JEE Mains 2026 – Dates, Eligibility, Admission Process, Syllabus and More

The examination dates for JEE Mains 2026 session 1 (January session) has been announced. The exam will be held in between January 21 to January 30, 2026. Students are advised to download their admit cards, which will be made available 3 to 4 days before the date of the examination.

For the second JEE mains 2026 session (April Session), the online submission of the application form will begin from the last week of January. The exam will be held in between April 02 to April 09, 2026. Candidates are requested to fill in the Application Form for the second session carefully. Corrections in only certain fields will be permitted during the correction window which will be notified to the students at a later stage.

JEE Main 2026 – Important Dates and Events

The NTA has officially announced the dates and details of the JEE Main 2026 events. Students can refer to the table below for the dates:-

JEE Main Exam Dates 2026 

JEE Mains – 2026 Session 1 (January 2026)
Events	Dates
Online Submission of Application Form	CLOSED
Last date for successful transaction of prescribed Application Fee	CLOSED
Correction in Particulars of the Online Application Form	CLOSED
City Intimation Slip	First week of January 2026
Downloading Admit Cards from the NTA website	03-04 days before the date of the Examination
Dates of Examination	Between January 21 to January 30, 2026
Display of Question Paper attempted by the Candidate and Answer Keys for inviting challenges	Will be displayed on the NTA website
Declaration of Result	By February 12, 2026
JEE Mains – 2026 Session 2 (April 2026)
Online Submission of Application Form	Last week of January 2026 Onwards
Last date for successful transaction of prescribed Application Fee	Will be notified later
Correction in Particulars of the online Application Form	Will be displayed on the NTA website
City Intimation Slip	Second week of March 026 (Tentatively)
Downloading Admit Cards from the NTA website	03-04 days before the date of the Examination
Dates of Examination	Between April 02 to April 09, 2026
Display of Question Paper attempted by the Candidate and Answer Keys for inviting challenges	Will be displayed on the NTA website
Declaration of Result	By April 20, 2026

 

JEE Main Highlights 2026

Here’s a quick JEE Mains 2026 highlight section –

JEE Main Key Highlights 2026

Name of Examination	Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026
Exam Conducting Body	National Testing Agency (NTA)
JEE Main Official Website	jeemain.nta.nic.in
Exam Frequency	Twice a Year
JEE Main Exam Date	January 21 to January 30 2026 (Session 1) April 02 to April 09 2026 (Session 2)
Mode of Exam	Online (computer-based test)
Credentials required to download JEE Main Admit Card	JEE Main application number and Students’ Date of Birth (DoB)
Compulsory documents to carry on exam day	JEE Main Admit Card Valid original photo ID (like Aadhaar, Voter ID, Passport, PAN Card/ Driving License/ Ration Card/ School Identity Card)
JEE Main Papers	Paper 1 – BE/BTech Paper 2A – BArch Paper 2B – BPlan
Duration of JEE Main Exam	3 hours or 3 hours 30 minutes (4 hours for Persons with Benchmark Disabilities)
Number of questions	BE/BTech – 90 MCQs (Candidates need to answer just 75 questions) BArch – Online and Offline (Drawing Test) – 77 questions BPlan – 100 MCQs
Maximum Marks	BE/BTech – 300 marks BArch – 400 marks BPlan – 400 marks
Marking System	JEE Main – 4 marks per correct answer B. Arch paper – 2 questions of 50 marks each
Negative Marking	For MCQs: (-1) mark per incorrect answer For Non-MCQs: No negative marking

CLICK HERE for the Public Notice of JEE Main Exam 2026

JEE Main Exam Schedule 2026

Candidates can find the particulars of the exam schedule/timing in the table below:

Timing of Examination	Duration of Examination	First Shift	Second Shift
Paper 1, 2A, 2B	3 Hours	09:00 AM to 12:00 Noon (IST)	03:00 PM to 06:00 PM (IST)
Paper 2A & 2B	3 Hours 30 Minutes	09:00 AM to 12:30 PM (IST)	03:00 PM to 06:30 PM (IST)

Pre-Examination Activities:

Activity	Timing
Entry, Frisking, Biometric Registration, Document Verification, etc.	07:00 AM to 08:30 AM / 01:00 PM to 02:30 PM
Instructions by Invigilator(s)	08:30 AM to 08:50 AM / 02:30 PM to 02:50 PM
Candidate Login to Read Instructions	08:50 AM / 02:50 PM

