JEE Main 2026
Session 2 Exam: April 2–9, 2026 | Session 1 Result: Declared (Feb 16, 2026)
What is JEE Main?
JEE Main (Joint Entrance Examination Main) is a national-level undergraduate engineering entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on behalf of the Ministry of Education, Government of India. It is the gateway for admission to prestigious engineering institutions like the National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), and other Centrally Funded Technical Institutes (CFTIs). Additionally, JEE Main serves as the qualifying exam for JEE Advanced — the entrance test for the IITs and IISc Bengaluru.
JEE Main 2026 is conducted in two sessions — Session 1 (January) and Session 2 (April). For 2026, Session 1 was held from January 21–29, 2026, and results were declared on February 16, 2026. The Session 2 exam is scheduled from April 2 to 9, 2026. Candidates appearing in both sessions can use their best score for final ranking. Approximately 14.15 lakh candidates registered for JEE Main 2026 Session 1, with 12 candidates achieving a perfect 100 percentile.
JEE Main Key Points
| Parameters | Information |
|---|---|
| Exam name | JEE Main 2026 |
| Full form | Joint Entrance Examination Main |
| Exam conducting authority | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Official website | https://jeemain.nta.nic.in/ |
| Purpose | Admission to NITs, IIITs, CFTIs; qualifying exam for JEE Advanced |
| Exam Frequency | Twice a year (Session 1 & Session 2) |
| Level of the exam | National level exam |
| Examination Procedure | Paper 1 (B.Tech): Online Computer-Based Test (CBT) Paper 2 (B.Arch): CBT except Drawing section (pen & paper) |
| Languages | English, Hindi, and 11 other regional languages |
| Offered courses | B.E / B.Tech (Paper 1) B.Arch (Paper 2A) B.Planning (Paper 2B) |
| Number of Sessions | 2 (Session 1: January, Session 2: April) |
| Total Questions | Paper 1: 75 questions (20 MCQ + 5 Numerical per subject) |
| Duration of Examination | 3 hours (3 hours 20 minutes for PwD candidates) |
| Total Marks | 300 marks (Paper 1 B.Tech) |
| Marking Scheme | +4 for correct answer, −1 for incorrect MCQ, 0 for unattempted |
| Session 1 Exam Date | January 21, 22, 23, 24, 28 & 29, 2026 (Conducted) |
| Session 2 Exam Date | April 2 – 9, 2026 |
| Session 1 Result | February 16, 2026 (Declared) |
| Session 2 Result | By April 20, 2026 (Tentative) |
JEE Main Important Exam Dates: 2026
| Occurrence | Dates |
|---|---|
| JEE Main 2026 official notification released | October 31, 2025 |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 1 registration start date | October 31, 2025 |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 1 registration last date | November 27, 2025 |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 1 form correction window | December 1 – 2, 2025 |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 1 city intimation slip | January 8, 2026 |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 1 admit card release | January 17, 2026 (for Jan 21–24 exams) January 25, 2026 (for Jan 28–29 exams) |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Exam Date | January 21, 22, 23, 24, 28 (Paper 1) January 29, 2026 (Paper 2) |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 1 answer key & response sheet | Paper 1: February 4–5, 2026 Paper 2: February 19–20, 2026 |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Result (Paper 1 — B.Tech) | February 16, 2026 (Declared) |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Result (Paper 2 — B.Arch/B.Planning) | February 24, 2026 (Declared) |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 2 registration | February 1 – 25, 2026 (Concluded) |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 2 form correction window | February 27 – 28, 2026 (Concluded) |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 2 city intimation slip | March 2026 (Upcoming) |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 2 admit card | March 2026 (3–4 days before exam) |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Exam Date | April 2 – 9, 2026 |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Result | By April 20, 2026 (Tentative) |
| JoSAA 2026 counselling begins | June 2026 (After JEE Advanced Result) |
JEE Main 2026 Eligibility Criteria
Candidates must satisfy all of the following eligibility conditions before applying for JEE Main 2026.
Eligibility Criteria 1 — Educational Qualification
Candidates must have passed Class 12 (or equivalent) from a recognised board with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects. Students appearing for their Class 12 board exam in 2026 are also eligible to apply. Candidates who passed Class 12 for the first time in 2024 or earlier are NOT eligible.
Eligibility Criteria 2 — Age Limit
There is no minimum or maximum age limit to attempt JEE Main 2026. Any candidate who has passed or is appearing in Class 12 is eligible regardless of age.
Eligibility Criteria 3 — Number of Attempts
A candidate can attempt JEE Main a maximum of 3 consecutive years. Since JEE Main is held twice a year, you can appear in up to 6 sessions (3 years × 2 sessions) from the year of first attempt.
Eligibility Criteria 4 — Marks in Class 12
To be eligible for admission to NITs, IIITs, and CFTIs, candidates must secure at least 75% marks (or be in the top 20 percentile) in Class 12. For SC/ST candidates, the minimum is 65%. Note: This criterion applies to counselling (JoSAA), not to appearing in JEE Main.
Eligibility Criteria 5 — Qualifying Year
Candidates who passed Class 12 in 2024 or 2025, or are appearing for the first time in 2026, are eligible to register for JEE Main 2026.
Eligibility Criteria 6 — Number of Subjects in Class 12
Candidates must have studied at least 5 subjects in Class 12 to apply. Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics are mandatory. The additional two subjects can be any combination from the candidate's board.
JEE Main 2026 Exam Pattern (Paper 1 — B.Tech)
| Detail | Description |
|---|---|
| Mode of exam | Online (Computer-Based Test) |
| Subjects | Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics |
| Total questions | 75 (attempt any 75 out of 90) |
| Section A | 20 MCQ per subject (Physics, Chemistry, Maths) — 60 total |
| Section B | 10 Numerical Value Questions per subject (attempt any 5) — 15 total |
| Total Marks | 300 |
| Duration | 3 hours |
| Marking Scheme | +4 for correct, −1 for incorrect MCQ, 0 for unattempted |
Score 99+ Percentile in JEE Main Maths
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