IIT JEE 2026: JEE Main & Advanced Dates, Eligibility, Application, Syllabus

The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) is India's largest engineering entrance exam, opening doors to undergraduate courses like B.E. and B.Tech. Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), the JEE is the gateway for aspiring engineers to top institutions like IITs, NITs, and IIITs.

Why the IIT JEE Exam is Crucial for B.Tech / B.E. Admission

Scoring a top rank in the IIT JEE exam is the gateway to a successful engineering career. Admissions into India's best B.Tech and B.E. programs are determined by your performance in the JEE Main and JEE Advanced exams.

Here are the key advantages of clearing the JEE:

• Admissions to Top Engineering Colleges: A high rank secures your admission into premier institutes like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), National Institutes of Technology (NITs), and Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs).
• Access World-Class Education: These institutions offer a superior learning environment with expert faculty, state-of-the-art laboratories, and opportunities to engage in cutting-edge research and projects.
• Secure Top Job Opportunities: Leading global companies actively recruit from IITs and NITs. A degree from one of these top colleges significantly increases your chances of securing high-paying job offers immediately after graduation.
• Gain Lifelong Prestige and Recognition: Graduating from an IIT or a top NITs carries immense prestige. It provides lifelong recognition and signals that you are one of the top engineering minds in the country.

Difference Between JEE Main and JEE Advanced

It's important to know how these two exams are different. JEE Main is the first step, and it opens the door to many great colleges. JEE Advanced is the next step for getting into the very best colleges, the IITs. Here is a simple table to show the main differences.

JEE Main 2026 Exam Dates and Counselling Schedule

It is very important to remember all the important dates. The JEE Main 2026 exam dates are given for two sessions. The table below shows the expected dates for everything, from filling the application form to the final JoSAA counselling process.

JEE Main 2026 Eligibility Criteria

The National Testing Agency (NTA) sets the following criteria to appear for the JEE Main exam.

Age Limit

• There is no age limit to appear for the JEE Main exam. Candidates who have passed their Class 12 or equivalent examination are eligible, regardless of their age.
  • Note: While NTA has no age restriction, some specific institutes might have their own age criteria for admission.

Number of Attempts

• A candidate can appear for JEE Main for three consecutive years.
• Since the exam is held twice a year (January and April sessions), this effectively gives you a total of six attempts.

Qualifying Examination & Passing Year

• To be eligible for JEE Main 2026, you must have passed your Class 12 or equivalent exam in 2024, 2025, or be appearing for it in 2026.
• Candidates who passed their Class 12 board exams before 2024 are not eligible to appear in JEE Main 2026.

Required Subjects in Class 12

• For B.E./B.Tech: Must have passed with Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects, along with Chemistry/Biotechnology/Biology/Technical Vocational subject.
• For B.Arch: Must have passed with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.
• For B.Planning: Must have passed with Mathematics.

Class 12 Percentage for Admission (For NITs, IIITs, GFTIs)

• To appear for JEE Main, there is no minimum percentage required in Class 12.
• However, for admission into NITs, IIITs, and other Centrally Funded Technical Institutes (CFTIs), you must satisfy one of the following two conditions:
  1. Secure at least 75% aggregate marks in the Class 12 board examination. (For SC/ST candidates, the requirement is 65%).
  2. Be in the top 20 percentile of successful candidates in your respective Class 12 board exam.

The JEE Main 2026 Application Form and Process

Filling the JEE Main application form is the first real step. You must finish it before the registration date.

How to fill the form, step-by-step:

1. Register: Go to the official NTA JEE Main website and click "New Registration." Enter your name, phone number, and email to get a login ID.
2. Fill the Form: Log in and carefully enter your personal details, school details, and address.
3. Upload Papers: You will need to upload a scanned photo of yourself and your signature. If you belong to a special category (like OBC, SC, ST), you will need to upload that certificate too.
4. Pay Fee: Pay the fee online. You can use a debit card, credit card, or net banking.
5. Print Page: After you pay, a confirmation page will come up. Download and print this page. Keep it safe.

• Documents needed: Your photograph, signature, and category certificate (if you have one).
• Fees: The fee is about ₹1000 for boys (General) and ₹800 for girls (General). It can be different for other categories.

JEE Main Exam Pattern for Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech) & Paper 2 (B.Arch/B.Planning)

To score well, you must understand the latest JEE Main exam pattern. The exam has two main papers.

JEE Main Syllabus: Important Chapters & Topic-wise Weightage

The JEE Main syllabus is primarily based on the Class 11 and 12 NCERT curriculum for Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. Focusing on high-weightage chapters can significantly boost your score.

Physics Topic-wise Weightage for JEE Main

Chemistry Topic-wise Weightage for JEE Main

Maths Topic-wise Weightage for JEE Main

JEE Main Admit Card 2026: Release Date and How to Download Hall Ticket

The JEE Main admit card is your most important document for exam day. It acts as your hall ticket, and you will not be allowed to enter the examination center without a printed copy. The admit card is typically released by the National Testing Agency (NTA) about three days before the exam date on the official website.