 

JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2026

Candidates who wish to apply for JEE Main 2026 must have passed Class 12 from a recognised school board in 2023/2024 or must be taking their Class 12 final exams in 2026. There are 8 factors related to the JEE Main eligibility criteria 2026:

1. Nationality
2. Age
3. Number of Attempts in JEE Main
4. Marks Required in Class 12(Qualifying Examination
5. List of Qualifying Examinations (QE) for Class 12
6. Year of Appearance in Qualifying Examination (Class 12)
7. State of Eligibility
8. Reservations

Nationality

1. As per JEE Main eligibility criteria, a candidate should be an Indian citizen (according to the Indian Citizenship Act, 1955).
2. Candidates belonging to the category of Non-Residential Indian (NRI) or Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) or Overseas Citizen of India (OCI) can also apply for JEE Main 2026, provided they have the category certificates at all stages of JEE Main.

Age Criteria 

1. There is no upper age limit to appear for the JEE Main. However, candidates may be required to fulfil the age criteria of the institute/s where they wish to take admission
2. The birth date given in the Secondary Education Board/University Certificate will be considered.

Number of Attempts in JEE Main 

1. According to NTA officials, a maximum of 4 attempts are allowed for the JEE Main exam
2. To avail admission in colleges across Odisha, Nagaland, Madhya Pradesh and Gujarat, the age limit and the number of attempts for JEE Main will be similar to the previous practices of their respective state-level examinations.

Marks Required in Class 12 (Qualifying Examination)

1. For taking up JEE Main, there is no such requirement of the minimum marks in Class 12.
2. For admission to NITs/IIITs/GFTIS, a minimum of 75% marks in Class 12th are mandatory.

List of Qualifying Examinations

1. Final examination of the 10+2 system, conducted by any recognised Central/ State Board, such as Central Board of Secondary Education, New Delhi; Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations, New Delhi; etc.
2. Intermediate or two-year Pre-University examination conducted by a recognised Board/
   University.
3. A Diploma recognized by AICTE or a state board of technical education (at least 3 years’ duration)
4. Any Public School/ Board/ University examination in India or any foreign country recognised as equivalent to the 10+2 system by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU)
5. Final examination of the two-year course of the Joint Services Wing of the National Defence Academy
6. Higher Secondary Certificate – Vocational Examination
7. Senior Secondary School Examination conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling with a minimum of five subjects
8. Intermediate or two-year Pre-University examination conducted by a recognized Board/ University
9. General Certificate Education (GCE) examination (London/Cambridge/Sri Lanka) at the Advanced (A) level
10. High School Certificate Examination of the Cambridge University or International Baccalaureate Diploma of the International Baccalaureate Office, Geneva.

Candidates who have completed the Class 12 or equivalent examination outside India or from a Board not specified above should produce a certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) to the effect that the examination they have passed is equivalent to the Class 12 Examination.

In case the Class 12 examination is not a public examination, the candidate must have passed at least one public (Board or Pre-University) examination earlier.

 Year of Appearance in Qualifying Examination (Class 12)

1. Candidates who have passed the Class 12/equivalent examination in 2023/2024/2025

JEE Main State of Eligibility 

State code of eligibility means the code of the state from where the candidate has passed Class 12 or equivalent examination because of which the candidate becomes eligible to appear in JEE Main.

• Candidates must note that the State code of eligibility does NOT depend upon the native place or the place of residence of the candidate. For example, if a candidate appears for the Class 12 examination in New Delhi and is a resident of Greater Noida, Uttar Pradesh, the candidate’s State code of eligibility will be that of Delhi and NOT that of UP.
• If a candidate has passed Class 12 or equivalent qualifying exam from one state but appeared for improvement from another, the candidate’s state code of eligibility will be from where the candidate has first passed the Class 12 and NOT the state from where the candidate has appeared for improvement.
• Candidates passed/appearing in Class 12 from NIOS should select the State of Eligibility according to the state in which the study centre is located.
• For Indian nationals passing the Class 12 or equivalent exam from Nepal or Bhutan, the state code of eligibility will be determined based on the permanent address of the candidate in India as given in the passport.
• The State code of eligibility for OCI/PIO passing the Class 12 examination in India is at par with Indian nationals. But, OCI/PIO passing the Class 12 exam from an institution abroad are eligible for Other State quota seats or All India Quota seats (but NOT for Home State quota seats) in all NITs, IIEST and Other-CFTIs.

