JEE Main Exam Dates 2026: Exam Pattern, Total Marks, Slot Timings and Schedule

JEE Main Exam Dates 2026: Exam Pattern, Total Marks, Slot Timings and Schedule

JEE Main 2026 Session 2

The admit card for the JEE Main 2026 session 2 has been released on March 29, 2026, for exams set to take place on April 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8 for Paper 1 and on April 7 for Paper 2. The admit cards will be released in batches, depending on the day of the exam.

Students appearing for exams taking place on April 2 and 4 can download their admit cards from the official website - jeemain.nta.nic.in, while admit cards for April 5 to 8 will be released in due course.

The city intimation slip for the JEE Main 2026 session 2 was released on March 21, along with the exact dates for the April session exams. Candidates can download their city slips from the official website to check their allotted exam dates, slot time, city, and exam centre.

The registration period for the JEE Main 2026 April Session was reopened from March 12 to 13, 2026, for 48 hours for candidates who missed the original application dates of February 25, 2026.

NTA received hundreds of requests to reopen the registration window, after which NTA provided a one-time extension window with no further correction facility. Students had until 11:50 PM on March 13 to pay their fees.

The original registration period for JEE Main 2026 Session 2 was concluded on February 25, 2026, and the correction window for the same was launched from February 27 to 28, 2026, up to 11:50 PM.

The application period for the JEE Advanced 2026 will begin after the session 2 results are released, which is expected to be released on April 20, 2026.

JEE Main 2026 Session 1

NTA released the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Paper 2A and 2B results on February 16 and 24, 2026, respectively, alongside the toppers’ list and the final answer key. The final key for both papers 1 and 2 was also released on February 16 and 24, 2026.

The provisional answer key for B.Arch and B.Plan was released on February 19, 2026, and students were allowed to file their objections till February 20, 2026, up to 11:50 PM.

The NTA made the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 results public on February 16, 2026, along with the release of the final answer key. As per the results, a total of 12 candidates received a flawless 100 marks in the session 1 exams.

The provisional answer key was released on February 4, 2026, after the exams were concluded on January 29, 2026. Students who attended the session 1 exams had until February 6 to file their objections.

NTA removed a total of 9 questions from the final answer key across all 10 shifts, after all the objections were resolved before releasing it on February 16, 2026.

A total of 3,55,293 applicants filed their forms for the Session 1 exams. Out of which 3,04,653 appeared.

The results of a total of 68 candidates were held by the NTA.

The exams for session 1 were concluded on January 29, 2026. The exact JEE Main 2026 Exam Dates were released on January 8, 2026. The exam for Session 1 took place on January 21, 22, 23, 24, and 28, 2026 for BE/B.Tech Paper 1, and January 29, 2026, for Paper 2A and 2B (B. Arch/B.Planning).

The JEE Main 2026 Admit Card for Session 1 was released on January 17 and 24, 2026, for different shifts. The release date for the City Intimation Slip for Session 1 is January 8, 2026.

The registration period for session 1 was launched on October 31, 2025, and lasted till November 27, with no extension, while the correction window lasted from December 1 to 2, 2025.

Latest Updates - JEE Main 2026 Exam Dates

• JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Admit Card Release Date: March 29, 2026, for April 2 and 4 exams. Admit Cards for exams from April 5 to 8 will be released soon.
• JEE Main 2026 Session 2 City Intimation Slip Release Date: March 21, 2026.
• JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Exam Dates: April 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8, for Paper 1 and April 7 for Paper 2
• JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Registration Reopened: March 12 to 13, 2026
• JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Registration Dates: February 1 to 25, 2026
• JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Correction Facility: February 27 to 28, 2026
• JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Result Date: Expected April 20, 2026.

What is JEE Main 2026?

JEE Main 2026 is the second toughest exam in the world after the Gao Kao exam in China. This exam is conducted twice a year to screen potential candidates on a pan-India basis.

Anyone aspiring to study at the top engineering universities in India, like the IITs, NITs, IITs, and CFTIs, can take the exam after completing their intermediate education. The National Testing Agency administers the two-stage computer-based exam (NTA).

