JEE Main 2026

For admission to the top engineering, architecture, or planning courses in India, one of the most important national-level entrance exams is the Joint Entrance Examination- Main. Every year, this exam is held in two sessions (January and April) by the National Testing Agency. This gives you a valuable chance to improve your performance because if you appear in both, then only the best score out of the two sessions is considered.

In this blog, we bring you all the official details - from registration dates and correction windows to eligibility rules, exam pattern, marking scheme, city preferences, answer key challenge process, normalization, and reservation/PwBD provisions. 

Summary Of The Joint Entrance Examination- Main, 2026

Here is a table that includes all the latest information about the highlights of this examination.

There will be two sessions for the JEE Main 2026: January 2026 and April 2026.

You are permitted to appear in one or both sessions.

Your best score out of the two sessions will be used in case you appear in both.

There are three papers in this examination, namely: Paper 1: B.E./B.Tech. Paper 2 (A): B.Arch Paper 2 (B): B.Planning

The mode of the exam is CBT for more sections; the Drawing test in B.Arch. is offline.

There is no age limit to take this examination.

Passing years that are eligible for the JEE Main 2026 are 2024/2025 passouts + 2026 appearing.

In total, there are 13 languages available in which you can attempt the paper.

You have the option to choose 4 exam cities as your preferences.

Marking scheme for this exam is: +4/-1/0

The answer key challenge is for INR 200 per question.

The NTA score is based on the percentile and is normalized.

Important Dates For The JEE Main 2026

For your benefit, we have also mentioned the dates for the Joint Entrance Examination- Main, both sessions, in the table below. You can apply for one or both sessions. 

EVENTS	DATES
SESSION 1 (January 2026)
Submission of an Online Application Form	31st October, 2025 to 27th November, 2025 (Up to 9 PM)
The deadline for successfully paying the required application fee	27 November, 2025 (Up to 11:50 PM)
Making corrections to the online application form's details	Will be displayed on the NTA website
City notification slips	First week of January, 2026
Downloading of the admit cards	3 to 4 days before the examination date
Exam Dates	21st January, 2026 to 30th January, 2026
Display of the candidate's attempted question paper and answer keys for challenges	Will be displayed on the NTA website
Declaration of Results	By 12th February, 2026
SESSION 2 (April 2026)
Submission of an Online Application Form	Onwards last week of January 2026
The deadline for successfully paying the required application fee	Will be notified later
Making corrections to the online application form's details	Will be displayed on the NTA website
City notification slips	Second week of March, 2026 (Tentatively)
Downloading of the admit cards	3 to 4 days before the examination date
Exam Dates	2nd April, 2026 to 9th April, 2026
Display of the candidate's attempted question paper and answer keys for challenges	Will be displayed on the NTA website
Declaration of Results	By 20th April, 2026
DURATION OF EXAMINATION FOR EACH SESSION
Paper 1 (B.E/B.Tech.) Or  Paper 2A (B.Arch.) Or  Paper 2B (B.Planning)	03 hours
B.Arch. and B.Planning (both)	03 hours and 30 minutes
TIMING OF EXAMINATION FOR EACH SESSION
For 3 hours paper	First shift: 9 AM to 12 PM (IST) Second shift: 3 PM to 6 PM (IST)
For 3 hours and 30 minutes, paper	First shift: 9 AM to 12:30 PM (IST) Second shift: 3 PM to 6:30 PM (IST)
Entry into the Exam Center, Hall, or Room; frisking; biometric registration and manual attendance record by the Invigilator; document verification and cross-checking of the Admit Card; signature and photo match to be completed by the Invigilator, etc.	First shift: 7 AM to 8:30 AM Second shift: 1 PM to 2:30 PM
The invigilator's instructions	First shift: 8:30 AM to 8:50 AM Second shift: 2:30 PM to 2:50 PM
Applicants log in to read the instructions	First shift: 8:50 AM Second shift: 2:50 PM
The Test Begins	First shift: 9 AM  Second shift: 3 PM

JEE Main 2026 Examination Fee (For Each Session)

In this section, you will get the details about the fee that is applicable to take the JEE Main 2026. You can pay it through credit card, debit card, net banking, or UPI. You also have to pay the processing charges and Goods & Services Taxes, as applicable. 