Reservations

1. In the case of the institutes run or aided or recognised by State Governments, the reservation policy of the respective State Governments will become applicable.
2. In the case of Central Government-run institutes, the reservation would be applicable as mentioned below:

• General Economically Weaker Section (GEN-EWS): 10% of seats in every course are reserved for this category. Only General category candidates who meet the conditions specified in OM No. 20013/01/2018-BC-II dated January 17, 2019, issued by the Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, will be eligible for reservation benefits. The criteria for GEN-EWS will follow the prevailing norms and/or notifications of the Government of India.
• Other Backward Classes – Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL): 27% of seats are reserved for this category. Eligibility for OBC-NCL:
  • • Candidates must be listed in the current, updated central list of OBCs (http://www.ncbc.ac.in).
    • OBCs present in the State list but not covered in the central list are not eligible for reservation.
    • The criteria for OBC-NCL will be as per the Government of India notification.
    • Candidates belonging to the creamy layer of OBC are not entitled to reservation and will be considered under the general (GEN) category.

• Scheduled Caste (SC): 15% of seats are reserved for this category.

• Scheduled Tribe (ST): 7.5% of seats are reserved for this category.

• Persons with Disability/ Persons with Benchmark Disability (PwD/PwBD): 5% of seats are reserved within each category (GEN, GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, and ST).

JEE Main Application Form 2026

The application window for the second session of JEE Mains will open in the last week of January. Candidates who miss the deadline will need to pay a late fee along with the regular application fee.

Steps to fill JEE Main Application Form

• Visit the official website jeemain.nta.ac.in
• Click on the “Registration” tab
• Create a new registration
• Enter the required particulars like email ID, name, phone number
• Fill in the educational details and upload the required documents
• Pay the application fee and submit the application
• Take a printout of the application form for your future reference

JEE Main Admit Card 2026

Registered candidates, whose applications are accepted by the NTA, can download their JEE Main admit card by entering their particulars at jeemain.nta.ac.in.

Follow the steps below to learn about the JEE Main admit card download process:

• Visit the official website of JEE Main
• Click on the admit card link
• Click on the ‘Through application number and password’ link
• The page will redirect you to the login page
• Enter your application number and password
• Click on ‘Sign in’
• When the admit card appears on the screen, download it and take a printout for future references

Note:- The admit card will have four pages where the first page shall consist of a declaration, which the candidate must sign on the exam day.

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JEE Main Fee Structure 2026

The table below provides a clear breakdown of the fee structure for the JEE Main exam. Processing charges and Goods and Services Tax (GST) are to be paid by the candidate, as applicable. Payments can be made through Credit Card, Debit Card (except Master/Visa Card), Net Banking, or UPI.

Paper 1: B.E./B. Tech OR Paper 2A: B. Arch OR Paper 2B: B. Planning
Type of Candidate	Centres in India (₹)	Centres Outside India (₹)
General Male	1,000	5,000
General Female	800	4,000
Gen-EWS/ OBC (NCL) Male	900	4,500
Gen-EWS/ OBC (NCL) Female	800	4,000
SC/ST/ PwD/ PwBD Male	500	2,500
SC/ST/ PwD/ PwBD Female	500	2,500
Third Gender	500	3,000

JEE Main Exam Pattern 2026

The test takers must have a better grasp of the JEE Main exam pattern 2026 to be able to prepare well for it. It must be noted that as per the JEE Main exam pattern, the test takers have to answer objective-type or MCQs along with numeric-value-based questions in the JEE main paper. The table below gives a clear understanding of the JEE Main 2026 exam pattern.

JEE Main Test Pattern  

Parameters	B.E./B. Tech	B. Arch	B. Planning
Mode of Examination	Computer Based Test (CBT) Mode	Mathematics and Aptitude- Computer-Based Test (CBT) Mode Drawing- Pen and paper mode	Computer Based Test (CBT) Mode
Total subjects	Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics	Mathematics, Aptitude Test, and Drawing Test	Mathematics, Aptitude Test, and Planning Based Objective Type
Number of questions	75 (25 questions from each subject)	77 (Mathematics- 25 Aptitude- 50 Drawing- 2)	100 (Mathematics- 25 Aptitude- 50 Planning Based-25)
Type of Questions	Objective Type – Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Questions for which the answer is a numerical value, with equal weightage to Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry	Objective Type – Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Questions for which the answer is a numerical value  + Test drawing Aptitude questions	Objective Type – Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and Questions for which the answer is a numerical value
Marking Scheme	For MCQs: +4 for each correct response -1 for each incorrect response Unattempted questions will not be marked. For Non- MCQs: +4 for each correct response No negative marking for incorrect answers or unattempted questions.	For MCQs: +4 for each correct response -1 for each incorrect response; Unattempted questions will not be marked. For Non- MCQs: +4 for each correct response No negative marking for incorrect answers or unattempted questions For Drawing Test: 2 questions of 100 marks	For MCQs: +4 for each correct response -1 for each incorrect response Unattempted questions will not be marked. For Non- MCQs: +4 for each correct response -1 for each incorrect response Unattempted questions will not be marked. No negative marking for incorrect answers or unattempted questions.
Maximum Marks	300 Marks	400 Marks	400 Marks