The main features of JEE Main 2026 are broken down as follows:

• Eligibility: Students who have passed Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics (PCM) in Class 12 or its equivalent are eligible.
• Exam Structure: Two-phased, with Paper 1 for BE/B. Tech and Paper 2 for B. Arch and B. Plan sessions held in January and April.
• Paper 1: There are 75 questions (300 marks) altogether, 20 multiple-choice questions (MCQs), and 5 numerical value type (NVT) questions in each of the subjects of physics, chemistry, and mathematics.
• Paper 2: B. Arch will have 77 questions, while B. Plan will have 100 questions with a total mark of 400. It emphasizes general aptitude, drawing, and mathematics.
• Exam Duration: 2 hours for Paper 2B (B. Plan) and 3 hours for Papers 1 and 2A (B. Arch).
• Selection Process: JEE Advanced 2026 is the second step after clearing the JEE Mains exam in the selection process for admission to IITs. The top 250000 rankers will make their way into the JEE Advanced 2026. Others may apply for admission to participating NITs and other colleges using their JEE Main 2026 scores.

Now, let's learn more about the JEE Main 2026 Exams.

JEE Main 2026 Exam Dates

With our extensive table detailing the JEE Main 2026 exam dates for the upcoming session in January, you can stay updated and prepare ahead of time. You may stay informed about important JEE Main 2026 exam dates, such as registration deadlines, exam dates, results announcements, and more, by using this table. Make sure you are prepared for the JEE Main 2026 by putting these important dates on your calendar.

JEE Main 2026 Exam Schedule

The JEE Main 2026 exam schedule is shown in detail in the table below. It details test start timings, instructions, and admission times, with separate morning and afternoon sessions. All aspirants should have an efficient and well-organized exam day thanks to this planned timetable.

JEE Main 2026 Notification

The JEE Main 2026 Notification was made public under the directions of the National Testing Agency NTA on its official JEE Main Portal on October 31, 2025. With this announcement, candidates received information on the IIT JEE Main entrance exam 2026, including JEE Main 2026 exam dates, registration dates, the syllabus, and other aspects.

To stay updated about the JEE Main 2026 exam dates, make sure to keep visiting the NTA official website now and then.

JEE Main 2026 Exam Pattern

It is of paramount importance for engineering aspirants to learn the JEE Main 2026 exam pattern by heart before they start devising their JEE Main preparation strategy. JEE Main 2026 Exam Pattern, along with the JEE Main syllabus, are two of the primary elements of an effective JEE preparation strategy, enabling students to explore the crucial topics they need to prepare. 

• Candidates need to answer five mandatory Numerical Value Questions (NVQs) in each subject in Paper 1 (No more optional questions available), along with 20 Multiple-Choice Questions.
• Candidates who want to pursue a B. Arch degree need to take Paper 2A's Drawing test.
• Candidates who want to take B. Planning need to take the Planning-Based Questions in Paper 2 B.

Below is a tabular form of the JEE Main 2026 exam pattern, which includes the combination of subjects, types of questions, and exam mode for each paper.

JEE Main 2026 Total Questions and Marks

The table below provides information on the number of questions by subject.

Paper 1 (BE/B. Tech)

Paper 2A (B. Arch)

Paper 2B (B. Plan)

Marking Scheme

JEE Main 2026 Exam City Slip and Admit Card Dates

The JEE Main 2026 admit card Session 2 was released on March 29, 2026, for exams taking place on April 2 and 4, while admit cards for exams taking place from April 5 to 8 will be released in batches soon. The Session 1 admit cards were released on January 17 and 24, in the same manner.

Applicants can use their application number, password, or birthdate to get it from the official website.

The City Intimation Slip for Session 2 was released on March 21, 2026, along with the exact dates for Session 2 exams. The Session 1 city slips were released on January 8, 2026, for Session 1.

Important information, including the candidate's name, roll number, exam centre address, exam date and time, paper specifics, and crucial instructions, will all be included on the admit card. Candidates should carefully go over all the information after downloading, and they must contact the NTA helpdesk right away if there are any discrepancies.

JEE Main 2026 Answer Key Dates

NTA released the final answer key for Session 1 Paper 2 exams on February 24, 2026, along with the results for Paper 2 exams.

The NTA posted the final JEE Main 2026 Answer Key PDF on its official website on February 16, 2026, for Paper 1, along with the final results for Session 1. The provisional answer key was released on February 4, and students who took the exam had until February 6, 2026, to file their objections.

After all the challenges were resolved, a total of 9 questions were dropped by NTA across all 10 shifts from the final answer key for Session 1, while the Session 2 answer key is expected to be released in April 2026.