Paper Type		Candidate Type	Fee for Centers in India	Fee for Centers Abroad
Paper 1 (B.E/B.Tech.) OR Paper 2A (B.Arch.) OR Paper 2B (B.Planning)	General	Male	INR 1000	INR 5000
		Female	INR 800	INR 4000
	Gen-EWS/OBC (NCL)	Male	INR 900	INR 4500
		Female	INR 800	INR 4000
	SC/ST/PwD/PwBD	Male	INR 500	INR 2500
		Female	INR 500	INR 2500
	Third Gender		INR 500	INR 3000
Paper 1 (B.E/B.Tech.) & Paper 2A (B.Arch.) OR Paper 1 (B.E/B.Tech.) & Paper 2B (B.Planning) OR Paper 1 (B.E/B.Tech.) & Paper 2A (B.Arch.) & Paper 2B (B.Planning) OR Paper 2A (B.Arch.) & Paper 2B (B.Planning)	General/Gen-EWS/OBC (NCL)	Male	INR 2000	INR 10000
		Female	INR 1600	INR 8000
	SC/ST/PwD/PwBD	Male	INR 1000	INR 5000
		Female	INR 1000	INR 5000
	Third Gender	Male	INR 1000	INR 5000
		Female

JEE Main 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The eligibility criteria for this examination are as follows. You should go through it properly to know whether you fulfill the criteria and are permitted to take the exam. 

Age limit: In order to appear for the JEE Main 2026, there is no age limit. You can apply anytime as long as you meet the year condition of the qualifying examination. 

Qualifying examination year: You will be eligible to take it if you have passed Class XII or equivalent in 2024 or 2025, as well as if you are appearing in Class XII or equivalent in 2026. This rule is applicable to all three papers (1, 2A, and 2B). 

List of qualifying examinations: There are various exams that are considered qualifying to take the JEE Main by the NTA. Here is a list of all these exams. 

• 10+2 or equivalent from any recognized board.

• Intermediate/Pre-University (2-year) exam.

• NDA Joint Services Wing final exam.

• Senior Secondary (5 subjects) from NIOS.

• AIU-recognized Indian or foreign qualification.

• Higher Secondary Vocational exam.

• 3-year diploma from the State Board/AICTE.

• GCE Advanced (A-Level) Examination (UK/Cambridge/Sri Lanka).

• International Baccalaureate Diploma or Cambridge High School Certificate.

• Foreign or unlisted boards require AIU equivalency.

• Non-public Class XII requires one public exam.

• BOSSE, Sikkim Senior Secondary exam. 

State of eligibility: The state code of eligibility is based on where you have passed class 12 or equivalent. This does not depend on your residence or birthplace. 

• For example, if you passed Class XII in Delhi, then your state code is Delhi, even if you are from another state.

• In case you pass the Class XII from one state and later appear for an improvement exam from another state, then the state where you first passed the exam will be considered. 

• If you have passed or are appearing for Class XII through NIOS, then you should select the State of eligibility based on the location of your study centre.

• Indian nationals who pass Class XII from Nepal or Bhutan will have their State code of eligibility decided according to the permanent Indian address mentioned in their passport.

• OCI candidates who pass Class XII from an institution in India will have the same State code rules as Indian nationals.

• OCI candidates who pass Class XII from an institution outside India are eligible for All India Quota seats only and are not eligible for Home State quota seats in NITs, IIITs, and other CFTIs.

Reservations: Indian citizens who fit into particular categories are admitted under the seats reserved for them in accordance with the rules established by the Indian government. The categories and the size of the reserve are as follows:

• The Economically Weaker Section (GEN-EWS) comprises 10% of the seats in each course. The benefit of reservation will only be extended to General category candidates who fulfill the prerequisites. The GEN-EWS standards will be in compliance with current Indian government regulations and/or guidelines.

