JEE Main 2026 Dress Code for Male & Female Candidates: What is Allowed & What is Banned

JEE Main 2026 session 1 exam has been held from January 21 to 24. Two more days of the exam are left to be held - January 28 and 29. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has issued the official dress code for the exam that all candidates have to follow on the exam day. Check complete details on what boys and girls can wear on the JEE Mains exam day and what type of clothing they should completely avoid.

JEE Mains Dress Code 2026 for Females and Males

JEE Main 2026 New Dress Code for Male and Female: NTA has released the JEE Main 2026 new dress code via the admit card. The JEE Main 2026 dress code, as officially mentioned by NTA, is that shoes with a thick sole and garments with large buttons are not allowed. Also, Sikh candidates are allowed to carry religious or customary attire such as a Kara or Kirpan. JEE Main 2026 session 1 exam started on January 21. To have a stress-free experience at the exam hall, male and female candidates should ensure that they follow the dress code and JEE Main 2026 exam day guidelines by NTA.

As of now, the candidates who have appeared for the JEE Mains exam from January 21 to 24 have not reported any major issues with the dress code at the JEE Mains exam centre. However, candidates appearing for the exam on January 28 and 29, must still take some precautionary steps to avoid any issues in the frisking process at the exam hall. Read all details regarding the NTA JEE Main dress code for the January session exam below.

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👗 JEE Dress Code for Females - What to Wear and What to Avoid

All the girls going to appear for the JEE Mains exam 2026 should take care of the following when it comes to the JEE Main 2026 dress code:

JEE 2026 Dress Code Session 1 for Females - What to Wear

NTA has not issued any strict guidelines on what to wear and what to avoid. However, to face a smooth frisking and checking process at the JEE Exam centre, girls should take care of some important dress codes:

• Opt for a light sweater, a thin sweatshirt, or a plain cardigan. 
• Plain jeans (without metallic studs or chains), simple trousers, or warm leggings/jeggings are allowed.
• Choose garments made of lightweight fabrics like thin wool or cotton fleece.
• Wear simple slippers or open flat sandals. If you may wear socks for warmth, choose thin cotton ones that are easy to inspect.

JEE Mains January Session Dress Code for Females - What to Avoid

Try to avoid the following kinds of clothing materials at JEE Mains centre:

• Try to avoid the following kinds of clothing at the JEE centres:
• Avoid heavy jackets, padded coats, trench coats, or hoodies with thick linings, and multiple layers of thick clothing.
• Do not wear sweaters or cardigans with metallic zippers, large decorative buttons, or metal-threaded embroidery.
• Caps, hats, mufflers, stoles, and scarves should be avoided inside the centre. Follow the instructions by the centre invigilators.
• Strictly avoid all jewellery, including rings, bracelets, watches (digital or analogue) and neck chains
• Avoid underwired bras, as they might cause problems during frisking

👔 JEE Main Dress Code 2026 for Males - What to Wear and What to Avoid

Boys should take care of some specific items that they should try to avoid on the exam day. Check below:

JEE Main Dress Code 2026 for Boys - What to Wear

The following types of clothing can be considered safe in the frisking process at JEE Mains centres:

• Opt for a light sweater or a thin sweatshirt
• Choose lightweight fabrics like cotton fleece or thin wool that are easy to frisk
• Plain jeans or simple trousers are allowed. Ensure they are basic and do not have excessive pockets, metallic studs, or heavy chains.
• Wear simple slippers, floaters, or open-toe sandals with low soles. You may wear thin cotton socks if necessary

JEE Mains 2026 Dress Code for Males - What to Avoid

• Avoid heavy jackets, padded coats, trench coats, or hoodies with thick linings
• Do not wear any clothing with metallic zippers, large decorative buttons, badges, or metal-threaded embroidery
• All accessories like caps, mufflers, scarves, stoles, and belts should be avoided
• Strictly avoid all jewellery, including rings, bracelets, watches (digital or analogue) and neck chains

Special JEE Mains 2026 Dress Code Instructions for Candidates with Religious Attire

As per special instructions by National Testing Agency (NTA) for JEE Mains 2026, Sikh candidates are allowed to wear religious or customary attire such as Turbans, Kara or Kirpans, provided they follow specific guidelines, which are given below:

• Candidates wearing religious or customary dress must report to the JEE Main centre at least one hour before the regular reporting time.
• This early arrival is required to help with mandatory, thorough manual frisking and security verification without causing delays to the examination schedule.

Why is There a Need for a Dress Code for Males & Females at the JEE Main Centre?

Check below the primary reasons for NTA to have a dress code in the JEE Main 2026 exam:

• Prevent unfair means and cheating: The primary purpose of having a dress code in JEE Mains 2026 is to prevent the use of unfair means, such as concealing micro-electronic gadgets or smart devices in heavy clothing, large pockets, or thick-soled footwear.
• Speed up the checking process at the centre: Another reason is that with thousands of candidates at each centre, the dress code is designed to speed up mandatory security and frisking procedures. Candidates in complex attire (like heavy embroidery, many layers, or shoes with thick soles) often face significant entry delays, which can increase stress before the exam begins.

Other Important Exam Day Instructions for JEE Main 2026

Apart from the dress code, candidates should check some other important guidelines for the exam day. Check below:

Candidates CANNOT carry these items to the JEE Mains exam centre 2026:

The following items are not allowed at the JEE Mains centre:

• Candidates are NOT allowed to carry any electronic devices or personal belongings
• No stationery items are allowed.
• Handbag
• Purse
• Any kind of paper or printed material
• Eatables and Water (loose or packed)
• Calculators are not allowed in JEE Main exam, be it physical or virtual.
• Electronic items and instruments such as a Mobile Phone, earphones, a Microphone, a Pager, a Calculator
• Instruments such as DocuPen, Slide Ruler, Log Tables, Camera, Tape Recorder
• Any type of watch, including electronic watches with a calculator, any metallic item or electronic gadgets/ devices in the examination hall/room

Candidates CAN carry these items to the JEE Mains exam centre 2026:

The following items are allowed at the JEE Mains centre:

1. Admit card along with filled in Self Declaration
2. One passport-size photo
3. Any one photo ID proof among – valid School Identity Card/ PAN card / Voter ID/ Passport/ Aadhaar Card (with photograph)/ e-Aadhaar with photograph/ Class 12 Board Admit Card with photograph/ Bank Passbook with Photograph.
4. Medical certificate (for PwD/PwBD candidates to avail scribe service)
5. A simple transparent Ball Point Pen. The Paper 1 and 2B candidates are allowed only one transparent ball, while the Paper 2A (BArch) candidates can carry Geometry Box, Pencils, Erasers, Colour Pencils, and Crayons. Water colours are not allowed.
6. Photo verification certificate for candidates who have received an email from NTA.

Read More:

• Do's and Don'ts for JEE Main 2026 Exam Day: What To Carry & Avoid, Reporting Guidelines
• JEE Main 2026 Exam Day Guidelines: Items to Carry, Prohibited Items, Important Guidelines