JEE Main 2026 vs JEE Advanced 2026: Difference in Exam Pattern

A: The JEE Main question paper is designed to evaluate the candidates' knowledge in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics based on the prescribed syllabus. Each subject will have two sections, one with multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and the other with questions that require numerical answers. In the numerical answer section, candidates must attempt any 5 questions out of 10, and negative marking is applicable for both sections. 

To answer the numerical questions, candidates are required to enter the correct integer values using the on-screen virtual numeric keypad provided. The answer should be rounded off to the nearest integer. Therefore, it is essential for candidates to have a thorough understanding of the topics and be adept at performing accurate calculations to score well.

A: The JEE Main exam is divided into two papers - Paper 1 for BE/B.Tech and Paper 2 for B.Arch and B.Plan. The total duration of the exam is 3 hours. JEE Main Paper 1 comprises 90 questions, with 30 questions each from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. Out of these 30 questions, 20 are multiple choice questions (MCQs) and 10 are numerical value answer (NAV) type questions. Students are required to answer only 5 out of the total number of questions. 

JEE Main Paper 2A for B.Arch comprises 82 questions, with 30 questions from Mathematics, 50 from General Aptitude, and 2 from Drawing. On the other hand, JEE Main Paper 2B for B.Plan comprises 105 questions, with 30 questions from Mathematics, 50 from General Aptitude, and 25 from Planning.

A: The Joint Entrance Examination Advanced (JEE Advanced) is an annual exam with a varying pattern. The exam consists of two papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2, both of which have three sections covering Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. Negative marking is applied for incorrect answers in the exam. 

The exam is available in English and Hindi and is conducted in a computer-based mode (CBT). Students must appear for both Paper 1 and Paper 2. Each paper has three parts: Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. 

Each of the three parts in both papers has three sections:

Section 1 contains eight questions. The answer to each question is a numerical value, which must be entered using the onscreen virtual numeric keypad. The answer is evaluated according to a marking scheme that awards 3 marks for the correct numerical value and 0 marks for all other cases.

Section 2 contains six multiple-choice questions, each with four options. One or more of these options is the correct answer. The marking scheme for this section awards 4 marks for every correct answer, 3 marks if all four options are correct but only three options are chosen, 2 marks if three or more options are correct but only two options are chosen, 1 mark if only one option is chosen and it is correct, and 0 marks if none of the options are chosen. Negative marking of 2 marks is applied for all incorrect answers.

Section 3 contains 4 Matching List Sets, each with a list-1 that has four entries and a list-2 that has five entries. Four options are given in each MCQ based on List-1 and List-2. Only one of these four options satisfies the condition asked in the MCQ. The marking scheme for this section awards 3 marks if the option corresponding to the correct combination is chosen, 0 marks if none of the options are chosen, and -1 mark for all other cases.

A: JEE Main and JEE Advanced are two national-level entrance exams that enable undergraduate engineering program admission in India. JEE Main is the initial stage of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) and is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). JEE Advanced is the second stage of the exam and is conducted by one of the seven Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) on a rotational basis. There are several key differences between the exam patterns and formats of JEE Main and JEE Advanced. 

Firstly, JEE Main has two papers - Paper 1 for admission to B.E. /B.Tech courses and Paper 2 for admission to B.Arch/B.Planning courses. On the other hand, JEE Advanced has two mandatory papers - Paper 1 and Paper 2. 

Secondly, JEE Main is conducted in both online (Computer Based Test) and offline (Pen and Paper Based Test) modes, while JEE Advanced is conducted only in online mode. 

Thirdly, both exams have multiple-choice questions (MCQs). However, JEE Advanced also includes numerical answer type questions (NATs), where students are required to enter the answer in numerical form. 

Fourthly, JEE Main is generally considered easier than JEE Advanced in terms of difficulty level. 

Fifthly, the syllabus for both exams is similar, but JEE Advanced includes several additional topics and requires a more profound understanding of the concepts. 

Sixthly, to be eligible for JEE Advanced, students must firstly qualify for JEE Main and be among the top 2,50,000 candidates. 

Lastly, students can attempt JEE Main for a maximum of three consecutive years, while JEE Advanced can be attempted for a maximum of two consecutive years.

A: It is a common misconception that the design and pattern of the JEE Advanced exam question paper depend on the conducting IIT. However, this is not true. The difficulty level and pattern of the question paper are not static and may vary each time the exam is conducted, regardless of which IIT is conducting it. Therefore, it is essential to prepare thoroughly for the exam, regardless of the IIT conducting it.