JEE Main 2026: Exam Dates, City Intimation (First Week of Jan), Syllabus & Pattern, Previous Year Papers

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.

Yes, and in fact, in the JEE Main exam, the weightage of class 11 and topics is almost the same. Candidates have to study topics of both classes 11 and 12 with equal importance.

No. NTA has not allowed calculators of kind - virtual or physical inside the JEE Main exam hall. Candidates must not carry calculators or any other electronic device in the JEE Main examination centre.

Students who are preparing for JEE Main exam are advised to first cover the entire JEE Main syllabus. Covering only the high weightage chapters would decrease their chances of getting full/high score in JEE Main exam. Only after covering the entire syllabus, students can check most important chapters for JEE Mains.

If candidates are facing issue in live photo capture, it can be due to mismatch from photo uploaded in Aadhar. For this, they need to visit the Aadhar update centre and get their current photo updated in the Aadhaar database.

The issue can also be due to any servor error/slow internet connectivity for which candidates can try uploading it after some time. Also, there can be a case of laptop/computer not supporting the webcame, for this, candidates can upload the photo using QR code provided in the application process.

The eligibility criteria to appear in JEE Main are

• Candidate must have passed class 12 in 2024/2025 or appearing in 2026.
• There is no age limit to appear in JEE Mains
• No minimum percentage is required to appear in the JEE Mains exam. 75% marks is required for admission in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs
• Candidates must have Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects along with Chemistry/any other vocational subject for Paper 1 (BE/B.Tech). For paper 2, candidates need to have Mathematics as compulsory subject along with any other subject combination. Candidates can appear in JEE for three consecutive years from the year of passing class 12

NTA released JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Application form on October 31. JEE Mains 2026 registration last date session 1 was November 27, 2025. The link to apply for session 1 was available on the website jeemain.nta.nic.in. 

Candidates who have made any spelling mistakes or entered wrong details in the application form can change it during application form correction window. The facility to edit form will be available once the registration process concludes. There's no charges to make correction in JEE Main application form. 

JEE Main form correction facility is provided for candidates to edit the information filled in the application form. Candidates who wish to make any changes to the application form have to login to the JEE Main official website using their application number and password. The JEE Main correction window 2026 will be available from December 1 to 2, 2025.

Time required to cover JEE Main syllabus changes from one student to another student. In general, to complete the entire JEE Main syllabus, students would require around 1 year. The ideal time to start preparing for JEE Main is class 11 as the syllabus for JEE and class 11-12 is similar. Students who are studying in class 11 can point out the topics that are common in both and pay special emphasis to those topics.

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.

JEE Main is conducted for multiple courses and the syllabus is different for each course. The syllabus of JEE Main Paper 1 (BE/B.Tech) includes class 11 and 12 Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics topics. For JEE Main paper 2A B.Arch the syllabus consists of Mathematics, General Aptitude and Drawing. Similarly, for JEE Main Paper 2B B. Plan the syllabus is Mathematics, General Aptitude and Planning. Candidates can check and download the detailed topics-wise JEE Main syllabus on the Shiksha page as well as on the official website jeemain.nta.nic.in.

JEE Main difficulty level is similar to class 12 board exams. Syllabus of JEE Main is similar to class 11 and 12 syllabus. The questions asked in exam are tricky and need an in-depth understanding of subjects. They need to have conceptual understanding of every topic to score well in exam. Those who study NCERT can get a decent score in JEE Mains.

There are two question types in JEE Main exam. Multiple choice questions and numerical ability questions. In MCQ, every question has 4 options with only 1 correct answer. Select the correct option. In numerical ability question type, no options are there. Solve them and write answer using keyword and mouse.

JEE Main 2026 exam pattern has been released by the NTA. As per exam pattern, the JEE Main Paper 1 (BE/B.Tech) exam will consist of 75 questions, 25 each from Physics Chemistry and Mathematics. Out of 25 questions, 20 will be MCQs and 5 will be NAV. Students need to answer all 75 questions. JEE Main paper 2A for B.Arch consists of 77 questions of which 25 are from Mathematics, 50 from General Aptitude and 2 from Drawing. In Paper 2B for BPlan total questions are 100 of which 25 are from Mathematics, 50 from General Aptitude and 25 from Planning.

The question paper will have no internal choices within questions and total duration of exam is 3 hours. 