 

JEE Main Syllabus 2026

The following tables consists of topics and concepts covered and studied in Class 11 and 12, that are asked in the JEE exam –

JEE Main Chemistry Syllabus 2026

Section A: Physical Chemistry
Unit 1: Some Basic Concepts in Chemistry		Unit 2: Atomic Structure		Unit 3: Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
Unit 4: Chemical Thermodynamics		Unit 5: Solutions		Unit 6: Equilibrium
Unit 7: Redox Reactions and Electrochemistry			Unit 8: Chemical Kinetics

 

Section B: Inorganic Chemistry
Unit 9: Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties		Unit 10: p-Block Elements
Unit 11: d-and-f Block Elements		Unit 12: Coordination Compounds

 

Section C: Organic Chemistry
Unit 13: Purification and Characterization of Organic Compounds				Unit 14: Some Basic Principles of Organic Chemistry				Unit 15: Hydrocarbons
Unit 16 Organic Compounds Containing Halogens				Unit 17: Organic Compounds Containing Oxygen				Unit 18: Organic Compounds Containing Nitrogen
Unit 19: Biomolecules					Unit 20: Principles Related to Practical Chemistry

JEE Mains Physics Syllabus 2026

Section A – Theoretical Section
Unit 1: Physics and Measurement	Unit 2: Kinematics	Unit 3: Laws of Motion	Unit 4: Work, Energy, and Power
Unit 5: Rotational Motion	Unit 6: Gravitation	Unit 7: Properties of Solids and Liquids	Unit 8: Thermodynamics
Unit 9: Kinetic Theory of Gases	Unit 10: Oscillations and Waves	Unit 11: Electrostatics	Unit 12: Current Electricity
Unit 13: Magnetic Effects of Current and Magnetism	Unit 14: Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating Currents	Unit 15: Electromagnetic Waves	Unit 16: Optics
Unit 17: Dual Nature of Matter and Radiation	Unit 18: Atoms and Nuclei	Unit 19: Electronic Devices	Unit 20: Experimental Skills

JEE Mains Mathematics Syllabus 2026

Unit 1: Sets, Relations, and Functions	Unit 2: Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations	Unit 3: Matrices and Determinants	Unit 4: Permutations and Combinations
Unit 5: Binomial Theorem and Its Simple Applications	Unit 6: Sequences and Series	Unit 7: Limit Continuity, and Differentiability	Unit 8: Integral Calculus
Unit 9: Differential Equations	Unit 10: Coordinate Geometry	Unit 11: Three-Dimensional Geometry	Unit 12: Vector Algebra
Unit 13: Statistics and Probability		Unit 14: Trigonometry

JEE Mains 2026 – Recommended Books for  Students

Your preparation becomes top-notch if you study from the best available resources. Thus, here comes a list of the best books for JEE Main 2026, authored by the best industry experts. Historically, even the toppers from the past years have referred to these books and cracked the national-level UG engineering entrance exam with flying colours.

JEE Mains 2026 – Books for Physics

Books Name	Author
Advance physics	Nelkon and Parker
Aptitude test problem in physics	Krotov
Fundamentals of Physics	Halliday, Resnick & Walker
Dynamics of a Particle & of Rigid Bodies	S.L. Loney
Physics Volume 1 & 2	Tipler
University Physics	Freedman and Young
Problems in Physics	A. A. Pinsky
Mechanics Part-1 & 2	DC Pandey
Problems in General Physics	I. E. Irodov
Problems in Physics	V. Zubov & V. Shalnov
Concepts of Physics Volume I and II	H. C. Verma
Feynman Lectures on physics	R. P. Feynman
A collection of questions and problems in physics	L. A. Sena
Element of Dynamics part I & II	S. L. Loney