How to Download Your JEE Main 2026 Admit Card

Follow these simple steps to download your hall ticket once it is released:

1. Visit the Official Website: Go to the official NTA JEE Main website: jeemain.nta.ac.in.
2. Find the Admit Card Link: On the homepage, look for the link that says "JEE Main 2026 Admit Card Download" and click on it.
3. Enter Your Credentials: You will be redirected to a login page. Here, you need to enter your Application Number and Date of Birth.
4. Complete the Security Pin: Enter the security pin (captcha) as shown on the screen.
5. View and Download: Your admit card will be displayed on the screen. Carefully check all the details.
6. Print Your Admit Card: Download the admit card and take at least two high-quality color printouts on A4 size paper. Keep one as a backup.

JEE Main 2026 Result: Marks vs. Percentile vs. Rank

Your JEE Main result isn't just a single score; it's a combination of three components: Marks, Percentile, and Rank. Understanding the difference is crucial because your admission to top colleges depends on your final All India Rank (AIR), which is derived from your percentile, not your raw marks.

What's the Difference? Marks vs. Percentile vs. Rank

• Marks: This is your raw score calculated based on the NTA's marking scheme (+4 for correct, -1 for incorrect). It shows your individual performance in the exam paper you attempted.
• Percentile Score (NTA Score): This is a relative score. It indicates the percentage of students who scored equal to or below you in that specific session. For example, a 99 percentile means you performed better than 99% of the candidates in your session.
• Rank (All India Rank - AIR): This is your final position among all the unique candidates who appeared for the exam across all sessions (both January and April). It is calculated after the second session, using the best percentile score from your two attempts.

Why NTA Uses a Percentile System?

A common question is, "Why not just use marks?" The JEE Main exam is conducted over multiple days and in multiple shifts. The difficulty level of the question paper can vary from one shift to another.

To ensure fairness, NTA uses a normalization process. This process converts your raw marks into a percentile score, which accounts for the varying difficulty levels. This means a student who scored 160 in a very tough paper might get a higher percentile than a student who scored 175 in a very easy paper. Your NTA Score (percentile) is what truly matters for ranking.

JEE Main 2026 Marks vs. Percentile 

The following data is an estimate based on recent years' trends. The exact percentile for a particular score can change each year depending on the overall difficulty of the exam and the performance of students.

JEE Main 2026 Percentile vs. Rank 

Students final JEE Mains rank depends on the total number of unique candidates who appear in both the January and April sessions. The ranks below are based on an estimated 12-13 lakh unique candidates.

What is a Good Score in JEE Main for Top NITs? 

Getting a good score in JEE Main depends on your goal. To get into the best branches like Computer Science in top NITs (like NIT Trichy, NIT Warangal), you need a very high percentile. The JEE Main cutoff for NITs is different for every college and branch.

• General Category: For top NITs, you need a 99.5+ percentile for the Computer Science branch. For other good branches, 98+ percentile is often needed.
• OBC-NCL Category: Aim for a 98+ percentile for top branches.
• SC/ST Category: A percentile above 90-95+ can help you get a seat in a good NIT.

JEE Advanced 2026 Exam

Only the top 2,50,000 rank holders from JEE Main are eligible to appear for JEE Advanced. This final stage is the sole admissions test for all Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). Securing a top rank in JEE Advanced is essential for students aiming to study at an IIT.

JEE Advanced 2026 Exam Highlights

This table outlines the essential details for the JEE Advanced exam, the final step for securing admission into the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) for various undergraduate courses.

JEE Advanced 2026 Exam Dates

The JEE Advanced exam is a one-day examination. The schedule is managed by one of the IITs on a rotational basis. Below are the tentative but important dates aspirants should keep in mind for the JEE Advanced 2026 exam.

JEE Advanced 2026 Eligibility Criteria (For IITs)

Appearing for JEE Advanced requires you to first clear JEE Main and then meet a stricter set of criteria set by the organizing IIT.

1. Performance in JEE Main 2026

• This is the most important first step. You must be ranked among the top 2,50,000 successful candidates (across all categories) in the B.E./B.Tech paper of JEE Main 2026.

2. Age Limit

• You must have been born on or after October 1, 2001.
• A five-year relaxation is given to SC, ST, and PwD candidates. They should have been born on or after October 1, 1996.

3. Number of Attempts

• A candidate can attempt the JEE Advanced a maximum of two times in two consecutive years. This is a strict limit.

4. Appearance in Class 12 (or Equivalent) Examination

• You must have appeared for the Class 12 (or equivalent) examination for the first time in either 2025 or 2026. Your subjects must include Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.
• If you appeared for your Class 12 exams for the first time in 2024 or earlier, you are not eligible.

5. No Prior IIT Admission

• You should not have been admitted to any IIT previously. If you have ever accepted a seat at an IIT (even if you did not continue), you are not eligible to appear again.

6. Class 12 Percentage for Admission (For IITs)

• Similar to the criteria for NITs, for admission to an IIT, you must satisfy one of the following:
  1. Score at least 75% aggregate marks in your Class 12 board exam (or equivalent). (For SC, ST, and PwD candidates, this is relaxed to 65%).
  2. Be in the top 20 percentile of your respective board's successful candidates.