JEE Mains syllabus can be completed in 6 months considering that almost every topic of JEE syllabus is similar to class 11 and 12 syllabus. However, completing the syllabus does not mean that candidates will get a good score. JEE Main exam tests your conceptual and analytical understanding of topics. To get a good score, you need to have good understanding of core concepts and also use to of applying them in solving numerical questions.

Do your research to choose the best book for JEE Main preparation 2026. You can talk to your teachers before you decide. Some books recommended for your preparation are given below:

Subjects	Books
Physics	NCERT Class 11 and 12 Concepts of Physics (Vol.1 & 2) by H.C. Verma Problems and Solutions of Physics by Sashi Bhusan Tiwari
Chemistry	NCERT Class 11 and 12 Concepts of Physical Chemistry by P. Bahadur Organic Chemistry by O.P. Tandon
Mathematics	NCERT Class 11 and 12 Differential & Integral Calculus by Amit Aggarwal Trigonometry and Coordinate Geometry by S.L. Loney

Students who are in class 12 and would also be appearing in JEE Mains 2026 exam mostly find it difficult to manage both their class/school and JEE studies. However, all these students have an advantage over others/droppers aspirants as there are many common topics in class 12 and JEE.

To benefit, they must identify all the topics that are common and study those first. Secondly, cover the topics that have more weightage in class 12 and complete them. Before a few days of JEE Mains, study specifically for JEE. This way, they can manage both class 12 and JEE efficiently. 

The frequency of taking JEE Main mock test would vary based on the number of days left for the test. When there are three to four months left for the exam, students should take mock tests twice a week and dedicate the rest of the days for analysis and preparation. In the last month before JEE Main the frequency of taking mock tests should be increased. Candidates should take a full-length mock test every alternate day until at least 4-5 days before the exam. After taking mock tests students should analyze the results to improve their performance.

The best way to handle tough topics in any subject is to study the concepts of that particular topic. The conceptual understanding of any topic gives us the clarity to solve theoretical as well as numerical questions from that topic. NCERT text books are the best material to understand the core concepts.

Not both are not same. But some topics are similar in JEE Main and JEE Advanced. Students who qualify the JEE Main exam and are among the top 250000 students are eligible to take the JEE Advanced.  Due to this reason majority of syllabi are the same, but a few extra topics are added in JEE Advanced.

Questions in JEE Mains exam is a blend of all the topics covered in the syllabus. However, there are some topics that are very much important and should be paid extra attentions while preparing for the exam. The list of important JEE Main topics are

Mathematics

• 3D Geometry
• Vector
• Applications of Derivatives
• Definite Integrals
• Limit, Cnntinuity and Differentiability

Physics

• Heat and Thermodynamics
• Electromagnetic Waves
• Ray & Wave Optics
• Kinematics
• Current Electricity
• Magnetism

Chemistry

• Electrochemistry
• Chemical Kinetics
• Thermodynamics
• p-block elements
• Chemical Bonding

National Testing Agency releases the JEE Main exam syllabus online. You can check the syllabus and know the names of chapters and topics. Here we have provded the detail of chapters in JEE Main syllabus.

• 19 Chapters in Physics (Also 1 chapter for experimental skills)
• 20 Chapters in Chemistry
• 14 Chapters in Mathematics

There is less possibility of any increase or decrease in chapters of JEE Main 2026 syllabus. However, candidates are advised to stay updated with the latest syllabus by visiting the JEE Main syllabus page or the official website of JEE Mains.

Students can download JEE Main previous year question paper from Shiksha page. Candidates are provided JEE Main previous year question papers from the year 2014 to 2025. The papers can be downloaded as PDF and can be practised to prepare for the exam. JEE Main previous year question paper also helps in understanding the difficulty level of the exam and chapter-wise weightage of questions. Solving JEE Main question papers will help in analysing the preparation level of the exam. 

JEE Main exam city slip is the document which have details about the city in which the exam centre of the candidate is located. The JEE Mains city intimation slip also have details of the JEE Main exam date of the candidates. Candidates must note that the exam city slip is different from the admit card. NTA releases the exam city intimation slip around 1 week before the exam starts.

