JEE Main 2026 — Frequently Asked Questions
Answers to the most common questions about JEE Main 2026 — from calculator rules and eligibility to percentile calculation and JEE Advanced cutoffs.
Is a calculator allowed in JEE Main 2026?
No physical calculator is allowed in the JEE Main exam hall. However, NTA provides a virtual on-screen calculator within the exam software. You cannot bring your own calculator, mobile phone, or any electronic device. The virtual calculator is basic and intended for simple arithmetic.
How many attempts are allowed for JEE Main?
Candidates can appear in JEE Main for 3 consecutive years from the year they pass Class 12 (or appear in the qualifying exam). Since JEE Main is conducted twice a year (January and April sessions), this means a maximum of 6 attempts total. Once you have exhausted 3 consecutive years, you are no longer eligible.
What is JEE Main? (JEE kya hota hai?)
JEE Main (Joint Entrance Examination — Main) is a national-level engineering entrance exam conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). It is the gateway for admission to NITs (National Institutes of Technology), IIITs (Indian Institutes of Information Technology), and GFTIs (Government Funded Technical Institutes) across India. JEE Main also serves as the qualification exam for JEE Advanced, through which students can gain admission to the 23 IITs (Indian Institutes of Technology).
What is the eligibility for JEE Main 2026?
To be eligible for JEE Main 2026: (1) You must have passed or be appearing in Class 12 (or equivalent) in 2025 or 2026. (2) For NITs/IIITs/GFTIs, you need at least 75% aggregate marks in Class 12 (65% for SC/ST candidates), or you must be in the top 20 percentile of your board. (3) There is no age limit for JEE Main (removed from 2017). Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics must be subjects in Class 12.
How many questions are in JEE Main?
JEE Main Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech) has 90 questions in total — 30 per subject (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics). However, you only need to attempt 75 questions. Each subject has Section A with 20 MCQs (all compulsory) and Section B with 10 numerical questions (attempt any 5). Total attempted: 20 + 5 = 25 per subject × 3 = 75 questions.
What is the total marks in JEE Main?
The total marks for JEE Main Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech) is 300. Each subject (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) carries 100 marks. Each correct answer carries +4 marks regardless of section.
Is there negative marking in JEE Main?
Yes, but only for MCQs in Section A. Each wrong answer in Section A deducts 1 mark (−1). Section B (numerical questions) has NO negative marking — a wrong answer scores 0. Unattempted questions in both sections score 0. This makes Section B a safer bet if you are unsure — always attempt all 5 numerical questions.
Can I appear in both sessions of JEE Main?
Yes. You can appear in both Session 1 (January) and Session 2 (April) of JEE Main in the same year. NTA considers the best of your two NTA scores for the merit list. Appearing in both sessions does not count as two attempts against your 6-attempt limit in the same year.
What percentile is needed for JEE Advanced?
Based on 2025 data, the JEE Advanced cutoff percentiles are approximately: General: 93.10% | OBC-NCL: 79.43% | EWS: 75.62% | SC: 61.15% | ST: 47.90% | General-PwD: 0.11%. These translate to roughly 1,80,200 qualified candidates total. Cutoffs may vary slightly for 2026 depending on the number of candidates and difficulty.
How is the JEE Main percentile calculated?
NTA calculates JEE Main percentile as: Percentile = (Number of candidates with score ≤ yours / Total candidates in that session) × 100. This is computed within each shift first, then normalized across all shifts using the raw score distribution to account for difficulty differences. Your final scorecard shows a single normalized percentile score.
Disclaimer
This page is an independent informational resource and is not affiliated with NTA, JoSAA, MoE, or any government body. Data is based on official NTA announcements and historical JEE patterns. Always refer to the official NTA website (nta.ac.in) for the most authoritative and up-to-date information.
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