JEE Main Exam Dates 2026 Out - NTA JEE Main Session 1 & Session 2 Schedule Timings

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced the JEE Main Exam Dates 2026 for both sessions. Session 1 will be conducted from 21 to 30 January 2026, while Session 2 will be held from 2 to 9 April 2026. Candidates can appear in one or both sessions, and the best score will be considered for ranking. The exam will be conducted in multiple shifts in CBT mode.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the JEE Main 2026 exam in two shifts. The first session of JEE Main 2026 will be in January 2026 and the second session in April 2026. The two-shift approach will give candidates the opportunity to perform well in both shifts and reduce pressure, which means they will be able to score higher.

JEE Main Exam City Slip 2026 OUT! JEE Main City Intimation Slip 2026 Session I is available at last on the official site of the National Testing Agency, jeemain.nta.nic.in on January 8, 2026. It is recommended that the candidates visit the respective exam centers of JEE Main B.E./B.Tech (Paper I) and B.Arch/B.Planning (Paper II). The JEE Main 2026, Session 1 Examination session will take place between January 21-30, 2026. Applicants who come to take the entrance test will need to download the city slip in order to ascertain their location during the test in the city. After the publication of the JEE Main City Intimation Slip, the JEE Main Admit Card 2026 will be released 3 to 4 days before the exam date.

Students are allowed to appear in either a single session or both sessions and the highest score between the two attempts will be taken into consideration during the final ranking.

To be better prepared and plan better, candidates are encouraged to have a well-organized plan of study. You can also see our JEE Main Preparation Strategy and be properly guided.

JEE Main Exam Dates 2026 

As per the schedule released by NTA, the expected session-wise exam dates are given below:

• JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Dates:
   21 January 2026 to 30 January 2026

• JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Dates:
   2 April 2026 to 9 April 2026

The exam will be conducted on multiple days and in multiple shifts. The exact exam date, shift timing, and exam center details for each candidate will be mentioned on the JEE Main Admit Card 2026.

JEE Main Exam Dates 2026

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially given the JEE Main Exam Dates 2026. The test will be administered on two occasions so that candidates are provided with numerous chances to increase scores. Session 1 will be organized between 21 January and 30 January 2026, and Session 2 will be between 2 April and 9 April 2026. The students may have either one or both sessions and the best score will be taken into account when it comes to ranking. The test will take the Computer Based Test (CBT) form and will be conducted in a number of shifts. Applicants are expected to visit the official site frequently to be updated on the admit card and exams.

JEE Main Exam Dates 2026: Important Events Table

Events	Session 1 (January 2026)	Session 2 (April 2026)
JEE Main 2026 Notification	31 October 2025	—
Application Form Start Date	31 October 2025	1st week of February 2026
Application Form Last Date	27 November 2025 (9:00 PM)	1st week of March 2026
Last Date to Pay Fee	27 November 2025 (11:50 PM)	1st week of March 2026
Application Correction Window	1st–2nd week of December 2025	1st–2nd week of March 2026
City Intimation Slip	8 January 2026	3rd week of March 2026
Admit Card Release	3rd week of January 2026	3 days before exam
JEE Main Exam Dates 2026	21–30 January 2026	2–9 April 2026
Provisional Answer Key	January / February 2026	April 2026
Final Answer Key	1st week of February 2026	2nd week of April 2026
JEE Main Result	By 12 February 2026	By 20 April 2026
Counselling (JoSAA)	May–June 2026	May–June 2026

What is JEE Main 2026?

JEE Main 2026 is a national-level engineering entrance examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). It is held for admission to undergraduate engineering programs in NITs, IIITs, and other centrally funded technical institutions across India. JEE Main is also the qualifying exam for JEE Advanced, which is required for admission to IITs. The exam tests candidates in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.

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 examination, with Paper 1 for BE/BTech and Paper 2 for BArch and BPlan, conducted in January and April.
• Paper 1: There are 75 questions carrying a total of 300 marks, with 20 multiple-choice questions (MCQs) and 5 numerical value type (NVT) questions in each of the subjects: Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.
• Paper 2: BArch will have 77 questions, while BPlan will have 100 questions with a total of 400 marks. It emphasizes general aptitude, drawing, and mathematics.
• Exam Duration: 2 hours for Paper 2B (BPlan) and 3 hours for Papers 1 and 2A (BArch).
• Selection Process: JEE Advanced 2026 is the second step after clearing the JEE Main exam in the selection process for admission to IITs. The top 2,50,000 rankers will be eligible to appear for JEE Advanced 2026. Other candidates may apply for admission to participating NITs and other colleges using their JEE Main 2026 scores

JEE Main 2026 Exam Schedule

The table below illustrates the schedule of the JEE Main 2026 exam in detail. It gives the start times of the tests, directions, and admission times and has morning and afternoon sessions. This timetable should have a good and efficient exam day that all aspirants will enjoy.

Session	Morning Shift	Evening Shift
Exam Time	9:00 AM to 12:00 PM	3:00 PM to 6:00 PM
Duration of Examination	3 Hours	3 Hours
Entry to Exam Hall	7:30 AM to 8:30 AM	2:00 PM to 2:30 PM
Instructions by the Invigilators	8:30 AM to 8:50 AM	2:30 PM to 2:50 PM
Candidates Log In	8:50 AM	2:50 PM
Test Starts	9:00 AM	3:00 PM

JEE Main 2026 Eligibility Criteria- Who Can Apply?

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the official JEE Main 2026 eligibility criteria for students appearing for the exam. Before filling the application form, candidates must review the detailed eligibility requirements, such as educational qualification, age limit, number of attempts, and required subjects.

Below are The Key Requirements for JEE Main 2026

• Nationality: Candidates must be Indian citizens. Foreign Nationals, NRIs, PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin), and OCIs (Overseas Citizens of India) are also eligible to apply.
• Educational Qualification: Students who have passed or are appearing in Class 12 (or equivalent) in 2024, 2025, or 2026 are eligible.
• Age Limit: The upper age limit in terms of appearing in the JEE Main 2026 exam does not exist. Nonetheless, there are the age requirements; the applicants must meet the requirements of the institute they are applying to.
• Attempts: Applicants may attend JEE Main in three consecutive years starting with the ones who have passed Class 12.
• Minimum Marks: Class 12 does not have any minimum percentage to qualify to take JEE Main.
• Exam Boards: The examination should be of one of the recognized Central or State Boards (CBSE, ICSE, NIOS, or State Boards).
• JEE Main 75% Marks Rule: The 75% marks rule does not apply to taking the JEE Main exam. Nonetheless, to gain access to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs, one should have a minimum score of:
  • Grades of 75% in Class 12 (when it is the General category) or
  • 65% marks (for SC/ST category)

Conclusion

The JEE Main Exam Dates 2026 provided by the National Testing Agency (NTA) allow engineering aspirants to plan their preparations properly in line with the announced timeline. Participating in session 1 between 21 and 30 January 2026 and session 2 between 2 and 9 April 2026, the candidate has two chances to release their best performance, as a better score will be included in the ranking. By being aware of the JEE Main Exam Dates 2026, exam schedule, eligibility, and other events such as the release of the city intimation slip and the release of the admit card, stress is minimized and there is no confusion at the last minute. It is important to plan properly, revise regularly, and keep up with the official announcements in order to succeed in JEE Main 2026.

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