JEE Mains 2026 exam will be conducted in 320 cities in India and abroad. The complete list of JEE Main test cities can be checked on the JEE Main information brochure available on the official website as well as from the Shiksha page. NTA conducts JEE Main in 15 countries outside India. The list of test cities in India can be checked at the website - https://www.shiksha.com/engineering/articles/jee-main-exam-centres-blogId-19515 

NTA will activate the link to download JEE Main city intimation slip 2026 on the official website jeemain.nta.nic.in. Candidates need to login on the JEE Main official website using their application number and password to download the JEE Main 2026 advance exam city allotment slip. 

No, candidates will not be allowed to take the exam with city intimation slip of JEE Mains 2026. Entry inside the exam hall will be given only to those candidates having JEE Main admit card 2026. Candidates must download their admit card from the website and take its printout to appear in the exam.

JEE Main aspirants who are Diabetic are allowed to carry sugar tablets, fruits like bananas, oranges, or apples, and a transparent water bottle as per NTA. Diabetic students are advised to keep a check on their health before and in between the exams to avoid any health issues.

Yes, differntly abled candidates need to carry their PwD certifcate to the exam centre. Candidates should check that their certificate is valid and issued by the competent authority. Candidates who have applied under PwD category and forgets to carry their PwD certificates at the exam centre will not be allowed to appear in the exam.

In case the JEE Main answer key challenge raised by the candidate is accepted, the NTA will send an email to the registered email address mentioning the details of question for which the objections has been accepted. The NTA will also send the details of correct answer for the questions.

Candidates will be able to raise objections against the provisional JEE Main answer key 2024 online. For every objection, the candidates will have to pay INR 500. The fee payment has to be done online i.e., through credit card/debit card/net banking. If the candidates do not pay the required fee then their objections will not be accepted. Along with the fee, the candidates will also have to submit the supporting proof for the objections. 

Yes, the fees paid towards raising the objections in JEE Main answer key is reunded if the challenge is found correct. The amound is credited back to the account which was used for payment of challenge fees. 

The NTA will announce JEE Main Result 2026 around 10 days after the conclusion of the exam. Candidates can download the JEE Main result 2026 scorecard online. JEE Main result login link 2026 will be available on the wesbite jeemain.nta.nic.in. The JEE Main 2026 result scorecard will have details of candidate percentile score in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and the aggreate percentile score. JEE Mains 2026 result will be released separately for both sessions.

Qualifying marks for JEE Mains 2026, also called qualifying percentile for JEE Mains will be announced by the NTA along with the JEE Main 2026 session 2 result. Candidates must note that qualifying percentile for JEE Mains 2026 is the minimum percentile required to appear in JEE Advanced 2026. For admission to NIT or IIITs, there is no provision of qualifying marks in JEE Mains 2026 and admission is given based on All India Rank in JEE Mains exam. NTA will announce JEE Mains 2026 All India rank in April after session 2 exam results.

When two candidates score same marks in JEE Main, the NTA resolves tie by giving weightage to candidates haveing the highest marks in Maths>Physics>Chemistry. In case ties still persist, the weightage will be given to candidates with less incorrect questions in subjects in the same order. 

No minimum percentage is required to appear in JEE Mains exam as per NTA. In some various institutes, there is a creiteria for class 12 minimum percentage for admission. For example, IITs and NITs need minimum 75% marks in class 12 for BTech courses.

The eligibility criteria to appear in JEE Main are

• Candidate must have passed class 12 in 2024/2025 or appearing in 2026.
• There is no age limit to appear in JEE Mains
• No minimum percentage is required to appear in the JEE Mains exam. 75% marks is required for admission in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs
• Candidates must have Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects along with Chemistry/any other vocational subject for Paper 1 (BE/B.Tech). For paper 2, candidates need to have Mathematics as compulsory subject along with any other subject combination. Candidates can appear in JEE for three consecutive years from the year of passing class 12

As per the JEE Main eligibility criteria, candidates must have Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects and any one subject from the optional list of Chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, or Technical vocation course. If you have any of the sunject from optional list and both compulsory subjetc, you can apply for JEE Mains. For more details, candidates can visit the official JEE Main website.

No, candidates are not required to send the prinout of JEE Main application form 2026 to the NTA office. Candidates have to fill and submit the application form online only. However, it is advised that candidates download, take a printout of their filled application form and keept it safe until the completion of admission process. JEE Main 2026 application form copy might be required at the time of counselling/admission process in the institute. 

