Overview

National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the official notification for the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) – 2026 Session 1. The exam is conducted for admission to undergraduate Engineering, Architecture, and Planning programs (B.E/B.Tech, B.Arch, B.Planning) at NITs, IIITs, and other centrally funded technical institutions across India.

This examination serves as an eligibility test for JEE (Advanced), which is conducted for admission to the IITs. The JEE (Main) comprises two papers:

  • Paper 1: B.E./B.Tech
  • Paper 2A: B.Arch
  • Paper 2B: B.Planning

JEE (Main) – 2026 will be held in two sessions: Session 1 (January 2026) and Session 2 (April 2026).

Eligibility Criteria

Education: Candidates must have passed or appeared in the Class 12 (10+2) or equivalent examination with relevant subjects (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) from a recognized board. Detailed criteria are provided in the Information Bulletin.

Age Limit: Not mentioned in the notification.

Experience: Not applicable.

Application Process

  1. Visit the official website — https://jeemain.nta.nic.in or https://www.nta.ac.in.
  2. Apply online only; applications through any other mode will not be accepted.
  3. Only one application is permitted per candidate; multiple applications will lead to disqualification.

Application Fee:

  • General / OBC: Not mentioned in the notification
  • SC / ST / Others: Not mentioned in the notification
  • Mode of Payment: Online through Credit/Debit Card, Net Banking, or UPI

Examination Details

PaperSubjectsNo. of QuestionsMode of ExaminationTiming (IST)
Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech.)Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry20 MCQs + 5 numerical per subject (Total 75)Computer Based Test (CBT)First Shift: 09:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Second Shift: 03:00 PM – 06:00 PM
Paper 2A (B.Arch.)Mathematics, Aptitude, Drawing20+5 (Maths), 50 (Aptitude), 2 (Drawing)CBT mode (Drawing offline on A4 sheet)09:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Paper 2B (B.Planning)Mathematics, Aptitude, Planning20+5 (Maths), 50 (Aptitude), 25 (Planning)Computer Based Test (CBT)09:00 AM – 12:00 PM

Languages: The exam will be conducted in 13 languages — English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.

Important Dates

EventDate
Notification Release31 October 2025
Online Application Form31 October 2025 to 27 November 2025 (up to 09:00 P.M.)
Last Date for Fee Payment27 November 2025 (up to 11:50 P.M.)
Announcement of Exam CityBy the first week of January 2026
Downloading Admit CardsWill be announced later
Date of ExaminationBetween 21 January to 30 January 2026
Declaration of ResultBy 12 February 2026 (Tentative)

Selection Process

  • Computer Based Examination
  • Merit list based on score and eligibility

Official Notification

Download Official Notification (PDF)

Sources

Disclaimer: Candidates should verify details from the official notification before applying.