The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the JEE Main shift timings for the session 2 exam. The April session exam is being conducted on April 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, and 8, 2026. The exam will be held in two shifts - morning and evening. The morning JEE Main shift timing is 9 am to 12 pm, and the evening shift timing is 3 pm to 6 pm. Read more on this page to know JEE Main reporting time for the exam, gate closing time, and other important exam day timings.
JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Exam Timings
JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Exam Timings: NTA conducted the JEE Main Session 2 exam on April 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8 for Paper 1 (BE/BTech). Paper 2 (BArch/BPlan) exam was held on April 7. On each JEE Main 2026 exam date, the test was be held in two shifts - morning and afternoon. The JEE Main shift timing for morning is 9 am to 12 noon, and the shift 2 (afternoon) paper was held from 3 pm to 6 pm.
Candidates can check their JEE Main shift timings 2026 through admit card. Candidates must report to the exam centre as per the reporting time mentioned in their JEE Main 2026 admit cards. Candidates must carefully check the JEE Main exam date and time so as to reach exam centre on time. In this article, we have provided complete details on JEE Main 2026 exam timing, reporting time, entry gate closing time, etc., for the slot 1 and slot 2 of the session 2 exam. Read below.
- JEE Main Session 2 Shift Timings 2026 - Shift 1 and Shift 2
- JEE Main Paper 1 Exam 2026 Time - BE/BTech
- JEE Mains 2026 Paper 2a Exam Time - BArch
- JEE Main 2026 Paper 2b Exam Time - BPlan
- JEE Main 2026 Exam Time for Paper 2a and 2b - BArch and BPlan
- JEE Main 2026 Exam Centre Reporting Time and Gate Closing Time for Shifts 1 & 2
- Important Events & Their Timeline for JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Exam Day
- On the JEE Mains 2026 Exam Day - Carry These Items
JEE Main Session 2 Shift Timings 2026 - Shift 1 and Shift 2
On each exam day, the JEE Main 2026 will be held In two shifts of 3 hours each. This period includes the time which is available for the candidates only to attempt the questions. During this time, candidates will be seated at their designated seats in the exam hall and attempt the exam. The centre reporting time and frisking time is over and above the shift timing.
Note: Compensatory time for PwD/PwBD Candidates of 20 minutes for a one-hour Examination will be given to those who are eligible for Scribe.
| Want to know what your JEE Main 2026 rank will be based on your score and percentile? Check out the JEE Main rank predictor 2026 by Shiksha.com, which predicts your rank after analysing several years’ percentile/marks vs rank data. JEE Main Rank Predictor 2026 |
JEE Main Paper 1 Exam 2026 Time - BE/BTech
Check below the exam time for JEE Main 2026 session 2 paper 1:
| Shift | Paper 1 (BE/BTech) start time | Paper 1 (BE/BTech) end time |
|---|---|---|
| JEE Main Morning Shift Timing |
09:00 AM |
12 Noon |
| JEE Main Afternoon Shift Timing |
03:00 PM |
6:00 PM |
JEE Mains 2026 Paper 2a Exam Time - BArch
Check below the exam time for JEE Main paper 2a:
Note that in the JEE Main 2026 session 2, the paper 2a will be held in one shift only.
| Shift | Paper 2a (BArch) start time |
|---|---|
| JEE Main Afternoon Shift Starts at |
3 PM |
| JEE Main Afternoon Shift Ends at |
6 PM |
JEE Main 2026 Paper 2b Exam Time - BPlan
Check below the exam time for JEE Main paper 2b:
Note that in the JEE Main 2026 session 2, the paper 2b will be held in one shift only.
| Shift | Paper 2b (BPlan) start time |
|---|---|
| JEE Main Afternoon Shift Starts at |
3 PM |
| JEE Main Afternoon Shift Ends at |
6 PM |
JEE Main 2026 Exam Time for Paper 2a and 2b - BArch and BPlan
The candidates who applied for BArch and BPlan both have to appear for the JEE Main exam as per the schedule below:
Note that in the JEE Main 2026 session 2, the papers 2a and 2b will be held in one shift only.
| Shift | Paper 2a & 2b (BArch & BPlan) start time |
|---|---|
| JEE Main Afternoon Shift Starts at |
3 PM |
| JEE Main Afternoon Shift Ends at |
6:30 PM |
Commonly asked questions
NTA conducted the JEE Main 2026 session 2 exam between April 2 and 8.
Candidates can check the allotted JEE Mains 2026 exam date on their JEE admit card and also on the city intimation slip.