JEE Mains 2026 – Books for Organic Chemistry

Books Name	Author
Organic Chemistry	O. P. Tandon
Concept of Organic Chemistry	M. S. Chauhan
Organic Chemistry volume 1	I. L. Finar
Organic Chemistry	Arihant Prakashan
A Guidebook to Mechanism in Organic Chemistry	Peter Sykes

JEE Mains 2026 – Books for Physical Chemistry

Books Name	Author
IIT JEE Chemistry	O. P. Agarwal
Numerical Chemistry	P. Bahadur
General Chemistry	Ebbing
Physical Chemistry	O. P. Tandon
University Chemistry	Bruce Mahan
Modern Approach to Chemical Calculations	RC Mukherjee
Physical Chemistry (For Reading Theory)	P. Bahadur
Physical Chemistry	P.W.Atkins

JEE Mains 2026 – Books for Inorganic Chemistry

Books Name	Author
Concise Inorganic Chemistry	J. D. Lee
Inorganic Chemistry	Arihant Prakashan
Textbook of Inorganic Chemistry for Competitions (JEE Main & Advanced)	OP Tondon

JEE Mains 2026 – Books for Mathematics

Books Name	Author
Mathematics for Class 11 & Class 12	R. D. Sharma
Algebra	Arihant
Maths for Class 11 & Class 12	R. S. Agarwal
Vector	Shanti Nayaran
IIT Mathematics	M. L. Khanna
Trigonometry	S. L. Loney
Problems in Calculus of One Variable	I. A. Maron
Geometry	Dr. Gorakh Prasad
Differential Calculus	Arihant
Integral Calculus	Arihant
Introduction Probability & Its Application	W. Feller
Higher Algebra	Barnard and Child
A problem book in mathematical Analysis	G. N. Berman
Higher Algebra 4th Edition	Hall and Knight
Course in Mathematics for IIT-JEE	TMH Publication
Calculus and Analytic Geometry	Thomas and Finney

JEE Main Answer Key 2026

The NTA will release the JEE Main 2026 Provisional Answer Key on its website. Candidates can challenge the key within a specified timeframe by paying a fee of ₹200 per challenge. Only online challenges with justification will be considered. The NTA’s decision on challenges will be final.

The final answer key will be released, and the JEE Main 2026 results will be based on it. No grievances regarding the answer key will be entertained after the result declaration.

JEE Main 2026 – Results

NTA will announce the result for JEE Main, Session 1 on February 26, 2026, while the Session 2 result will be on April 20, 2026. Candidates can check the JEE Main result by visiting the official website jeemain.nta.nic.in and entering their application number, date of birth and security key. The online NTA JEE Mains result carries subject-wise and total NTA score, All India Rank, category rank, cutoff for JEE Advanced, along with a few particulars of the candidate.

Candidates must download a copy of their result and verify the details highlighted below:

1. Roll Number
2. Student Name
3. Category
4. Father’s Name
5. Mother’s Name
6. Subcategory
7. State code of eligibility
8. Marks obtained in JEE Main (Subject-wise and total)
9. All India Rank
10. Category Rank
11. Nationality
12. Cut-off score for appearing in JEE Advanced
13. Instructions

 

JEE Main FAQs

What is the exam date for JEE Mains 2026 ?

The examination dates for JEE Mains 2026 session 1 (January session) is between January 21 to January 30, 2026. Whereas, for the second JEE mains 2026 session (April Session), the exam will be held in between April 02 to April 09, 2026.

How can candidates register for JEE (Main) 2026?

Instructions to apply online for JEE (Main) 2026 are available in the Information Bulletin on the NTA official website under the heading ‘Important Information and Dates at a Glance’ (Para 3). Candidates are also advised to refer to Appendix IX of the Information Bulletin, which contains a replica of the application form.

What is JEE Main 2026 official website?

Ans: The official website of NTA JEE Main 2026 is jeemain.nta.ac.in.

If a candidate did not apply for Session 1 of JEE Mains 2026, can he or she apply for Session 2?

Yes, candidates who missed filling up the Application Form for the January Session, he/she can fill up the Application Form for the April Session at the time of opening of the portal for that session.

Do candidates have to fill a separate application form for each session?

Yes, candidates have to apply separately for each session. Currently, the application window for Session 1 is closed. The application date for Session 2 will be announced later.