JEE Main
NTA (National Testing Agency)
Complete guide to passing the JEE Main exam on your first attempt.
~$10 (INR 650-750)
~25% qualify for Advanced
Annual exam
India
NTA (National Testing Agency)
IIT/NIT admission
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Complete Overview
JEE (Main) is the computer-based entrance examination run by India's National Testing Agency for admission to undergraduate engineering, architecture, and planning programmes, and Paper 1 for B.E. and B.Tech carries 75 questions worth 300 marks in three hours. For JEE (Main) 2026 the fee for one session at a centre in India was INR 1,000 for a General-category male candidate, INR 800 for a General-category female candidate, and INR 500 for SC, ST, PwD, PwBD, and third-gender candidates, with centres outside India charged INR 5,000, INR 4,000, and INR 2,500 respectively. Candidates are school leavers: anyone who passed Class 12 or an equivalent qualifying examination in 2024 or 2025, or who is appearing in 2026, may sit it, and the National Testing Agency sets no age limit.
Paper 1 covers Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics with equal weight. Each subject has two sections: Section A holds 20 multiple-choice questions and Section B holds 5 questions answered by entering a numerical value. All 25 count. A correct answer earns four marks, an incorrect answer costs one mark, and an unanswered question scores zero, and that negative marking now applies to Section B as well as Section A. Numerical answers are rounded to the nearest integer and typed with the mouse on an on-screen virtual numeric keypad, since the physical keyboard is disabled for the whole session.
The examination runs in two sessions each year. In 2026, Session 1 fell between 21 and 30 January and Session 2 between 2 and 9 April, each in two daily shifts running 9 a.m. to 12 noon and 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Candidates who appear in both sessions have the better of their two total NTA scores counted for the merit list.
Because different shifts get different question papers, the National Testing Agency does not rank candidates on raw marks. It converts each candidate's raw total into a percentile score inside their own shift, calculated to seven decimal places to avoid ties, then merges those percentiles across all shifts of both sessions. The highest raw score in any shift becomes a percentile of 100 for that shift. Percentile is not percentage of marks.
The examination is offered in thirteen languages: English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu, with regional options tied to the state of the examination centre and the English version prevailing in any dispute.
JEE (Main) is also the qualifying route to JEE (Advanced), which controls IIT admission. For 2026 the top 2,50,000 candidates in Paper 1 across all categories became eligible, split as 101,250 OPEN, 25,000 GEN-EWS, 67,500 OBC-NCL, 37,500 SC, and 18,750 ST, with 5 percent horizontal reservation for PwD candidates inside each of the five. Admission to the NIT and IIIT system separately requires at least 75 percent aggregate in Class 12, relaxed to 65 percent for SC and ST candidates, or a place in the top 20 percentile of that board.
Why Get JEE Main Certified?
Paper 1 is the single entry route to the NIT, IIIT, and centrally funded technical institute system, and the top 2,50,000 scorers across all categories also become eligible for JEE (Advanced) and therefore the IITs.
Two sessions run every year and the better of the two total NTA scores counts, so one weak session in January does not decide the year.
The paper is only 75 questions for 300 marks over 180 minutes, which works out to 2 minutes 24 seconds per question including reading time.
Every question is worth exactly four marks whether it is a one-line Section A recall item or a multi-step Section B numerical, so the marginal return on the easiest question equals that of the hardest.
Percentile scores are computed to seven decimal places within each shift, which means candidates are separated on fractions of a mark rather than being bunched at round numbers.
The fee is INR 1,000 or less per session for candidates at Indian centres, the lowest cost of any comparable national entrance examination in India.
IIT Bombay's official placement report for 2023-24 recorded an average CTC of INR 23.50 lakh a year and 22 accepted offers above INR 1 crore, which is the outcome this examination gates.
Exam Format & Structure
Duration
3 hours, or 180 minutes, for Paper 1. PwD and PwBD candidates eligible for a scribe receive 4 hours. Paper 2A and Paper 2B are also 3 hours; taking both together allows 3 hours 30 minutes.
Questions
75 questions in Paper 1: 25 per subject, made up of 20 Section A multiple-choice questions and 5 Section B numerical-value questions. All 75 are compulsory.
Passing Score
None. There is no pass mark. The operative threshold is the JEE (Advanced) qualifying cutoff, set so that the top 2,50,000 Paper 1 candidates across all categories qualify, plus institute-level Class 12 requirements of 75 percent aggregate or top 20 percentile for the NIT and IIIT system.
Question Types
- Section A: objective multiple-choice questions with one correct or most appropriate answer
- Section B: questions answered by entering a numerical value, rounded to the nearest integer, using the mouse on an on-screen virtual numeric keypad
- Paper 2A adds a 50-question Aptitude Test and a 2-question Drawing Test taken offline on A4 drawing sheet
- Paper 2B adds a 50-question Aptitude Test and 25 planning-based multiple-choice questions
Delivery Method
Computer Based Test at allotted examination centres in India and abroad. Entry, frisking, biometric registration, and document verification run 7 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. for the first shift and 1 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. for the second. The physical keyboard is disabled throughout the test.