JEE Advanced Exam Pattern

The JEE Advanced exam pattern is designed to test a candidate's analytical and comprehensive abilities. The exam consists of two compulsory papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2, held on the same day.

JEE Advanced Syllabus PDF Download & Important Chapters

A thorough understanding of the syllabus is the foundation of a successful preparation strategy. While there is a significant overlap, there are key differences between the JEE Main and Advanced syllabus that every aspirant must know.

JEE Advanced Syllabus: What's Different from the Mains Syllabus?

The JEE Advanced syllabus is a superset of the JEE Main syllabus. It includes all topics from Mains but with greater depth and a few additional, exclusive topics.

Key Topics Exclusive to JEE Advanced:

• Physics: Thermal Stress and Strain, Poisson's Ratio, Potentiometer, LC Oscillations.
• Chemistry: Ores and Metallurgy (detailed), Chemical Kinetics (advanced concepts), Nuclear Chemistry.
• Maths: Complex Numbers (advanced properties), Harmonic Progression, Properties of Triangles, Statistics (advanced).

JEE Advanced Previous Year Question Papers

To understand the level and pattern of the exam, it is highly recommended to solve JEE Advanced previous year question papers. This is one of the most effective ways to prepare because it helps you:

• Get familiar with the variety of question types.
• Improve your time management skills for a high-pressure exam.
• Identify important topics that are frequently asked.
• Assess your preparation level and find areas for improvement.

Best Books for JEE Advanced Physics, Chemistry, & Maths

• Physics:
  • Concepts of Physics by H.C. Verma (for theory)
  • Problems in General Physics by I.E. Irodov (for advanced problem-solving)
• Chemistry:
  • Organic Chemistry by Morrison and Boyd (for organic concepts)
  • Physical Chemistry by O.P. Tandon (for physical chemistry)
  • Concise Inorganic Chemistry by J.D. Lee (for inorganic)
• Mathematics:
  • Higher Algebra by Hall & Knight
  • Calculus by I.A. Maron
  • Plane Coordinate Geometry by S.L. Loney

JEE Advanced 2026 Registration and Key Dates

The registration for JEE Advanced begins only after the final results and All India Ranks (AIR) of JEE Main 2026 are declared. Keep an eye on the official JEE Advanced website.

Expected Timeline:

• JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Result: Mid-to-late April 2026
• JEE Advanced 2026 Registration Starts: Last week of April 2026
• Registration Ends: First week of May 2026
• JEE Advanced 2026 Exam Date: Last week of May 2026

JEE Advanced Negative Marking & Tie-Breaking Policy

The JEE Advanced exam pattern is dynamic and known for its unpredictability, which is why it is one of the toughest entrance exams. It consists of two papers (Paper 1 and Paper 2), both of which are compulsory.

Key aspects of the exam pattern include:

• Question Types: The exam features a mix of question formats, including:
  • Multiple Correct Answers (MCQs): MCQs Questions with one or more correct options, carrying partial marks.
  • Numerical Value Questions: Questions where you have to enter a numerical answer.
  • Paragraph/Comprehension Based Questions: A block of text followed by several questions related to it.
• Negative Marking: This is a crucial element. Different sections have different marking schemes. Some questions may have negative marking for incorrect answers, while some may not. This policy tests not only your knowledge but also your decision-making and risk-assessment skills.
• Tie-Breaking Policy: If two or more candidates score the same aggregate marks, a tie-breaking policy is applied. Ranks are determined based on higher marks in Mathematics first, followed by Physics. If the tie still persists, the candidates are assigned the same rank.

JEE Advanced Rank Predictor and the Official Rank List

After the exam, many coaching institutes, including Infinity Learn, release a JEE Advanced Rank Predictor. By entering your expected score based on answer keys, you can get an estimated All India Rank (AIR).

The Official Rank List is prepared by the conducting IIT based on the aggregate marks obtained by a candidate in both Paper 1 and Paper 2. Subject-wise and category-wise cutoffs must also be cleared to be included in the rank list.

The JoSAA Counselling Process Explained Step-by-Step

1. Registration: After results, eligible candidates register on the JoSAA portal.
2. Choice Filling: You fill in your preferred choices of institutes and branches in order of priority.
3. Mock Allotments: JoSAA releases 2-3 mock allotments to help you understand your likely admission chances.
4. Seat Allotment Rounds: JoSAA conducts multiple rounds (usually 6) of seat allocation.
5. Seat Acceptance: Once a seat is allotted, you can either Freeze (accept the seat), Float (accept but remain open to higher preferences), or Slide (accept but remain open to a better branch in the same institute).
6. Reporting: Finally, you report to the allotted institute to confirm your admission.

What Documents are Required for JoSAA Counselling?

Prepare these documents in advance to avoid last-minute hassles:

• Class 10 and 12 Mark Sheets and Certificates
• JEE Main and Advanced Admit Cards & Rank Cards
• Category Certificate (if applicable, e.g., OBC-NCL, SC, ST)
• Medical Certificate
• Passport-size Photographs