Yes, candidates can upload black & white photograph in JEE Mains application form. There is no restriction on the type of photograph. The conditions that candidates need to fulfill for uploading the photograph are

• Photograph should be in JPEG/JPG format
• Dimention has to be 3.5 cm x 4.5 cm
• Size has to be 10 KB to 200 KB

Also, the photograph should be clear with white background. The candidates are allowed to have spectacles in the photograph but sunglasses and caps are not allowed. JEE Main application form 2024 will be released in December.

Candidates can face difficulty in payment of application fees due to various reasons like

• Slower internet connection while paying fees
• Slow bank server
• Insufficient balance in bank

In case any candiate faces issues while trying to pay JEE Main application fees, they should try paying the fees after some time. Candidates can also try logging out the application form process once and then try paying application fee again after logging in. If the situation still persists, students can contact NTA JEE Main helpline number.

Yes, applicants who wish to particpate in CSAB have to register online from the CSAB official website as both CSAB and JoSAA are separate counselling processes. The document verification of such candidates will not be conducted again, as the documents are verified during JoSAA.

The age limit will be applicable as mentioned in JEE Main/JEE Advanced brochure and official website. There is no seperate age limit criteria prescribed for JoSAA counselling.

The JoSAA counselling registration link is made available on the official JoSAA counselling website, josaa.nic.in. 

The cutoff for IIITs vary for various branches and also category of students. Specialised branches like computer Science and electronics engineering has higher cutoff in comparison to other branches. Similarly, JEE Main cutoff for general category candidates is higher in comparison to OBC-NCL and SC/ST candidates. Candidates can check the JEE Main 2022 cutoff below for some top IIITs and branches. For detailed cutoff report, candidates can check Shiksha page. IIIT Allahabad IT Closing Rank Open Category: 5704 IIIT Allahabad ECE Closing Rank Open Category: 9700.

CRL stands for the Common Rank List. NTA releases the cutoff in several categories one of which is CRL. Basically, CRL means unreserved category. Candidates belonging to unreserved category need to have JEE Main cutoff equal to or more than the CRL cutoff. The other categories for which cutoff is released are Gen-EWS, Open-PwD, OBC-NCL, SC and ST.

NIT Andhra Pradesh BTech admission is based on candidates' performance in the JEE Main entrance exam, followed by the JoSAA counselling process. The Round 1 of JEE Main cutoff 2025 has been released for different categories of students belonging to the AI and HS quotas. For students belonging to the OBC category, the JEE Main closing ranks ranged between 5741 and 14452. For branch-wise Round 1 cutoff details, check out the table below:

Course	JEE Main Round 1 Cutoff 2025 (OBC AI Quota)
B.Tech. in Biotechnology	14191
B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering	13555
B.Tech. in Civil Engineering	14452
B.Tech. in Computer Science and Engineering	5741
B.Tech. in Electrical and Electronics Engineering	10155
B.Tech. in Electronics and Communication Engineering	7400
B.Tech. in Mechanical Engineering	12259
B.Tech. in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering	14368

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will declare the JEE Mains result 2026 in the form of percentile scores. Candidates can check here the previous year JEE Main marks vs percentile data to understand how much is 120 marks in JEE Main percentile.

As per the last year JEE Main marks vs percentile analysis, 120 marks would be around 95 to 97 percentile. However, the exact JEE Main 2025 percentile marks 120 would vary depending upon the highest number scored by the candidate in a particula shift and the total number candidates appeared in that particular shift. 

The institutes the participate in JoSAA counselling are:

1. 23 IITs
2. 31 NITs
3. IIEST Shibpur
4. 26 IIITs
5. 40 Other-Government Funded Technical Institutes (Other-GFTIs)

The coursse offered by the 23 IITs, 31 NITs, IIEST Shibpur, 26 IIITs and 40 Other-Government Funded Technical Institutes (Other-GFTIs) via the JoSAA counselling include:

• BTech in various Engineering disciplines.
• BSc programs in Science.
• BArch in Architecture.
• Dual Degree programs like B.Tech-MTech and BS-MS.
• Integrated M.Tech and Integrated MSc programs.

As of 2025, the total number of seats in the IITs is 18,160.