How scoring works
Score scale
Raw score out of 300 for Paper 1, converted to NTA percentile scores from 0 to 100, calculated to seven decimal places
Score needed to pass
No pass mark. The JEE (Advanced) 2026 threshold admitted the top 2,50,000 Paper 1 candidates across all categories, distributed as 101,250 OPEN, 25,000 GEN-EWS, 67,500 OBC-NCL, 37,500 SC, and 18,750 ST, with 5 percent horizontal reservation for PwD candidates inside each of those five groups.
Roughly what that means raw
The National Testing Agency publishes no fixed marks-to-percentile conversion, and cannot, because the conversion is recomputed for every shift from that shift's own distribution. Where category cut-offs differ across shifts, the bulletin states the lowest percentile among them becomes the cut-off for all candidates in that category.
When results arrive
Results follow the schedule in the Information Bulletin for each session; for JEE (Main) 2026 the Session 2 result was to be declared by 20 April 2026. The sequence is provisional answer key with a paid challenge window, then the final answer key on which the result is compiled, then NTA scores and All India rank. Records are preserved for 90 days after the result is declared.
How the scale is built
Each correct answer adds four marks and each incorrect answer subtracts one, in both Section A and Section B. Because shifts receive different papers, the National Testing Agency normalises by percentile rather than by marks: your percentile is the count of candidates in your shift scoring at or below you, divided by the shift total, times 100, computed to seven decimal places. The highest raw score in each shift becomes 100. Percentiles across all shifts of both sessions are merged, and the better of a candidate's two total NTA scores is used.
Pacing and time budget
75 questions in 180 minutes gives you 2 minutes 24 seconds per question.
Minute 55
One full subject closed, typically the one you are strongest in, with uncertain items marked for review rather than guessed
Minute 110
Two subjects closed, about 50 questions, leaving 70 minutes for the last subject and the review pass
Minute 150
All 75 questions seen at least once, with every question either answered or explicitly marked for review
Minute 165
Marked-for-review questions revisited in order of how close you were, not in question order
Minute 175
Final check that every Section B answer is a rounded integer entered on the virtual keypad, and that no answer was left half-typed
| At this point | You should have answered |
|---|---|
| Minute 55 | One full subject closed, typically the one you are strongest in, with uncertain items marked for review rather than guessed |
| Minute 110 | Two subjects closed, about 50 questions, leaving 70 minutes for the last subject and the review pass |
| Minute 150 | All 75 questions seen at least once, with every question either answered or explicitly marked for review |
| Minute 165 | Marked-for-review questions revisited in order of how close you were, not in question order |
| Minute 175 | Final check that every Section B answer is a rounded integer entered on the virtual keypad, and that no answer was left half-typed |
- Every question is worth four marks, so time spent on a hard question is time taken from an easy one. If no route is visible in 90 seconds, mark it for review and move.
- Answers can be changed at any point in the session, so the marked-for-review state is the main pacing tool rather than a formality.
- Section B questions take longer than Section A on average but pay identically. Sweep Section A of a subject first, then return to its five numericals.
- Negative marking makes the last ten minutes dangerous. A rushed guess costs one mark against zero for leaving it blank, so decide your guessing rule before the paper rather than during it.
- The physical keyboard is disabled. Entering a five-digit numerical answer with the mouse on the virtual keypad takes longer than you expect, so rehearse it on the National Testing Agency mock tests.
- The paper is not ordered by difficulty. Read all 25 questions of a subject on the first pass rather than assuming later questions are harder.
Where the marks are
Mathematics Section A
26.7%
80 of 300 marks, and Mathematics is the first tie-breaker in the National Testing Agency ranking order, so accuracy here decides ranks among candidates with identical totals.
Physics Section A
26.7%
80 of 300 marks. Questions supply their own constants and forbid calculators, so the examination rewards clean setup and mental arithmetic over heavy computation.
Chemistry Section A
26.7%
80 of 300 marks and the fastest section to answer, because inorganic questions track the NCERT text and are frequently pure recall of trends, exceptions, and properties.
Mathematics Section B
6.7%
Five compulsory numerical questions worth 20 marks. Answers must be rounded to the nearest integer and typed on the virtual keypad, and a wrong entry costs a mark just as in Section A.
Physics Section B
6.6%
Five compulsory numerical questions worth 20 marks. Question stems usually state the unit and any multiplier, so the answer entered is a bare integer and a unit slip becomes an arithmetic slip.