NTA has not issued any strict guidelines on what to wear and what to avoid. NTA has only stated 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.
In 2026, NTA is conducting JEE Main 2026 in 315 cities in India and 15 cities abroad.
JEE Main 2026 Exam Centre Reporting Time and Gate Closing Time for Shifts 1 & 2
Apart from the exam time, candidates have to follow a specific timeline on the exam day. This includes reporting time at the centre, entry time, gate closing time and more. Note that no candidate will be allowed to enter the JEE Mains exam centre if they arrive after the gate closing time. Hence, all candidates have to be present at the exam centre before the gate closes for their respective shifts.
Check below the timings for the exam day of the JEE Main April exam, which all candidates have to follow in the morning and afternoon slots:
Session |
Morning Shift |
Afternoon Shift |
|---|---|---|
| Reporting time |
7:00 AM |
1:00 PM |
| Entry to the examination centre/ Hall/ Room Frisking Biometric registration Record of manual attendance by the Invigilator Document verification Cross-checking of admit card, signature and photo match |
7.00 AM to 8.30 AM | 1:00 PM to 2.30 PM |
| Entry gate closing time | 8:30 AM sharp | 2:30 PM sharp |
| Instructions by the invigilator(s) | 8.30 AM to 8.50 AM | 2.30 PM to 2.50 PM |
| Candidates log in to read instructions | 8.50 AM | 2.50 PM |
| Test commences | 9.00 AM | 3.00 PM |
| Test ends | 12 Noon | 6 PM |
Also Read: How to Check JEE Main Exam Date 2026: City Slip & Admit Card Guide
Important Events & Their Timeline for JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Exam Day
Commonly asked questions
JEE Main exam is held for 3 hours continuously without any break. Candidates are allowed to leave exam hall only after 3 hours of the test are over.
Students are not allowed to carry calculators inside the exam centre in JEE Main exam. Students can use the virtual calculator available on the screen during the exam. Virtual calculators will be available on the computer screen of students during the JEE Main exam.
JEE Main exam is in two shifts each day. First shift is from 9 am to 12 noon and second shift is from 3 pm to 5 pm. Exam is conducted over a period of 5-6 days. In total JEE Main has 10-12 shifts per session. Each session has different question paper set. The exam is for 3 hours.
Yes, you must carry your original PwD certificate (or UDID card) to the JEE Main exam centre to avail of relaxation or scribe services.
On the exam day, candidates have to follow the process below:
- Security Check, document verification & biometric verification (1 hour almost)
- Candidates should occupy their seats as allotted in the exam hall.
- Instructions by the invigilator and login instructions (almost 30 minutes)
Since all these processes take time, candidates are asked to reach the exam centre much before the exam starts.
| Curious about which college you may get based on your JEE Main 2026 performance? Check out the JEE Main college predictor 2026 by Shiksha.com, which predicts college based on your JEE Main marks, ranks and percentile after analysing data from previous year cutoffs. JEE Main College Predictor 2026 |
On the JEE Mains 2026 Exam Day - Carry These Items
Candidates need to carry the following items to the exam centre.
- Admit card along with the filled-in Self Declaration
- Two passport-size photos
- 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.
- Medical certificate (for PwD/PwBD candidates to avail scribe service)
- A simple transparent Ball Point Pen
Note: For the BArch paper, candidates must bring their own geometry set, colour pencils, erasers and pencils. No watercolours are required
Read More:
Commonly asked questions
National Testing Agency generally conducts the JEE Main exam two times in a year. The first attempt is conducted in January and the second attempt in April. JEE Main 2026 exam dates have been announced by the NTA for both sessions. The first attempt of JEE Main 2026 will be conducted from January 21 to 30 while the second attempt will be conducted from April 2 to 9. Only in the year 2022, NTA conducted JEE Mains in four sessions due to COVID-19. The number of sessions and date for any year is announced by the NTA at the time of release of application form.
National Testing Agency conducts JEE Main exam in a total of 13 languages. The languages in which paper is conducted are Assamese, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu in addition to Hindi English and Gujarati. Students can select the language of their choice from the available options while filling the application form. The language of JEE Main question paper during the exam will be available in 3 languages- English Hindi and the language selected by the candidates. The language of paper can be switched among these 3 languages during the exam.
JEE Main exam is conducted in online mode as a computer based test. This is conducted in 3 different courses. The exam for B.Tech and B. Plan is completely online while the exam for B.Arch is partially online and drawing part is conducted offline.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 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
Currently - Assistant Manager, Content
Role - News and Feature Writer, Content Editor
Expertise - Engineering Education and Counselling
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