• Candidates will be able to contest inconsistencies by paying ₹200 for each question within the allotted time once a preliminary answer key is made available.
• The final answer key, which is used to determine the JEE Main results and scores, will be released following the evaluation of all objections.
• Through their JEE Main login, candidates may also view their PDF response sheet and question paper.

JEE Main 2026 Result Dates

The JEE Main 2026 results for Session 1 were made public on February 16, 2026, for Paper 1, along with the final answer key, while Paper 2 results were announced on February 24, 2026.  A total of 12 candidates across India received 100 marks, which was 14 in 2025. Rajasthan holds the crown by producing 5 top scorers out of 12.

NTA withheld the results of 68 candidates. NTA also released the gender-wise, category-wise, and state-wise toppers’ list.

Students can download their results by visiting the official website. The results for session 2 are expected to be released on April 20, 2026.

• Candidates can use their application number, birthdate, and password to download their scorecard from the official website.
• Percentile scores for mathematics, physics, chemistry, and the total are included in the scorecard.
• NTA will release the toppers list and cut-off percentile in addition to the results.
• JEE Advanced 2026 is open to those who meet the cut-off.

JEE Main 2026 Counselling Dates

JEE Main 2026 Counselling will start in July/August 2026, conducted by the JoSAA for admission to IITs, NITs, IIITs, and CFTIs. The counselling will have several rounds and includes registration, choice filling, choice locking, seat allotment, seat acceptance, spot round, and college visit.

What’s new in the JEE Main 2026?

The JEE Main NTA information pamphlet contains any updates regarding the JEE Main 2026 exam.

• This year's JEE Main 2026 application form contains three new sections: live photo capture, APAAR ID, and disability data.
• Additionally, candidates who select an identity verification method other than Aadhaar or Digilocker must upload a scanned copy of it. Uploading a UDID or, if relevant, a disability certificate is a possibility.
• The JEE Main 2026 registration document requirements have been modified.
  Additionally, this year's JEE Main 2026 exam locations have been expanded.

What to expect from the Upcoming JEE Main 2026?

Since JEE Mains is one of the most competitive engineering entrance tests in India, it is expected to remain at the same high level as in prior years.

Difficulty level

JEE Mains questions have traditionally ranged in difficulty from moderate to demanding, and 2026 is predicted to follow suit by emphasizing application-based topics and key concepts.

However, because of modifications to the question distribution, the addition of new problem categories, and the general intricacy of the test, the level of difficulty may differ slightly from year to year.

Future Trends and Readiness

Changes in the education sector, such as the introduction of the National Education Policy (NEP) and any curriculum modifications that the NTA may introduce, may have an impact on the JEE Main 2026 level.

But the fundamental idea behind JEE Main 2026, which is to assess analytical, problem-solving, and application skills, has not altered.

Also Read:

• JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2026: Maximum & Minimum Age Limit, Reservation & Other Requirements
• JEE Main Syllabus 2026 (Updated): Topic-Wise Weightage of Physics, Chemistry, and Maths
• Download JEE Main Admit Card 2026: Hall Ticket Release Date & Official Link
• JEE Main Answer Key 2026: Release Date, Download PDF and Score Calculation Guide
• JEE Main Preparation Tips 2026: Study Plan, Time Table Schedule and Mock Test for High Scores
• JEE Main Result Date 2026: Check Rank, Cut Off and Download Score Card PDF

FAQs for JEE Main Exam Dates 2026: Exam Pattern, Total Marks, Slot Timings and Schedule

Q1. What is the JEE Main 2026 exam pattern?

Each of the two sessions of the JEE Main 2026 exam lasts three hours. Each paper will consist of Multiple-choice questions (MCQ) in Section A, and numerical value answer (NVQ) questions in Section B. Candidates are required to undertake all five mandatory NVQs in Section B. Negative marking is present in both parts.

Q2. Has the JEE Main 2026 syllabus changed?

The physics, chemistry, and mathematics curricula have not changed since last year, and students must study from the NCERT books from the 11th and 12th classes to prepare for the exam.

Q3. Which IIT will create JEE papers in 2026?

IIT Roorkee is expected to create the JEE paper in 2026.

Q4. Is JEE 2026 difficult?

Sure, JEE 2026 can be challenging, but even a mediocre student can do well with constant revision.