JEE Main 2026 Exam Day Guidelines: Items to Carry, Prohibited Items, Important Guidelines
Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Main 2026 ( JEE Main )
Exam On - 2 Apr '26 - 9 Apr '26
NTA will hold JEE Main 2026 session 1 exam from January 21 to 29 and the session 2 exam from April 2 to 9. Candidates appearing in the exam must follow JEE Main 2026 Exam Day Guidelines to appear for the examination. Also read last-minute tips to score high and do's and don'ts related to the exam days ahead.
JEE Main Exam Day Guidelines 2026- The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the session 1 of JEE Mains on January 21, 22, 23, 24, 28 and 29. The exam will be held in two shifts, from 9 AM to 12 PM (morning shift) and from 3 PM to 6 PM (evening shift) in various test centres across the country and abroad.
JEE Main 2026 Session 1 admit card is now available. Candidates can download their JEE Main admit card online from the website jeemain.nta.nic.in using their application number and password/date of birth.
JEE Main admit card mentions important exam day instructions and guidelines to be followed by candidates. All important JEE Main 2026 exam day guidelines and instructions have been provided here as mentioned in the admit card.
LIVE NOW: JEE Main 2026 Jan 21 LIVE - Exam Day Guidelines and Post Exam Analysis
It is advised that candidates be relaxed and cheerful on the day of the exam and give it their best shot. This will also help you avoid things on the final day which tend to trigger the level of anxiety. Here are some important points you should remember for JEE Main 2026.
| 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 is the first stage of the exams conducted for engineering aspirants to get into the elite IITs; the second one is JEE Advanced. If you don’t have faith in yourself and believe that getting into these top-notch institutes is extremely tough and is not your cup of tea then your chances of getting through are low. You must persuade yourself to believe that the students who make it to these top-notch institutes are like you and me and not special in any respect.
LIVE UPDATES: JEE Main 2026 Jan 28, 29 Admit Card Download Link SOON
Also Check: JEE Mains Dress code for male and female
- Things To Remember On JEE Main 2026 Exam Day
- Important Instructions for Candidates Before Appearing in Exam
- What To Carry To JEE Main 2026 Exam Centre
- What Not To Carry JEE Main 2026 Exam Centre
Things To Remember On JEE Main 2026 Exam Day
- Visit your JEE Main exam centre a day before the exam to familiarise yourself with the location and assess factors like time and distance.
- Ensure you reach the test centre at least an hour before the reporting time mentioned in your JEE Main 2026 Admit Card. Candidates, reporting after the gate closes, will not be allowed to enter the test venue. Candidates will be undergoing various mandatory processes, thus reaching on time is important.
- Candidates must write their name and roll number at the top of the rough sheets and must return them along with the admit card to the Invigilator, before leaving the exam hall.
- Enter your required details in the attendance sheet in legible handwriting, put your signature, Left Hand Thumb Impression and paste the Photograph at the appropriate place. The Left-Hand Thumb Impression is clear and not smudged.
- JEE Main aspirants will be required to enter the required details in an attendance sheet provided by the invigilator. Candidates are also required to paste their coloured passport-sized photograph which should be the same as that in the application form.
Commonly asked questions
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.
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.
The JoSAA 2026 choice filling window will open with the registration window in June 2026. Candidates will be able to register and then fill the choices of courses and colleges based on their JEE Main/Advanced ranks and category.
Important Instructions for Candidates Before Appearing in Exam
- To attempt the paper with a relaxed mind candidates need to take adequate rest and enough sleep before the final day of the exam to avoid strain and anxiety.
- Have faith in yourself and before going off to sleep create your virtual picture of completing the exam. This practice helps reduce your stress levels and infuse confidence.
- Take a shower and go fresh to the examination centre.
- It is extremely important to keep your body and mind in balance on the day of the exam. Therefore, taking a light breakfast on an empty stomach might also stimulate anxiety.
- Just before appearing for the exam, you may go through your notes once. But, do not refer to any new question or topic. This is highly prohibited as it’ll increase your stress level which can harm your performance. But you can check out some of your flashcards or revision notes.