• In all courses, Non-Creamy Layer (OBC-NCL) Other Backward Classes make about 27% of the seats.

• Scheduled Castes (SC) are allotted 15% of the seats in each course.

• Scheduled Tribes (ST) are allotted 7.5% of the seats in each course.

• People with benchmark disabilities (PwBD) are allotted 5% of seats in the GENERAL, GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, and ST categories.

Conduct Of The JEE Main Examination 

In this section, we have covered all the information regarding how the exam is conducted. 

Choice of Cities

You may choose up to four cities within the states listed in your present and permanent address during the application process. Every attempt will be made to assign the city of examination to you in the order that you choose on your online application form. However, a different city may be assigned for administrative or logistical reasons. The NTA has the authority to combine one, two, or more cities if a city has relatively few candidates.

The NTA's decision over the City/Centre's allocation is final. In such a situation, no more requests or correspondence will be accepted. You may choose up to four Convenient Cities as your choice of cities for the exam center when completing the online application form, in priority order. 

The state of permanent address or state of present address will be the only options for center cities, and depending on the address requirements, just one option may be accessible in some circumstances. The selection of cities for foreign applicants will also be based on their current and permanent addresses for the exam center, arranged in priority order.

The NTA retains the authority to assign a center in a city other than your choice, even though every attempt will be made to do so in one of the places you have chosen. There won't be any human involvement in the center allocation process, which will primarily take place in one of your preferred cities.

Admit Card

You will receive a provisional e-Admit Card via the NTA website if you meet the eligibility requirements and pay the required application cost. The Admit Card must be downloaded from the NTA website. You will show up for the exam at the designated location on the day, time, and shift specified on your e-Admit Card. You will only be permitted to show up at the exam center on the day, time, and shift specified on your admit card. If you are having trouble downloading your admit card from the website, then you should call the NTA Help Line at 011-40759000 between 10:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m.

• If you arrive at the center after the gate closes, then you will not be allowed to take the exam, and any act of forceful entry or disagreement with exam administrators will result in you being considered UFM.

• You should be aware that your admit card will not be mailed.

• Examination Centers would never issue a duplicate Admit Card for the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) in 2026.

• You are not allowed to alter any information on your admit card or tamper with it. Any deliberate attempt to alter or tamper with an admit card, if detected, will be regarded as UFM.

• It is recommended that you keep your admit card in excellent shape for future use.

• In case you do not meet the examination eligibility requirements or whose applications are deemed insufficient for any reason (such as unclear or dubious photos or unsigned applications) will not receive an admit card.

• However, the issuance of an admit card does not always indicate acceptance of eligibility; this will be further examined at later phases of the admissions process.

• Throughout the entire exam cycle, you are encouraged to often check your registered email addresses and respond to any clarifications requested by NTA.

Important Instructions

You need to be aware of several crucial guidelines for the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) 2026. For your reference, we have listed each of them below.

• Arriving at the Examination Center at least two hours before the exam begins is advised.

• You should take a seat as soon as the exam room opens. If you arrive at the center beyond the allocated time due to any reason—such as traffic congestion, a delayed train or bus, etc.—you will not be permitted to take the exam. You will not be given representation if you arrive late at the exam center. The NTA is not liable for any delays in your arrival at the center.

• You must present the Admit Card you printed from the NTA website in order to be admitted to the examination room, hall, or center. Your identification may be verified by the on-duty test center employees, who have the power to do so. It is asked that you cooperate completely. If you do not have a valid admit card and an authorized photo ID, the Center Superintendent will not permit you to take the exam.

• A seat will be allotted to you along with your Roll Number. You should find the seat that has been designated for you and take it. If you try to move seats and do not sit in the assigned seat, you may be disqualified or have your candidature revoked in accordance with the relevant UFM clause. No plea would be entertained in this regard.

• As indicated on your admit card, you should verify that the computer-accessible question paper relates to the subject you have selected. If the topic of the question paper is different from your selected topic, the relevant invigilator may be informed.