Chemistry Section B
6.6%
Five compulsory numerical questions worth 20 marks, drawn mostly from physical chemistry: mole concept, equilibrium constants, electrochemistry, and counting problems such as stereoisomers.
| Topic | Weight | Why it scores |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics Section A | 26.7% | 80 of 300 marks, and Mathematics is the first tie-breaker in the National Testing Agency ranking order, so accuracy here decides ranks among candidates with identical totals. |
| Physics Section A | 26.7% | 80 of 300 marks. Questions supply their own constants and forbid calculators, so the examination rewards clean setup and mental arithmetic over heavy computation. |
| Chemistry Section A | 26.7% | 80 of 300 marks and the fastest section to answer, because inorganic questions track the NCERT text and are frequently pure recall of trends, exceptions, and properties. |
| Mathematics Section B | 6.7% | Five compulsory numerical questions worth 20 marks. Answers must be rounded to the nearest integer and typed on the virtual keypad, and a wrong entry costs a mark just as in Section A. |
| Physics Section B | 6.6% | Five compulsory numerical questions worth 20 marks. Question stems usually state the unit and any multiplier, so the answer entered is a bare integer and a unit slip becomes an arithmetic slip. |
| Chemistry Section B | 6.6% | Five compulsory numerical questions worth 20 marks, drawn mostly from physical chemistry: mole concept, equilibrium constants, electrochemistry, and counting problems such as stereoisomers. |
The numbers
75 questions, 300 marks, 180 minutes; 20 Section A and 5 Section B questions per subject
Paper 1 structure
Source: National Testing Agency, JEE (Main) 2026 Information Bulletin, section 2.4
Plus 4 for a correct answer, minus 1 for an incorrect answer, 0 for unanswered, in both Section A and Section B
Marking scheme
Source: National Testing Agency, JEE (Main) 2026 Information Bulletin, section 2.4
INR 1,000 for a General-category male candidate at an Indian centre, INR 500 for SC, ST, PwD and third-gender candidates, INR 5,000 for a General-category male candidate at a centre outside India
Examination fee for one session
Source: National Testing Agency, JEE (Main) 2026 Information Bulletin, fee table
Top 2,50,000 Paper 1 candidates across all categories: 101,250 OPEN, 25,000 GEN-EWS, 67,500 OBC-NCL, 37,500 SC, 18,750 ST
JEE (Advanced) qualifying pool
Source: JEE (Advanced) 2026 eligibility criteria, jeeadv.ac.in
Percentile scores are calculated to 7 decimal places, and the highest raw score in each shift is set to a percentile of 100
Percentile precision
Source: National Testing Agency, JEE (Main) 2026 Information Bulletin, Appendix VII on normalisation
At least 75 percent aggregate with five subjects, relaxed to 65 percent for SC and ST candidates, or top 20 percentile of the board
Class 12 requirement for NIT and IIIT admission
Source: National Testing Agency, JEE (Main) 2026 Information Bulletin, section 5.8.1
Average CTC of INR 23.50 lakh a year and median of INR 17.92 lakh across 1,475 accepted offers in 2023-24
Placement outcome at the destination institutes
Source: IIT Bombay Placement Office, Placement and Internship Report, Academic Year 2023-2024
If you fail
Wait before retaking
No waiting rule. The National Testing Agency runs exactly two sessions a year, so the interval between attempts is the interval between sessions. In 2026 that was 21 to 30 January for Session 1 and 2 to 9 April for Session 2. If you miss your allotted date or shift for any reason, no re-test is offered under any circumstances.
Attempt limit
Three consecutive years of eligibility, tied to the year you pass Class 12: candidates who passed in 2024 or 2025 or were appearing in 2026 could sit JEE (Main) 2026. With two sessions per year that allows up to six sittings, and there is no age limit and no separate lifetime cap.
Retake fee
The full fee again for each session. There is no reduced repeat rate: Session 2 is paid separately during its own application window, using the same application number, at the same rates as Session 1.
Where a candidate appears in both sessions, the better of the two total NTA scores, not the better subject scores, goes to the merit list. Filing more than one application form for the same session will lead to cancellation of the result, so use the official correction window instead. Furnishing false information to appear in more than one shift is treated as unfair means and can mean cancellation of candidature or debarment for up to three years.
Exam Domains & Topics
Twenty multiple-choice questions worth 80 of the 300 marks in Paper 1. Mathematics is also the first tie-breaker: when two candidates finish on identical total NTA scores, the higher Mathematics NTA score takes the better rank.
Key Topics to Master:
- Complex numbers, quadratic equations, sequences and series
- Matrices, determinants, and systems of linear equations
- Limits, continuity, differentiability, and applications of derivatives
- Definite and indefinite integration and area under curves
- Straight lines, circles, parabola, ellipse, and hyperbola
- Three-dimensional geometry and vector algebra
- Permutations, combinations, binomial theorem, and probability
- Trigonometric equations and inverse trigonometric functions
Twenty multiple-choice questions worth 80 of the 300 marks. Physics is the second tie-breaker after Mathematics. Constants needed for a calculation are supplied inside the question, and no calculator or log table is permitted.
Key Topics to Master:
- Kinematics, laws of motion, work energy and power
- Rotational motion, gravitation, and properties of solids and liquids
- Thermodynamics and kinetic theory of gases
- Oscillations and waves
- Electrostatics, current electricity, and capacitance
- Magnetic effects of current, magnetism, and electromagnetic induction
- Ray and wave optics, and dual nature of matter and radiation
- Atoms, nuclei, and semiconductor electronics
Twenty multiple-choice questions worth 80 of the 300 marks. Chemistry is the third tie-breaker. The inorganic portion is closest to the NCERT text of any part of the paper, which makes it the fastest marks in the examination for a well-drilled candidate.
