How Many Attempts in JEE Advanced 2026: Know Expected Changes and Total Attempts

Two attempts or three attempts? How many attempts will you actually get in JEE Advanced 2026? Attempt limit is one of the first and foremost things that candidates preparing for JEE Mains and Advanced should know. Making any major decision and the exam preparation strategy will depend on how many attempts you will have for JEE. Let us explore in a detailed and simpler manner what the JEE Advanced attempt limit is, and whether any changes are coming our way this year.

JEE Advanced Attempt Limit 2026

JEE Advanced Attempt Limit 2026: All of you future IITians aiming to crack the JEE Advanced 2026 exam, are you confused about how many attempts in JEE Advanced? Here is a guide that aims to clarify all the confusion you may have regarding JEE Advanced attempt limits.

The confusion regarding how many attempts are allowed in JEE Advanced 2026 may have stemmed from the instance that took place in the last session. The JEE Advanced attempt limit was increased to three times from two times in consecutive years. But except for a small section of the candidates, the attempt limit was rolled back to twice in consecutive years.

In this article, we have explained everything you need to know about how many times you can appear for the JEE Advanced exam. We'll break down the current JEE Advanced attempt limit rules and discuss other JEE Advanced 2026 eligibility criteria. We will also and even touch upon the burning question: Will the JEE Advanced attempt limit increase for JEE Advanced 2026 aspirants? Keep on reading!

What is the JEE Advanced Attempt Limit?

You don't get unlimited attempts for the JEE Advanced exam. In fact, the number of times you can attempt the exam is twice and that too, the attempts should be consecutive. This is added by qualifying the JEE Mains exams. Only the JEE Main qualified candidates will be able to take a shot at the JEE Advanced 2026 exam for admission to the IITs.

So, if you're planning to appear for JEE Advanced in 2026, you need to be mindful of your previous attempts (if any) after qualifying JEE Main.

The Current Attempt Limit for JEE Advanced 2026

The standard JEE Advanced attempt rule in recent years has been: a maximum of 2 attempts in 2 consecutive years for JEE Advanced. That means if you first become eligible in Year 1, you can try again in Year 2 and then your window closes. Also, if you have passed class 12 in 2025 or will pass in 2026, you can register for JEE Advanced 2026.

Understanding JEE Advanced Attempts with Case Types

Check below various cases that a JEE Advanced aspirant falls into and how the JEE Advanced eligibility criteria affect them:

Candidates must keep a watch on the attempt limits so that they can have an efficient JEE Advanced preparation strategy in place.

Will JEE Advanced Attempt Limit Increase in 2026? Examining the Possibilities

This is the million-dollar question on the minds of many JEE Advanced 2026 aspirants: Will there be a change in the JEE Advanced attempt limit for the year 2026?

Short answer: There is no official announcement (as of now) increasing the JEE Advanced attempt limit for 2026. Any change would be published by the Joint Admission Board (JAB)/the official JEE Advanced website in the 2026 Information Brochure or press releases. So, plan with the 2 attempts in 2 consecutive years rule unless an official update says otherwise. 

Possibilities of JEE Advanced Attempt Limit Increasing in 2026

It is difficult to say whether the attempt limit will increase in the coming years. But, this is what happened last year:

This is an important context, because you may see old posts or videos claiming “3 attempts" - here’s exactly what happened:

• Nov 5, 2024:  An official press release (IIT Kanpur, JEE Advanced 2025 organiser) increased the attempt limit to 3 attempts in 3 consecutive years. This created huge buzz because it temporarily expanded eligibility by an extra attempt. Read story here
• Nov 18 to 19, 2024: After about 13 days, JAB reversed the decision and restored the older rule: maximum 2 attempts in 2 consecutive years. Multiple mainstream outlets reported the rollback and said it superseded the Nov 5 press note. Read story here
• Jan 2025: Because some students had taken major decisions in that 13-day window (like dropping out), the matter reached the Supreme Court. The Court allowed a one-time exception: only students who dropped out between November 5 and November 18, 2024, could get a third attempt for JEE Advanced 2025. For everyone else, the limit remained 2. Read story here

Other Eligibility Criteria Related to JEE Advanced Attempt Limit 2026

While the attempt limit is one criteria for JEE Advanced eligibility, you must also satisfy all eligibility criteria. Check below the other JEE Advanced eligibility criteria 2026:

1. JEE Main 2026 Qualification: Candidates should be among the top 2,50,000 successful candidates (including all categories) in the BE/BTech Paper of JEE (Main) 2026.
2. JEE Advanced 2026 Age Limit: Candidates should have been born on or after October 1, 2001. Five years of age relaxation is given to SC, ST, and PwD candidates, i.e. these candidates should have been born on or after October 1, 1996.
3. Appearance in Class 12 (or equivalent) examination: Candidates who passed Class 12 in 2025 or will qualify in 2026 are eligible for JEE Advanced 2026.
4. Earlier admission to IITs: A candidate should NOT have been admitted to an IIT, irrespective of whether or not the candidate continued in the program OR accepted an IIT seat by reporting “online” / at a “reporting centre” in the past.

Strategy for a Class 12 student Attempting JEE Advanced 2026

For now, candidates must plan with two attempts in mind:

Decide how to utilise the two attempts: If your Class 12 first appearance is in 2026, then your JEE Advanced attempts are 2026 and 2027.

Decide whether you want to attempt Advanced in 2026 itself or focus on more preparation and appear in 2027. If you skip the JEE Advanced 2026, then you have to reappear in JEE Main 2027 to be eligible for JEE Advanced 2027. Additionally, you will have one more attempt left, that is JEE Advanced 2028.

Also Read: Dropper's Strategy for JEE 2026: IIT JEE Main & Advanced Study Plan

Create an attempt-specific strategy:

• Attempt 1 (2026): Aim to qualify and also learn from this attempt, like time per question, partial marking logic, and the pressure curve between Paper 1 and Paper 2.
• Attempt 2 (2027): If you decide to take a drop and go for a second attempt in 2027, then use learnings from Attempt 1 to prioritise weak topics, calibrate attempt selection, and refine speed vs accuracy.

Stay official-source first: Whenever you see any news about JEE Advanced, ensure to verify it from the official sources before you change any plans.

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