• If you need any technical assistance, emergency first aid, or other information during the test, you can approach the Center Superintendent/Invigilator in the room.

• Your name, mother's and father's names, gender, date of birth, category, PwD/PwBD status, mobile number, email address, photo, signature, and the cities you have selected for the examination center must all be entered accurately in your online application form. It is advised that you fill out the Online Application Form with extreme caution. Any request to change the information and uploaded scanned photos will never be taken into consideration by NTA. NTA will not accept corrections given by mail, fax, email, WhatsApp, or hand.

• Instruments, a geometry or pencil box, a handbag, a purse, any kind of paper, stationery, or textual material (written or printed), food and water (packed or loose), a cell phone, an earphone, a microphone, a pager, a calculator, DocuPen, slide rules, log tables, a camera, a tape recorder, electronic watches with calculator capabilities, any metallic objects, or any electronic devices are all forbidden in the examination center, the hall, or the room.

• After July 31, 2026, the JEE (Main) 2026 Confirmation Page, Admit Card, and Scorecard will no longer be available. Both hard copies and soft copies are requested to be retained.

• You must bring the following documents to the testing location on the day of the test. If you do not have these documents, you will not be allowed to take the test.

  • Printed copies of the Self Declaration (Undertaking) that you downloaded from the NTA website and your admit card. Both should be accurately completed and printed on A4-sized paper.

  • During the exam, one passport-sized photo that matches the one provided on the online application form should be inserted in the appropriate location on the center's attendance sheet.

  • Any of the authorized photo IDs (which must be genuine, up-to-date, and unexpired) A valid PAN card, voter ID, passport, Aadhaar card (with photo), e-Aadhaar card (with photo), Class XII Board Admit Card (with photo), or bank passbook (with photo).

  • A PwD/PwBD certificate issued by the authorized medical officer is necessary if requesting a relaxation under the PwD/PwBD category; if requesting a relaxation under the PwD/PwBD category, a PwD/PwBD certificate addressing physical limitation in an examination must be written in compliance with the Annexures.

  • A simple translucent ballpoint pen.

• For all calculations and writing, only the Rough Sheet available at the Test Center in the Exam Room/Hall may be utilized. You must give the rough sheets to the invigilator who is on duty in the room or hall when the test is finished. Your name and application number must be put on the top of every rough page that is provided during the exam. If it is found that you are exchanging rough sheets, you will be considered UFM, and appropriate action will be taken in accordance with relevant UFM rules. After the test, the invigilator will collect your rough papers and shred them.

Unfair Means Practices and Breach of Examination Rules

By engaging in unfair means practices, you can obtain an unfair advantage over other candidates. It refers to any behavior or acts of a candidate that go against the regulations of the exam and jeopardize its confidentiality, fairness, or integrity. It consists of, but is not restricted to- 

• Being in possession of or using any item or article in the exam room that has been banned or could be used for unfair practices, such as stationery, communication devices, cell phones, Bluetooth devices, smartwatches, calculators, electronic devices, accessories, or any other material or information relevant or irrelevant to the examination in the paper in question;

• Hiring someone to write an examination (impersonation) or preparing material for copying.

• Giving or receiving assistance of any form, either directly or indirectly, or attempting to do so.

• Contacting, interacting, or attempting to do so with anyone other than the examination staff while the exam is being administered in the center. 

• Peeking and interacting, talking, whispering, cheating, writing on hands or desks, and helping others during the exam. 

• Passing answers or communicating by hand signals or gestures, looking at another student's screen.

• Threatening any of the candidates or officials involved in the exam's administration; 

• Passing answers or communicating by hand signals or gestures, looking at another student's screen.

• Threatening any of the candidates or officials involved in the exam's administration.

• Using or attempting to use any other undesirable method or means in connection with the examination.

• Manipulating, locking, and fabricating online or physical documents/certificates, such as an admit card, self-declaration, score card, Aadhaar card, or any other certificates/documents issued by any government authority.

• Forcing someone to enter or leave the examination center or hall after the allotted time.