Key Topics to Master:
- Physical chemistry: mole concept, atomic structure, chemical bonding, thermodynamics
- Equilibrium, redox reactions, and electrochemistry
- Chemical kinetics and solutions
- Inorganic chemistry: periodic trends, p-block, d-block and f-block elements
- Coordination compounds and their isomerism
- Organic chemistry: general organic chemistry, hydrocarbons, halides, alcohols, aldehydes, ketones, acids
- Organic compounds containing nitrogen, biomolecules, and practical organic chemistry
Five numerical-value questions worth 20 of the 300 marks. Every one is compulsory and carries the same minus one mark for a wrong entry as a Section A question, which changed the risk calculation from earlier years when candidates could choose which numerical questions to attempt.
Key Topics to Master:
- Answers must be rounded to the nearest integer before entry
- Entry is made through the on-screen virtual numeric keypad with the mouse
- Common sources: definite integrals, matrices and determinants, probability counts, and series sums
- Arithmetic slips cost a mark rather than nothing, unlike a skipped question
- Values are typically small integers, so a large or fractional result usually signals an error
Five numerical-value questions worth 20 of the 300 marks, all compulsory. These questions often specify the unit and a multiplier in the stem, so the answer entered is a plain integer rather than a physical quantity.
Key Topics to Master:
- Read the unit and any multiplier given in the question stem before computing
- Use only the constants supplied in the question
- Rounding to the nearest integer as instructed by the National Testing Agency
- Frequent sources: circuits, projectile and rotational dynamics, optics, and modern physics
- No calculator, slide rule, or log table is permitted at any point
Five numerical-value questions worth 20 of the 300 marks, all compulsory. Physical chemistry supplies most of them, which makes mole-concept and equilibrium arithmetic disproportionately valuable relative to its share of the syllabus.
Key Topics to Master:
- Mole concept, stoichiometry, and limiting reagent calculations
- Equilibrium constants, pH, and solubility products
- Electrochemistry: cell potentials and Faraday calculations
- Counting problems such as number of stereoisomers or number of species with a given property
- Answers rounded to the nearest integer, entered with the virtual keypad
Recommended Study Plan
- 1Sit one full previous-year Paper 1 from jeemain.nta.nic.in under exact conditions: 180 minutes, no calculator, rough sheets only
- 2Score it with the official final answer key and record marks lost to wrong answers separately from marks not attempted
- 3Print the official JEE (Main) syllabus and mark every chapter as confident, shaky, or untouched
- 4Read the National Testing Agency Information Bulletin sections on the pattern, marking scheme, and tie-breaking rules once, in full
- 5Practise the on-screen virtual numeric keypad on the free mock tests hosted on the National Testing Agency website
- 1Work every NCERT Class 12 exercise in continuity, differentiability, and applications of derivatives
- 2Drill definite integration properties and area problems from Cengage or Arihant JEE Mathematics
- 3Rebuild the matrices and determinants toolkit including the conditions for a consistent system
- 4Solve 40 previous-year Mathematics questions dated 2021 onward, timed at two minutes each
- 5Log each error as concept, calculation, or misreading, and count the three categories at week end
- 1Work through the H. C. Verma Concepts of Physics exercises in laws of motion, work and energy, and rotation
- 2Practise moment-of-inertia derivations until the standard bodies are recalled without deriving
- 3Solve D. C. Pandey Understanding Physics problem sets for the same chapters
- 4Attempt 30 previous-year Physics questions from these chapters under a 2 minute 24 second per question limit
- 5Add every constant and formula you had to look up to a single revision sheet
- 1Read the NCERT Class 11 and 12 inorganic chapters line by line, including tables, exceptions, and margin notes
- 2Build a one-page summary per chapter of periodic trends, p-block anomalies, and d-block properties
- 3Drill coordination compounds: nomenclature, isomerism counts, and crystal field splitting
- 4Solve every previous-year inorganic question from 2021 onward, since inorganic repeats more than the other branches
- 5Test yourself by writing out the trends from memory before checking against NCERT
- 1Cover straight lines, circles, and all three conics with an emphasis on standard results rather than derivations
- 2Work three-dimensional geometry and vector algebra together, since JEE questions usually mix them
- 3Practise S. L. Loney coordinate geometry problems for the harder locus questions
- 4Do a 25-question timed Mathematics set drawn only from these chapters
- 5Convert repeated mistakes into a short rule sheet you will revise in the final week
- 1Work electrostatics, capacitance, and current electricity from H. C. Verma and then from previous-year papers
- 2Drill circuit reduction and Kirchhoff problems until you stop redrawing circuits twice
- 3Cover magnetic effects of current and electromagnetic induction, including the sign conventions
- 4Attempt a full 25-question timed Physics section and record the minute at which your accuracy dropped
- 5Add the five formulas you most often forget to a card you will read on examination morning
- 1Work general organic chemistry first: inductive, resonance, hyperconjugation, and stability comparisons
- 2Cover substitution and elimination mechanisms from M. S. Chouhan Advanced Problems in Organic Chemistry
- 3Drill named reactions in a single list with reagent, product, and one distinguishing feature each
