JEE Main 2026 Exam Day Hacks: Small Strategy Changes That Can Improve Your Score

The JEE Main 2026 exam is a few days away now. With the exam inching closer, there are important hacks that students can benefit from on the exam day. Here we have discussed some important strategies and hacks that experts and toppers recommend for exam day.

JEE Main 2026 Exam Hacks: Small Strategy Changes That Can Improve Your Score

The National Testing Agency will hold the JEE Main 2026 session 1 exam starting from January 21. The exam will be held over 6 days and 11 shifts. The paper 1 exam for BE/BTech admission will be held on January 21, 22, 23, 24 and 28. On each day, the paper will be held in two shifts - 9 am to 12 pm and then from 3:30 pm to 6:30 pm.

On the other hand, the BArch and BPlan papers will be held on January 29, and there will be one shift only - 9 am to 12 pm.

Real-time updates: JEE Main 2026 Admit Card LIVE: Download Link Shortly for Session 1 Hall Ticket

To help the candidates with how to navigate the last few days before the exam and how to strategise for the exam day to get the best possible scores, we have collected some tips and hacks. Check below:

No new concepts now

Now that the exam is almost here, candidates should now focus on what they have already studied and how they can get the most marks out of it. During the last week, the candidates should take care of the following:

• Revisiting their mistakes
• Fixing common mistakes
• Developing exam day strategy

Smart selection of questions

The candidates should be careful on the exam day about the selection of the questions. Many students start with difficult questions and waste valuable time. A better approach is to begin with questions you find easy and familiar. This helps build confidence and ensures you secure marks that you might otherwise miss.

Time management and strategy to attempt questions

The second-best strategy is to attempt the questions in phases.

• In the first phase, solve only those questions you are 100% sure about, and that take less time.
• In the second phase, move to slightly tricky questions. Very difficult or confusing questions should be kept for the end or skipped.

This method helps manage time better and reduces panic.

Avoid silly mistakes by reading questions carefully

Reading questions carefully is another small habit that makes a big difference. Words like NOT, EXCEPT, or INCORRECT are often missed in a hurry. Many students know the answer but mark it wrong because they misread the question. Slowing down for a few seconds can save you from these silly mistakes.

Manage the rough worksheet

This is very underrated, but it helps a lot. Doing clear rough work also helps. Writing calculations neatly reduces errors in Physics and Maths. Messy calculations often lead to wrong answers, even when the concept is clear.

Avoid too many mock exams at this moment

In the final days, instead of taking new mock tests, students should revise mistakes from old mocks. Understanding why you went wrong earlier helps you avoid repeating the same errors in the actual exam.

Read More: JEE Mains 2026 Exam Rescheduled for West Bengal Students; Jan 23 Candidates to Get New Date