• Using or attempting to use any electronic device after entering the examination center.

• Affixing or uploading incorrect or altered photos or signatures on the application form, admit card, or proforma.

• Passing on rough paper with scrawling.

• Attempting to hack the system, owning or using USBs, using hacking tools, taking pictures or screenshots, using Bluetooth devices, logging in using a fake ID or another person's credentials, attempting to hack the test software, tampering, stopping, or changing the test timer, sharing or disclosing digital copies of questions.

• Obstructing the examination's fair and efficient administration; fidgeting and glancing about; having fragments of written or printed material.

• Even if discovered later, an applicant having more than one Application Number (more than one SCORE CARD) will be considered UFM and will face severe consequences.

• Creating or uploading falsified medical certificates, disability certificates, or other documents.

• Violating examination guidelines or other instructions given by NTA in relation to various exams.

• The Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024, punishes any such malpractices that the NTA deems to be unfair.

JEE Main 2026 Examination Centers

The Joint Entrance Examination- Main, 2026, is conducted all over India in several cities as well as some cities abroad. You can have a look at the table below for more details about these exam centers. 

STATE	CITY
Arunachal Pradesh	Itanagar/Naharlagun
Assam	Guwahati
	Jorhat
	Silchar
	Tezpur
	Dibrugarh
Andaman and Nicobar	Port Blair
Andhra Pradesh	Anantapur
	Bhimavaram
	Chittoor
	Eluru
	Guntur
	Kadapa
	Kakinada
	Kurnool
	Nellore
	Ongole
	Rajahmundry
	Srikakulam
	Tirupathi
	Vijayawada
	Visakhapatnam
	Vizianagaram
	Narasaraopet
	Proddatur
	Surampalem
	Machilipatnam
	Nandyal
	Tadepalligudem
	Adoni
	Amalapuram
	Madanapalle
	Markapur
	Puttur
	Rayachoty
	Tadpatri
	Tiruvuru
Bihar	Aurangabad
	Bhagalpur
	Darbhanga
	Gaya
	Muzaffarpur
	Patna
	Purnea
	Arrah
	Samastipur
	Bihar Sharif
	Sasaram
Chhattisgarh	Bilaspur
	Raipur
	Jagdalpur
	Bhilai Nagar/Durg
	Ambikapur
Chandigarh	Chandigarh/Panchkula
Daman and Diu	Diu
Delhi	Delhi/New Delhi
Dadra and Nagar Haveli	Silvassa
Gujarat	Ahmedabad
	Anand
	Jamnagar
	Junagadh
	Rajkot
	Surat
	Vadodara
	Mehsana
	Gandhinagar
	Bhuj
	Vapi
	Bardoli
	Bhavnagar
	Godhra
	Navsari
Goa	Panaji/Madgaon/Margao
Himachal Pradesh	Hamirpur
	Shimla
	Mandi
	Una
	Kullu
	Bilaspur
	Kangra/Palampur
Haryana	Ambala
	Gurugram
	Faridabad
	Hissar
	Kurukshetra
Jharkhand	Bokaro
	Dhanbad
	Jamshedpur
	Ranchi
	Hazaribagh
	Ramgarh
Jammu and Kashmir	Jammu
	Srinagar
	Pulwama
	Samba
	Baramulla
Karnataka	Ballari
	Belagavi
	Bengaluru