- 4Practise stereoisomer counting, which is a common Section B numerical source
- 5Solve 40 previous-year organic questions in one sitting and mark which were pure recall
- 1Rebuild mole concept and stoichiometry from NCERT, then drill limiting-reagent problems
- 2Work thermodynamics, equilibrium, electrochemistry, and kinetics with an emphasis on arithmetic speed
- 3Solve 50 numerical-value questions across all three subjects, entering each answer rounded to the nearest integer
- 4Practise mental arithmetic and estimation, since no calculator, slide rule, or log table is permitted
- 5Check every Section B answer for plausibility: JEE numerical answers are usually small integers
- 1Take three full-length mocks this week at 9 a.m., matching the first-shift start time
- 2Use the National Testing Agency mock tests and one coaching test series for variety of difficulty
- 3After each mock, compute how many marks you lost to negative marking and how many to unattempted questions
- 4Fix an attempt strategy: a target number of questions per subject and a hard cut-off minute for each
- 5Revise your error log rather than starting new chapters
- 1Rank chapters by marks lost per mock and spend the week on the worst four only
- 2Redo previous-year questions from those chapters without looking at your notes
- 3Take two full mocks, one at 9 a.m. and one at 3 p.m., to prepare for either shift allotment
- 4Practise skipping: mark a question for review and move on within 90 seconds if no route is visible
- 5Rehearse the last ten minutes of the paper, which is where careless negative marking accumulates
- 1Take four full mocks under exact conditions, writing all rough work on loose sheets you hand over afterwards
- 2Download the admit card as soon as it is released, three to four days before the examination
- 3Print the admit card with the self-declaration on A4 paper, fill it in, and attach one passport photograph matching the application form
- 4Assemble the exact document set: admit card, photograph, one original photo identity document, and a simple transparent ballpoint pen
- 5Locate the examination centre and plan to arrive two hours before the start time
- 1Revise formula sheets and the inorganic chemistry summaries, not new chapters
- 2Take one final mock four days out, then stop full-length tests
- 3Re-read the marking scheme so the minus one mark on Section B is front of mind during the paper
- 4Sleep on the shift timing you have been allotted, and eat before entry since food and water cannot be carried in
- 5Confirm the language you selected matches the medium you have been practising in
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Best Study Resources
NCERT Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics textbooks for Classes 11 and 12
TextbookThe syllabus baseline. Inorganic chemistry in particular is drawn close to the NCERT text, including tables and exceptions, so full-text reading of those chapters returns more marks per hour than any coaching module.
Around INR 100-200 per book, free as PDFs from ncert.nic.in
JEE (Main) previous year question papers on jeemain.nta.nic.in
Official past papersThe National Testing Agency publishes question papers and final answer keys for past sessions. Because papers differ by shift, working several shifts of the same session shows the real spread of difficulty that normalisation is designed to correct for.
Free
JEE (Main) Information Bulletin from the National Testing Agency
Official policy documentThe authoritative source for the pattern, the marking scheme, the tie-breaking order, the normalisation formula in Appendix VII, the prohibited items list, and the documents you must carry. Read it once in full rather than relying on summaries.
Free
National Testing Agency mock tests and the Abhyas practice app
Official practiceHosted on nta.ac.in. The value is interface rehearsal: the question palette, the marked-for-review states, and the on-screen virtual numeric keypad you must use for Section B because the physical keyboard is disabled.
Free
Concepts of Physics by H. C. Verma, volumes 1 and 2
BookBuilds the physical reasoning that JEE Physics questions test. Work the worked examples and the exercises, not the objective sections alone, then move to previous-year questions for pattern and timing.
Around INR 400-500 per volume
Understanding Physics series by D. C. Pandey
Book seriesChapterwise problem sets pitched at JEE (Main) difficulty, with more routine drilling than H. C. Verma. Useful as the second pass once concepts are in place and speed is the constraint.
Around INR 400-600 per volume
Advanced Problems in Organic Chemistry by M. S. Chouhan
BookMechanism-driven organic practice, including stereochemistry counting problems that map directly onto Section B numerical questions. Pair it with NCERT for named reactions rather than replacing NCERT with it.
Around INR 500-700
Cengage or Arihant JEE Mathematics series
Book seriesTopic-wise volumes across algebra, calculus, coordinate geometry, and vectors with graded exercises. Mathematics is the first tie-breaker in the National Testing Agency ranking order, which raises the value of accuracy in this subject specifically.
Around INR 400-800 per volume
JEE (Advanced) official website, jeeadv.ac.in
Official policy documentPublishes the eligibility criteria and the exact category-wise split of the top 2,50,000 JEE (Main) candidates who qualify. Check it before assuming a percentile is enough, because the category quotas differ sharply.
Free
JoSAA business rules and opening and closing ranks at josaa.nic.in
Official counselling dataThe joint seat allocation authority publishes past opening and closing ranks by institute, branch, and category. This is how you convert a target institute into a target rank, and then a target percentile, before you start preparing.