What To Carry To JEE Main 2026 Exam Centre
Remember to check all the necessary items before leaving for the examination centre including:
- JEE Main admit card 2026 along with Self Declaration (Undertaking) downloaded from the NTA Website (a clear printout on A4 size paper) duly filled in.
- A simple transparent Ball ballpoint pen.
- Additional photograph, to be pasted on the attendance sheet
- Personal hand sanitiser (50 ml)
- Personal transparent water bottle
- Photo verification certificate - Only for those candidates whjo have received an email from NTA.
- Special privilege: Diabetic students will be allowed to carry eatables like sugar tablets/fruits (like banana/apple/ orange) and transparent water bottles to the test centre. However, they will not be allowed to carry packed foods like chocolates/candy/sandwiches etc.
Important note: Candidates will not be allowed to enter their JEE Main 2026 exam centre without identity verification.
| 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 2026 College Predictor |
Commonly asked questions
No. NTA has clearly mentioned that ot will not change the dates of JEE Main exam of there is a clash of dates with any other examinations.
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.
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What Not To Carry JEE Main 2026 Exam Centre
Stationary: Do not carry any stationery including pen, paper, pencil, textual material (printed or written material)pencil box, geometry box etc. Pen/ Pencil and blank paper sheets for rough work will be provided in the examination room.
ID Cards: ID cards issued by schools/ colleges/ universities/coaching centres will not be considered as valid ID. Even photocopies or images stored in mobile phones will not be accepted. Thus, do not carry any of these.
Eatables: Do not carry eatables (loose or packed) and water inside the exam hall. These will not be allowed.
Electronics/Gadgets: Any metallic item or electronic gadgets/ devices will not be allowed in the exam hall. This includes Mobile Phone, Ear Phone, Microphone, Pager, Calculator, DocuPen, Slide Rules, Log Tables, Camera, Tape Recorder etc. Aspirants will also not be allowed to wear/carry any type of watch including Electronic Watches with facilities of calculator, any metallic item or electronic gadgets/ devices in the Examination Hall/Room.
Handbags: Candidates will not be allowed to carry any kind of handbag or purse.
Note: There may not be any provision for the safekeeping of valuables at JEE Main 2026 exam centre.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 days ago
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
Yes, NTA reopened the JEE Main 2026 session 2 registration window from March 12 to 13.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 days ago
Yes, the JEE Main 2026 January question papers have been released. The official papers were made available with the response sheet of the candidates under their respective logins on the official website - jeemain.nta.nic.in.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 days ago
If a question is dropped in the JEE Main exam, then the candidates of the shift from which the question is dropped will get bonus marks. It does not matter if you attempted the question or not. If a question from your shift is dropped then you will be eligible for +4 bonus marks.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 days ago
To be able to complete all questions in the JEE Mains question paper in 3 hours, candidates can follow a simple trick below:
Attempt the questions in rounds. Such as:
- In round 1, attempt the questions you find easy. Spend 45-60 minutes here.
- In round 2, go for moderate questions. Do not spend more than
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 2 days ago
The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 (January) exam was widely considered moderate to tough. Many students found it more challenging than in the previous years.
The question paper consisted of time-consuming questions. Mathematics and Chemistry were considered tricky, while Physics was relatively more managea
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
If the details mentioned on the JEE Main admit card are incorrect, then candidates should immediately contact the NTA helpline to get it corrected at +91-11-40759000.
Y
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 3 days ago
Yes, you can wear a hijab in the JEE Mains exam as it is considered a religious item. However, you will likely undergo enhanced security checks at the exam centre.
You should arrive early to complete this frisking process. Make sure to keep your face visible for identification.
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
The SUPR section is comparable to JEE Main, but REAP section is considered challenging as it requires creative thinking and "out-of-box" problem solving. It can be compared to the Olympiad level questions.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
OJEE and JEE syllabus is somewhat same and different in some places. The OJEE syllabus for Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics is different from JEE. In JEE, the physics syllabus includes topics such as Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Optics, etc. These topics require knowledge of physics topics.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Currently - Assistant Manager, Content
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