Overview of JEE Mains

JEE (Main) isn’t just an entrance exam—it’s the launchpad for engineering dreams.

As India’s flagship test for admission to NITs, IIITs, and other top GFTIs for undergraduate programs—B.E./B.Tech, B.Arch, and B.Plan, it also serves as the gateway to JEE Advanced for those aiming at the IITs.

In 2019, the National Testing Agency (NTA) took over its administration to ensure greater transparency and efficiency. JEE Mains rigorously tests students in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, focusing on conceptual understanding and problem-solving abilities. More than just an exam, it’s the first critical step for millions of students chasing their dreams of innovation, technology, and a bright engineering career.

JEE Mains is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), which organizes the exam with utmost transparency and fairness.
In JEE Main 2025, a total of 1,47,51,03 unique candidates appeared across both sessions, with 12,58,136 in January and 9,92,350 in April, marking an overall attendance rate of about 94.5%.
Through JEE Main, students get admission to 31 NITs (24,559 seats), 26 IIITs (Approx 8,665 seats), and 33 Government-Funded Technical Institutions (Approx 9,193 seats).
The Gateway to IITs and Elite Institutions
- The JEE Main is the essential first step to qualify for the JEE Advanced, which is widely considered one of the toughest entrance exams globally.
- Only the top 250,000 candidates from JEE Main are eligible to take this challenging exam.
- Succeeding in JEE Advanced opens the doors to all the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). A high rank can also secure you a seat at other elite institutions for specific programs, including:

These institutes use JEE Advanced ranks to admit students into their premier science, research, and engineering programs.

Several states, including Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Haryana, Uttarakhand, Nagaland, and Odisha, also accept JEE Main scores for admission to their state-owned engineering colleges.
Besides the NITs, IIITs,and top GFTIs a number of other top government and private institutions also use JEE Main scores for admission. This includes a wide range of colleges, such as:
- Delhi Technological University (DTU), Delhi
- Jadavpur University, Kolkata
- Netaji Subhas University of Technology (NSUT), Delhi
- Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra (BIT Mesra), Ranchi
- Punjab Engineering College (PEC), Chandigarh
- Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi
- Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology, Patiala
- International Institute of Information Technology, Bangalore (IIIT Bangalore)
- PEC University of Technology, Chandigarh View detail

**Remember to apply separately on the official websites of these colleges. Their admissions are handled directly, not through JoSAA counseling.

JEE Mains 2026 will be held for admission to three courses -
- Paper 1: For admission to B.E. / B. Tech courses: This exam is entirely a Computer-Based Test (CBT) covering 3 subjects: Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.
- Paper 2A: for B. Arch courses: This exam has a mixed format:
  - Computer-Based Test (CBT): The Mathematics (Part-I) and Aptitude Test (Part-II) sections are done on a computer.
  - Offline Test: The Drawing Test (Part-III) is a traditional pen-and-paper exam. You will be given a drawing sheet of A4 size to complete this part.
- Paper 2B: for B. Planning courses: This exam is also entirely a Computer-Based Test (CBT). All three sections—Mathematics (Part-I), Aptitude Test (Part-II), and Planning-Based Questions (Part-III)—are completed on a computer.
The exam is held in two sessions: January and April, giving candidates two chances to improve their scores. The best of two scores is considered for the final ranking.
Eligibility: Candidates must have passed or be appearing for Class 12 (or equivalent) to be eligible for JEE Mains 2026, with no upper age limit.
JEE (Main) - 2026 exam will be conducted in thirteen different languages to align with the National Education Policy (NEP). Here is the list of languages: English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu
Number of Attempts: Candidates can attempt JEE Mains for a maximum of three consecutive years or six attempts total, according to eligibility rules.
The Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) handles the counselling and seat allocation based on JEE Mains rank and preferences.
The application process will be fully online via the official JEE Mains website, requiring uploading of scanned documents and payment of fees.
Admit cards will be released a few weeks before each exam session and can be downloaded from the official NTA portal.
The syllabus is based primarily on NCERT topics from Classes 11 and 12, focusing on core concepts in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.

For the latest official updates and detailed information, visit the official JEE Mains website: https://jeemain.nta.ac.in

JEE Main 2026 Guide – Exam Pattern, Syllabus & Top Colleges

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