Free
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Treating Section B numerical questions as optional
All five numerical questions per subject are compulsory and carry minus one mark for a wrong entry. Earlier papers let candidates choose five out of ten. Any strategy built on that older format leaves marks on the table and mismanages risk.
Guessing freely because guessing seems free
A wrong answer costs one mark and an unanswered question costs zero, in both sections. On a 300-mark paper, ten reckless guesses that split evenly cost you fifteen marks against leaving them blank. Guess only when you have eliminated at least two options.
Chasing raw marks and ignoring how percentiles are built
The National Testing Agency computes your percentile within your own shift, then merges percentiles across shifts and both sessions. A hard shift raises everyone's percentile for the same raw score. Compare yourself with mock cohorts, not with a fixed marks target you read online.
Appearing in only one session
Two sessions run each year and the better of the two total NTA scores is used for the merit list. Sitting only Session 1 discards a free second sample of your own performance, and the January paper often lands before candidates have finished the Class 12 syllabus.
Submitting more than one application form
The Information Bulletin states that multiple application forms from one candidate will not be accepted and will lead to cancellation of the result. If you need to change details, use the official correction window rather than filing again.
Ignoring the Class 12 marks requirement for NIT and IIIT admission
A qualifying JEE (Main) rank is not sufficient. Admission to the NIT and IIIT system requires at least 75 percent aggregate in Class 12 with five subjects, relaxed to 65 percent for SC and ST candidates, or a place in the top 20 percentile of that board. Board preparation is not optional.
Preparing organic chemistry from coaching notes and skipping NCERT inorganic
Inorganic chemistry questions track the NCERT text closely and are answerable in under a minute when the text is known. Those are the cheapest four marks in the paper, and they are exactly the marks candidates who drill only problem-solving lose.
Practising with a calculator
Calculators, slide rules, log tables, and electronic watches with calculator functions are all prohibited in the examination hall. Arithmetic speed has to be trained, which means every practice session from the first week onward runs without a calculator.
Reaching the centre late
Entry closes at 8.30 a.m. for the first shift and 2.30 p.m. for the second, and the Information Bulletin says candidates who miss the gate closing time due to traffic or transport delays will not be admitted. The National Testing Agency offers no re-test for a missed shift under any circumstances.
Mishandling rough sheets
Write your name and application number at the top of every rough sheet and hand them all back to the invigilator at the end. Swapping rough sheets is treated as unfair means. The sheets are shredded after the examination, so nothing is retained for your review.
Sitting in the wrong seat
Each candidate is allotted a seat by roll number. The bulletin treats moving to a different seat as unfair means, with possible cancellation of candidature or debarment, and states that no plea will be entertained.
Exam Day Tips
- 1
Report two hours before the start. The entry, frisking, biometric registration, and document verification window runs 7 a.m. to 8.30 a.m. for a 9 a.m. shift and 1 p.m. to 2.30 p.m. for a 3 p.m. shift.
- 2
Carry a clear A4 printout of the admit card with the self-declaration filled in, one passport-size photograph identical to the one on your application form, and one original, valid, non-expired photo identity document: school identity card, PAN card, Voter ID, passport, Aadhaar card or e-Aadhaar with photograph, Class 12 board admit card with photograph, or bank passbook with photograph.
- 3
Bring a simple transparent ballpoint pen. Nothing else writing-related is permitted.
- 4
Leave behind geometry and pencil boxes, handbags, purses, any paper or printed material, eatables and water whether loose or packed, mobile phones, earphones, calculators, slide rules, log tables, cameras, electronic watches with calculator functions, and any metallic item.
- 5
Sikh candidates are permitted to wear the Kara and Kirpan.
- 6
Find and use only the seat allotted against your roll number. Moving seats is treated as unfair means.
- 7
Check on screen that the question paper subject and language match what your admit card says you chose, and tell the invigilator immediately if they do not.
- 8
Write your name and application number at the top of every rough sheet, do all calculation on those sheets only, and hand every sheet to the invigilator before leaving.
- 9
Remember the physical keyboard is disabled. Section B answers go in through the on-screen virtual numeric keypad using the mouse, rounded to the nearest integer.
- 10
Answers can be changed at any point during the session, so mark uncertain questions for review and come back rather than committing early.
- 11
PwD and PwBD candidates eligible for a scribe get four hours instead of three, and compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour of examination.
- 12
Keep both digital and printed copies of your confirmation page, admit card, and scorecard, because the National Testing Agency removes them from the portal after the date published in the bulletin.
Career Paths & Salary Ranges
Software or IT role after an IIT B.Tech
IIT Bombay's official placement report for 2023-24 records 558 of 1,475 accepted offers above INR 20 lakh a year. The IT and software sector took 307 selections across 84 companies that year, 178 of them from B.Tech students, making it the second largest recruiting sector.
Above INR 20 lakh a year
Core engineering role after an IIT B.Tech
227 of the 1,475 accepted offers at IIT Bombay in 2023-24 fell in this band. Engineering and technology was the largest recruiting sector that year, with 430 selections across 106 companies at entry-level positions.