	Davangere
	Gulbarga/Kalaburgi
	Hassan
	Dharwad
	Mangaluru
	Mysuru
	Shivamoga
	Tumakuru
	Chikmagalur
	Hubli
	Udupi/Manipal
	Bidar
	Chikaballapur
Kerala	Idukki
	Kannur
	Kasaragod
	Kollam
	Kottayam
	Kozhikode/Calicut
	Malappuram
	Palakkad
	Pathanamthitta
	Thiruvananthapuram
	Thrissur
	Wayanad
	Alappuzha/Chengannur
	Ernakulam/Moovattupuzha
Lakshadweep	Kavaratti
Ladakh	Leh
	Kargil
Meghalaya	Shillong
	Tura
Manipur	Imphal
	Churachandpur
	Kakching
Madhya Pradesh	Balaghat
	Bhopal
	Gwalior
	Indore
	Jabalpur
	Sagar
	Satna
	Ujjain
	Khandwa
	Chhatarpur
Maharashtra	Ahilyanagar
	Akola
	Amravati
	Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar
	Chandrapur
	Dhule
	Jalgaon
	Kolhapur
	Latur
	Nagpur
	Nanded
	Nashik
	Pune
	Sangli
	Satara
	Solapur
	Thane
	Wardha
	Beed
	Bhandara
	Buldhana
	Ratnagiri
	Parbhani
	Gadchiroli
	Jalna
	Mumbai/Navi Mumbai
	Kopargaon
	Pandharpur
	Raigad
	Sinnar
Mizoram	Aizawl
Nagaland	Dimapur
	Kohima
Odisha	Balasore
	Berhampur/Ganjam
	Bhubaneswar
	Cuttack
	Dhenkanal
	Rourkela
	Sambalpur
	Angul
	Bhadrak
	Baripada/Mayurbanj
	Jajpur
	Kendrapara
	Kendujhar
	Puri
	Jagatsinghpur
	Jeypore
	Balangir
	Baragarh
	Rayagada
	Jharsuguda
Punjab	Amritsar
	Bhatinda
	Jalandhar
	Ludhiana
	Pathankot
	Patiala/Fatehgarh Sahib
Puducherry	Puducherry
Rajasthan	Ajmer
	Alwar
	Bikaner
	Jaipur
	Jodhpur
	Kota
	Sikar
	Sriganganagar
	Udaipur
	Bhilwara
	Bharatpur
	Dausa
	Hanumangarh
Sikkim	Gangtok
Tripura	Agartala
Telangana	Karimnagar
	Khammam
	Mahbubnagar
	Nalgonda
	Warangal
	Nizamabad
	Suryapet
	Siddipet
	Jagtial
	Kothagudem
	Hyderabad/Secunderabad
	Adilabad
	Kodad
	Pedapalli
Tamil Nadu	Chennai
	Coimbatore
	Cuddalore
	Kanchipuram
	Kanyakumari/Nagercoil
	Madurai
	Namakkal
	Salem
	Thanjavur
	Thoothukudi
	Tiruchirappalli
	Tirunelveli
	Vellore
	Virudhnagar
	Krishnagiri
	Tiruppur
	Viluppuram
	Dharmapuri
	Dindigul
	Erode
	Karur
	Pudukkottai
	Ramanathapuram
	Thiruvallur
	Tiruvannamalai
	Kallakurichi
	Nagapattinam
	Theni
	Tirupattur
Uttarakhand	Dehradun
	Haldwani
	Roorkee
	Pauri Garhwal
	Almora
Uttar Pradesh	Agra
	Aligarh
	Allahabad/Prayagraj
	Bareilly
	Ghaziabad
	Gorakhpur
	Noida/Greater Noida
	Jhansi
	Kanpur
	Lucknow
	Mathura
	Meerut
	Moradabad
	Muzaffarnagar
	Varanasi
	Azamgarh
	Ballia
	Ayodhya
	Firozabad
	Ghazipur
	Ambedkar Nagar
	Bulandshahr
	Mau
	Raebareli
	Saharanpur
	Chandauli
	Pratapgarh
West Bengal	Asansol
	Burdwan
	Durgapur
	Hooghly
	Howrah
	Kalyani
	Kolkata
	Siliguri
	Kharagpur
	Purba Medinipur
	Bankura
	Murshidabad
	Suri
	Malda
Bahrain	Manama
Qatar	Doha
UAE	Dubai
	Sharjah
	Abu Dhabi
Nepal	Kathmandu
Oman	Muscat
Saudi Arabia	Riyadh
Singapore	Singapore
Kuwait	Kuwait City
Malaysia	Kuala Lumpur
Nigeria	Lagos
Indonesia	West Java
Washington DC	Washington
Germany	Munich