITCHEM.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Candidates wishing to take admission in BTech at IIIT Bhagalpur have to appear in JEE Main. Along with that, candidates also have to participate in JOSAA/ CSAB counselling process. Seat allocation is done when candidates clear cutoff ranks released on the official JoSAA website.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
If candidates have identical Common Rank List (CRL) in JEE (Main) - 2026 Paper-I even after applying NTA's tie-breaking measures, the following order of additional tie-breaking criteria shall be adopted for seat allocation in JAC Delhi:
1. Date of Birth (preference to the elder candidate).
2. Random d
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
Candidates wishing to take admission in BTech at Ramaiah Institute of Science and Management have to appear in JEE Main, JEE Advanced, CUET-UG, SAT, KCET, COMEDK. So, yes even if you have not appeared in JEE, you can produce score card of any of the above mentioned exams.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
The East Point Group of Institutions accepts many exams for the BE course. The accepted exams are JEE Main, COMEDK, and KCET. Students can appear in any of these exams to get admission at EPGI. Students need to fulfil the eligibility criteria as well.
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a week ago
With 57.8 percentile in JEE Main and 73% boards, getting CSE/AI in top government colleges is unlikely. But you still have good chances in private colleges through UPTAC/AKTU or direct admission.
Possible options:
KIET Group of Institutions
ABES Engineering College
Galgotias College of Engineering a
H
Beginner-Level 1
Answered a week ago
Amrut Institute offer admission in BTech and Diploma in Engineering based on merit in last qualifying exam. So, no JEE Main is not compulsory to take admission in Amrut Institute courses.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
With a JEE Main rank of 291970, you can get into NIT Calicut if you belong to the SC Home State quota category.
For this category, the highest rank admissible was 543879 (as per the last round of NIT Calicut cutoff 2025). See the table below to know which courses you can opt for.
| Course | NIT Calicut JEE Main cutoff 2025 |
|---|---|
| B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering | 343880 |
| B.Tech. in Biotechnology | 386381 |
| B.Tech. in Civil Engineering | 405588 |
| B.Tech. in Production Engineering | 449781 |
| B.Tech. in Energy Engineering | 543879 |
To know the accepte
N
Contributor-Level 10