INR 14 lakh to INR 16.75 lakh a year
Consulting role after an IIT degree
230 accepted offers at IIT Bombay in 2023-24 sat in this band. Consulting itself accounted for 117 offers from 29 firms, down from the previous year, with 65 of those going to B.Tech students.
INR 16.75 lakh to INR 20 lakh a year
Quantitative finance or trading role
IIT Bombay reported 22 accepted offers above INR 1 crore a year in 2023-24. The finance sector overall made 113 offers from 33 firms, with 80 going to B.Tech students. This is the tail of the distribution rather than a typical outcome.
Above INR 1 crore a year for a small number of offers
Research and development role
The 2023-24 report puts the average CTC from accepted PhD offers at INR 18.46 lakh, with 32 of 118 active PhD participants placed. Research and development recruiters offered 97 positions across 36 organisations in semiconductors, battery technology, materials, power electronics, and AI.
Around INR 18.46 lakh a year for doctoral hires at IIT Bombay
Entry-level engineering role outside the top brackets
128 accepted offers at IIT Bombay in 2023-24 fell in this band and 68 more between INR 6 lakh and INR 8 lakh. Even inside the best-placed institute in the country, the salary distribution has a long lower half, which is worth knowing before you choose a branch on placement figures alone.
INR 8 lakh to INR 10 lakh a year
Prerequisites & Requirements
- No age limit. The National Testing Agency states plainly that there is no age restriction for appearing in JEE (Main).
- You must have passed Class 12 or an equivalent qualifying examination in 2024 or 2025, or be appearing in 2026, to sit JEE (Main) 2026.
- Accepted qualifying examinations include CBSE and state board 10+2, two-year pre-university examinations, the NIOS senior secondary examination with at least five subjects, the National Defence Academy Joint Services Wing final examination, GCE A level, the Cambridge High School Certificate, the International Baccalaureate Diploma, an AICTE-recognised diploma of at least three years, and the Board of Open Schooling and Skill Education, Sikkim.
- Candidates who completed Class 12 outside India or from an unlisted board need an equivalence certificate from the Association of Indian Universities.
- For admission to the NIT and IIIT system you additionally need at least 75 percent aggregate in Class 12 with a minimum of five subjects, relaxed to 65 percent for SC and ST candidates, or a place in the top 20 percentile of successful candidates in your board.
- For JEE (Advanced) eligibility you must place in the top 2,50,000 successful candidates across all categories in Paper 1.
- A valid, non-expired original photo identity document is required at the centre, and the name on it should match your application.
- Aadhaar details should be updated with your current photograph, name, date of birth, gender, and address before the examination, because they are used for verification at the centre.
- No coaching enrolment, project, or work experience is required at any stage.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many questions are on JEE (Main) Paper 1 and how long is it?
75 questions in 180 minutes, worth 300 marks. Each of Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics contributes 25 questions: 20 multiple-choice in Section A and 5 numerical-value questions in Section B. All 75 are compulsory. PwD and PwBD candidates eligible for a scribe get 240 minutes.
What is the marking scheme?
Four marks for a correct or most appropriate answer, minus one mark for an incorrect answer, and zero for a question left unanswered or marked for review without an answer. The same scheme applies to Section A multiple-choice questions and to Section B numerical-value questions, which is a change from earlier years when Section B was partly optional.
What does JEE (Main) cost?
For JEE (Main) 2026, one session of Paper 1 at a centre in India cost INR 1,000 for a General-category male candidate, INR 800 for a General-category female candidate, INR 900 for a Gen-EWS or OBC-NCL male candidate, INR 800 for a Gen-EWS or OBC-NCL female candidate, and INR 500 for SC, ST, PwD, PwBD, and third-gender candidates. At centres outside India the same categories paid INR 5,000, INR 4,000, INR 4,500, INR 4,000, and INR 2,500 or INR 3,000. Payment gateway charges and GST are extra.
Is there a pass mark?
No. JEE (Main) produces a percentile score and a rank rather than a pass or fail result. The thresholds that matter are set elsewhere: JEE (Advanced) admits the top 2,50,000 Paper 1 candidates across all categories, and NIT and IIIT admission additionally requires 75 percent in Class 12, or 65 percent for SC and ST candidates, or top 20 percentile in your board.
How does the percentile calculation work?
Your percentile is the number of candidates in your own shift with a raw score equal to or lower than yours, divided by the total candidates in that shift, times 100. It is computed to seven decimal places to reduce ties. The highest raw score in each shift becomes 100. Percentiles from every shift of both sessions are then merged to build the merit list, which is why percentile is not the same as percentage of marks.
What happens if I do badly in Session 1?
You sit Session 2 and only the better of your two total NTA scores enters the merit list. The National Testing Agency compares total scores, not individual subject scores, when picking the better session. Applying for Session 2 uses the same application number and requires a separate fee payment during the Session 2 window.
How many times can I take JEE (Main)?
Eligibility runs for three consecutive years: candidates who passed Class 12 in 2024 or 2025 or are appearing in 2026 could sit JEE (Main) 2026. With two sessions each year, that gives up to six sittings in total. There is no separate lifetime attempt limit and no age bar.