The JoSAA 2025 choice filling window will open with the registration window on June 3, 2025. Candidates will be able to register and then fill the choices of courses and colleges based on their JEE Main/Advanced ranks and category.

The JEE Main counselling for BTech admission to NITs, IIITs and GFTIs is organised by the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) in June. To participate in the JoSAA counselling seat allotment process, candidates have to register online. The allotment of seats will be based on All India Ranks in JEE Main. Candidates can check more details regarding JoSAA seat allotment dates and admission process from the official website josaa.nic.in.

• Candidates should have JEE Main and/or JEE Advanced rank.
• Candidates must have at least 75% aggregate marks in Class 12. The aggregate marks for SC, ST and PwD candidates must be at least 65%.
• Candidates must be within the category wise top 20 percentile of successful candidates in their respective Class 12 board.

JEE Main counselling and seat allotment has many processes. Once seat is allotted to a candidate, you have option of Accept and Freeze, Accept and Float and Slide. If you are satisfied with allotted seat and select first option, you cannot participate in next round counselling. If you are not satisfied, select second or third option to participate in next round with the current seat.

Objections raising fee in JEE Main answer key is INR 200 per question. You can pay it online using internet banking or credit/debit card. The exact fees to be paid depends on total questions selected for grievance.

The participating institutes of JEE Main are the colleges that participate in the JoSAA counselling for admission in various Engineering, Architecture and Planning courses. Besides JEE Main participating institutes, many colleges offer admission based on the scores of JEE Main but are not a part of JoSAA. Such institutes organise their counselling process for admission.

There are a total of 31 NITs, 25 IIITs and 19 other GFTIs that participate in JoSAA counselling. The number of seats in these institutes can be checked below. Other institutes which offer admission based on JEE Main scores are from the states which do not conduct their entrance exams for engineering admission and include U.P., Bihar, M.P., Delhi, among others.

The dates for JoSAA counselling 2026 choice filling will be announced once the result of JEE Main 2026 is declared. Candidates can fill choices only during the choice filling period. Also, candidates need to lock their choices before the last date.

It is advised that students begin their JEE Main preparation with NCERT books. NCERT class 11 and 12 books for Physics Chemistry and Mathematics are the best to understand basic concepts and solve numerical problems. Along with NCERTs, students can refer to additional books like H. C. Verma and Irodov for Physics. In Mathematics, students can take help from Arihant books. For Chemistry R C Mukherjee, O P Tandon and P Bahadur are best.

The rank obtained thugh JEE Main marks vs percentile data is an expected rank and not the actual rank. Candidates must note that the actual JEE Main rank is given in JEE Mains result release by the NTA.

Candidates will be able to check these details on the JEE Main scorecard:

JEE Main Application Number, JEE Main Roll Number, Name & Date of Birth, Qualifying Status, All India Rank secured by a candidate in the exam, category-wise All India Rank (AIR) of the Candidate, Subject-wise scores, aggregate score in all three subjects of both sessions. You can download your Joint Entrance Examination-Main Result from the official website. The official website is jeemain.nta.nic.in. Note that, there is no provision to re-evaluate/re-check JEE Main result.

There is no minimum qualifying marks in JEE Main. Exam. However, any candidate who wish to appear in JEE Advanced need to obtain the minimum cutoff marks in JEE Main. Candidates gets all India rank in JEE Main on the basis of the score they get in the exam. Admission to the institutes like NITs, IIITs and GFTIs is given on the basis of all India rank of candidates. Candidates who wish to apply for JEE Advanced need to get the minimum JEE Main qualifying cutoff marks only after which they can apply for admission to IITs.

As per the JEE Main information brochure, both UDID card and PwD/PwBD certificates will be accepted. Candidates who do not have UDID card can upload their PwD/PwBD certificate at the time of filling application form. They can get the UDID certificate before the counselling admission process.

Yes, Candidates who wish to appear in both the sessions of JEE Main 2026 need to fill application form separately for all sessions. However, the JEE Main registration need to be done only once. Candidates who apply for the first session of JEE Mains 2026 can use their session 1 application number and password to login and apply for the second session. During the second session of application filling, candidates only need to enter details of paper for which appearing, exam centre preference and pay the application fees. Other details related to education, address, parents details documents uploaded are taken from the first session application process.

Candidates also have the option of filling the combined application form for both session 1 and 2 during session 2 application process.