Exam dates and application windows change every year. Details here can go out of date — always confirm on the official website, or ask Sahayak below for the latest guidance.
JEE Main
Information last verified: September 2026 · Always verify on the official portal before payment.
National engineering entrance exam for NITs, IIITs, and most state engineering colleges.
Conducted by
National Testing Agency (NTA)
Age Limit
No age bar by NTA. NIT/IIIT admission via JoSAA needs 75% in 12th or top-20 percentile — check JoSAA rules yearly.
Education
Passed or appearing in 12th with Physics, Chemistry, Maths. 3 attempts across 3 consecutive years from 12th passing year.
Application Fee
Roughly Rs. 500–1,000 in India (slabs by gender/category; higher for 2 papers or centres outside India). Check the current information bulletin.
Documents Needed
- 12th marksheet / admit card
- Live photo + signature per NTA specs
- Category certificate (EWS/OBC/SC/ST) if applicable
- PwD certificate if applicable
- Aadhaar (ID verification)
How to Apply
- Register on jeemain.nta.nic.in when the session opens (usually ~Nov–Dec for January)
- Fill academic + photo + exam-city preferences
- Pay fee, submit, download confirmation page
Selection Process
- Session 1 CBT (January session, typical)
- Session 2 CBT (April session, typical)
- Best NTA percentile across sessions counts for rank
Exam Pattern
Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech): 90 questions, attempt 75 — 20 MCQ + 10 numerical per subject (attempt 5 numerical). MCQ +4/-1; numerical +4, no negative. Separate Papers 2A/2B for B.Arch/B.Plan.
Correction Window
Usually 2–3 days after closing, online only. Check the bulletin for editable fields.
Admit Card
City intimation slip ~2 weeks before; admit card ~3 days before each session, on the NTA site. Never by post.
Download admit card — candidate loginResult
NTA percentile scorecards per session on the site; final rank list after session 2. Answer keys first (challenge fee per question), then final result.
Check result — candidate loginWho can apply
Passed or appearing in 12th grade with Physics, Chemistry, Maths.
How the yearly cycle usually works
- Notification usually released around November-December.
- Two sessions per year are common: one around January, one around April.
- Admit card is released a few days before each exam session.
- Result/scorecard is usually published within 2-3 weeks of each session.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How do I apply for JEE Main 2026 online?▾
Register at jeemain.nta.nic.in, fill in your personal, academic and photo details, choose exam city preferences, pay the application fee online and download the confirmation page. Notification usually opens around November–December for the January session.
What are the JEE Main eligibility criteria?▾
You must have passed (or be appearing in) 12th grade with Physics, Chemistry and Maths from a recognised board. NTA does not set a strict age limit for JEE Main itself, but individual institutes like NITs may enforce their own age rules.
How many attempts are allowed in JEE Main?▾
You can attempt JEE Main across 3 consecutive years from the year of your 12th passing. Each year has multiple sessions (typically January and April) and NTA considers the BEST NTA score.
What is a good JEE Main percentile for NITs / IIITs?▾
For general category, 98+ percentile usually opens up most NITs in core branches; 95+ helps for lower-preference NITs/IIITs. Reserved categories have relaxations. Cut-offs shift each year — check JoSAA's previous-year opening/closing ranks.
Is JEE Main compulsory for state engineering colleges?▾
For NITs, IIITs and GFTIs — yes, admissions happen through JoSAA using JEE Main ranks. For state engineering colleges, several states now accept JEE Main scores, but many also conduct their own state CETs (like MHT-CET, KCET, WBJEE).