Is there a waiting period between attempts?
There is no waiting rule as such. The constraint is the calendar: the National Testing Agency runs exactly two sessions a year. For 2026, Session 1 fell between 21 and 30 January and Session 2 between 2 and 9 April. If you miss your allotted date or shift for any reason, no re-test is provided under any circumstances.
What identification do I need at the centre?
One original, valid, non-expired photo identity document from this list: school identity card, PAN card, Voter ID, passport, Aadhaar card with photograph, e-Aadhaar with photograph, Class 12 board admit card with photograph, or bank passbook with photograph. You also need the printed admit card with the self-declaration completed and one passport-size photograph matching your application form. Without these you will not be allowed to sit.
Can I use a calculator or any reference material?
No. Calculators, slide rules, log tables, DocuPens, cameras, electronic watches with calculator functions, and any printed or written material are all prohibited in the examination hall, along with mobile phones, earphones, and metallic items. Constants needed for a calculation are provided in the question itself. The only permitted writing tool is a simple transparent ballpoint pen.
Is the examination proctored remotely?
No. JEE (Main) is a Computer Based Test taken at an allotted physical examination centre, not from home. Frisking, biometric registration or manual attendance, and document verification happen at the centre during a fixed entry window before the shift begins.
Is JEE (Main) available in languages other than English and Hindi?
Yes, in thirteen languages in total: English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu. Regional options are tied to the state of the examination centre, English and Urdu are available at all centres in India, and the paper is shown in both English and your chosen language. If the two versions differ, the English version prevails.
How are ties broken?
In a fixed order published by the National Testing Agency: Mathematics NTA score, then Physics NTA score, then Chemistry NTA score, then the candidate with the lower ratio of incorrect to correct attempted answers across all subjects, then the same ratio in Mathematics, then Physics, then Chemistry. If candidates are still level after all seven steps, they receive the same rank.
When are results declared?
On the schedule published in the Information Bulletin for each session. For JEE (Main) 2026 the Session 2 result was to be declared by 20 April 2026. Before the result, the National Testing Agency publishes provisional answer keys with a paid challenge window, then a final answer key on which the result is compiled. Records are preserved for 90 days from the declaration of the result.
Can I challenge an answer key?
Yes. The National Testing Agency releases provisional answer keys along with recorded responses and invites challenges within a stated window on payment of a fee per question. Accepted challenges change the final key for every candidate, and questions may be dropped, in which case marks are awarded to all candidates who appeared in that shift.
Are accommodations available for candidates with disabilities?
Yes. PwD and PwBD candidates eligible for a scribe receive four hours for a three-hour paper, which is compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour. Candidates must claim the relaxation with a PwD or PwBD certificate issued by an authorised medical officer, in the format given in the bulletin annexures, and must carry it to the centre.
What is Paper 2A and Paper 2B?
Paper 2A is for B.Arch: Mathematics with 20 Section A and 5 Section B questions, a 50-question Aptitude Test, and a 2-question Drawing Test worth 100 marks taken with pen and paper on an A4 drawing sheet, for 77 questions and 400 marks total. Paper 2B is for B.Planning and replaces the drawing test with 25 planning-based multiple-choice questions. Both run three hours, or three and a half hours if you take them together.
How does JEE (Main) compare with JEE (Advanced)?
JEE (Main) is the qualifying test, run by the National Testing Agency, with a fixed 75-question format and equal weight across three subjects. JEE (Advanced), conducted by the IITs, admits only the top 2,50,000 JEE (Main) Paper 1 candidates across all categories, and its question types, marking, and paper structure change from year to year. JEE (Main) rank governs NIT, IIIT, and centrally funded institute admission; JEE (Advanced) rank governs IIT admission.
How does JEE (Main) compare with state engineering entrance examinations?
JEE (Main) feeds the national institute pool through JoSAA and CSAB, while state examinations feed state quota seats in state institutions. Several states use JEE (Main) scores directly for their own counselling. The examination also carries a state code of eligibility, based on where you passed Class 12 rather than where you live, which determines home-state quota eligibility.
How much preparation time does JEE (Main) need?
Most serious candidates prepare across the two years of Classes 11 and 12, because the syllabus is the full 10+2 Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics course examined at greater depth. A focused final phase of twelve weeks at 25 to 30 hours a week is realistic only on top of that foundation. The binding constraint in the last months is accuracy under a 2 minute 24 second per question budget, not new content.
Success Stories
“Two years of consistent effort with FIITJEE. The key was solving HC Verma and previous years repeatedly. My 11th foundation was strong, which made 12th manageable.”
Rahul Sharma
IIT Bombay CSE (AIR 45)
“Self-studied with PW and Unacademy. Saved lakhs on coaching. The key was discipline and following a schedule. Mock tests every weekend for 6 months made the difference.”
Priya Patel
NIT Trichy ECE (AIR 3200)
“First attempt: 95 percentile. Took drop year with Allen. Improved weak areas systematically. Mental pressure is real - family support was crucial.”
Arjun Kumar
IIT Delhi EE (Dropper, AIR 890)
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