Everything You Need to Know About JEE Main

Who Conducts JEE Main & Why It Matters

The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts JEE Main to test candidates for admission into IITs, NITs, IIITs and other government-funded technical institutions, and prepares the merit list used for seat allocation. A career built on an IIT/NIT education is widely seen as a path to a secure future, competitive salaries and diverse job opportunities.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age Limit: There is no age limit for JEE Main itself, though individual institutes may set their own conditions.
• Educational Qualification: Candidates must have passed 12th standard with Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
• Number of Attempts: Candidates may appear for three consecutive years after 12th; since the exam is held twice a year, the maximum is 6 attempts.

Exam Pattern

• Mode: Computer-based test with MCQs across Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry – 90 questions total, 30 per subject.
• Duration: 3 hours per shift, across two shifts (9 AM–12 PM and 3 PM–6 PM).
• Marking Scheme: +4 for a correct answer, -1 for an incorrect answer.

Syllabus Overview

The syllabus broadly follows the NCERT Class 11 & 12 curriculum.

• Mathematics: Sets, relations & functions, trigonometry, mathematical reasoning, matrices & determinants, binomial theorem, integral calculus, 3D geometry, limits, continuity & differentiability.
• Physics: Electricity, magnetism, mechanics, atoms & nuclei, dual nature of matter, radiation, thermodynamics.
• Chemistry: Physical, organic and inorganic chemistry – atomic structure, chemical thermodynamics, classification of elements, environmental chemistry, polymers, hydrocarbons, halogen compounds.

Application Process

• Registration: Via the official website jeemain.nta.nic.in with personal, educational, photograph and signature details.
• Application Fee: ₹1000 for unreserved category, ₹500 for SC/ST/Transgender/PwD, ₹800 for unreserved-category female candidates.
• Documents Required: Scanned photograph and signature, photo ID proof (e.g. Aadhar card), and details for online fee payment.

Preparation Tips

• Create a realistic study plan that allocates time across all three subjects.
• Solve previous years’ question papers to understand weightage of topics.
• Take regular mock tests to build speed and manage exam-day stress.

Admit Card & Results

Admit cards are downloaded from the official website using login credentials and carry details such as name, category, exam centre and reporting time. Results and category-wise cut-offs are announced by the NTA on the same portal, and vary year to year based on difficulty and candidate performance.

Counselling & Seat Allocation

Qualified candidates register for counselling conducted by the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) in 6 rounds for admission to IITs, NITs, IIITs and GFTIs. Allocation depends on merit rank, seat availability, category and preferences filled by the candidate; the provisional allotment order and seat-acceptance e-challan are released online.

JoSAA Seat Matrix 2026