Exams
JEE Main 2026: Session 2 Registration, Question Paper, Answer Keys & Solutions, Exam Analysis, Cutoff, Result
- 4.721 students
- Last updated 02/2026
JEE Main Notification
The JEE Main Answer Key & Response Sheet 2026 has been released by NTA today, on 4th February 2026, on the official website, jeemain.nta.nic.in. The Answer key challenge window is also open till 6th February, 11:50 P.M.
- The JEE Main Final Answer key will be released along with the results on 12th February 2026.
The JEE Main 2026 Registration for session 2 has started on 1st February 2026, and will continue till 25th February 2026, on the official website.
- The JEE Main Session 2 exams are scheduled to be conducted between April 2 and April 9, 2026.
- In JEE Main 2026, Session 1, 13,50,963 candidates have registered, from which 13,00,368 candidates appeared, showing an attendance rate of 96.26%.
JEE Main Overview
JEE Main: One of the most competitive and important engineering entrance exams in India, Joint Entrance Examination – Main (JEE Main) is taken by over 10 to 12 lakh students annually. JEE Mains exam is held at the national level for candidates aspiring to pursue engineering, architecture and planning courses after completing their class 12.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts exam twice a year, in January and April, in computer-based test mode. A good rank in JEE Main exam means admission to the best colleges in India, like NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. These colleges take admission to UG engineering courses like BE/BTech/BPlanning/BArch based on JEE Main ranks only. Also, many top private engineering colleges accept JEE Main scores for admission.
The top 2.5 lakh candidates from JEE Mains also qualify for JEE Advanced exam. The JEE Advanced exam is the only gateway to premier engineering institutions – Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
The JEE Main exam consists of three papers – BE/BTech (paper 1), BArch (paper 2a) and BPlan (paper 2b). The questions in the exam are framed from the class 11 and 12 level syllabus prescribed by NTA.
For the upcoming session, NTA has announced the JEE Main exam dates:
- JEE Main 2026 session 1 exam date: Paper 1 will be held on January 21, 22, 23, 24, 28 and Paper 2 on January 29
- JEE Main April attempt date: April 2 to 9.
NTA is conducting the first day of the JEE Mains 2026 session 1 exam on January 21, TODAY, for BE/BTech candidates. The shift 1 exam is being held from 9 am to 12 noon, and the shift 2 exam will be held from 3 pm to 6 pm. After the exam ends, candidates can check here memory based questions with solutions and answer keys. Also, find shift-wise and day-wise JEE Main paper analysis here.
JEE Main 2026 Important Dates
As the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 is completed and registration has started for Session 2, you should stay updated on the official website, jeemain.nta.nic.in. For all the latest updates regarding the session 1 answer key, result and session 2 dates.
JEE Main 2026 – Important Dates & Schedule
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Session 1 Provisional Answer Key & Response | Feb 4, 2026 (OUT) |
| Session 1 Answer Key Challenge Window | 4th to 6th February 2026 (Started) |
| Session 1 Result Declaration | By Feb 12, 2026 |
| Session 2 Registration Window | Feb 1 – Feb 25, 2026 (up to 9:00 PM) |
| Session 2 Examination Dates | Apr 2 – Apr 9, 2026 |
JEE Main 2026 Exam Guidelines & Timings
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Exam Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| JEE Main 2026 Exam Dates |
|
| Shifts per Day | 2 shifts |
| Reporting Time |
|
| Gate Closing Time |
|
| Exam Time |
|
| Exam Duration | 3 hours |
| Entry After Gate Close | Not allowed |
JEE Main 2026 Expected Subject-Wise Paper Analysis
- The Chemistry section will be the most scoring, with less time required for each question.
- The Physics question will include formula-based questions along with conceptual clarity.
- The Mathematics will be the most difficult and time-consuming section, taking 40 to 50% of the time.
- As the competition is high, negative marking can affect your rank.
| Section | Expected Difficulty | Question Type | Time Consumption | What Candidates Should Expect |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Physics | Moderate | Formula-based + conceptual numericals | Medium | Questions will test conceptual clarity more than lengthy calculations; direct formula application likely |
| Chemistry | Easy to Moderate | NCERT-based, factual and direct | Low | Inorganic questions directly from NCERT; Physical Chemistry with simple numericals |
| Mathematics | Moderate to Tough | Lengthy, multi-step problems | High | Questions will be time-consuming due to multi-step calculations |
JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Registration Process
The NTA has released the JEE Main 2026 Application form for Session 2 for candidates who want to improve their percentile and have missed Session 1 for better college options.
As NTA will consider the best score out of both sessions, session 2 is highly important for candidates.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Registration Mode | Online |
| Official Website | jeemain.nta.nic.in |
| Registration Window | Feb 1 – Feb 25, 2026 (up to 9:00 PM) |
| Form Correction Window | Last week of February 2026 |
| Eligible Candidates | Appeared in Session 1 or for new applicants |
| Number of Attempts Allowed | 2 (Session 1 & Session 2) |
| Score Considered | Best of 2 sessions |
JEE Main 2026 Shift-Wise Marks vs Percentile Analysis
The JEE Main Percentile will be calculated by using the shift-wise normalisation, so the raw marks will differ for each day as per the shift. The JEE Main Percentile will be your relative performance as per the overall session’s performance depending upon the shift-wise difficulty.
Check below an expected range of Marks vs percentile below, the actual percentiles will depend on shift-wise performance and score distribution.
JEE Main Overall Shift-Wise Marks vs Percentile (Expected)
- The JEE Main Marks vs Percentile will differ as per the candidate’s shift, but the normalisation will ensure rank fairness in the shifts.
- With a difference of 5-10 marks, your result percentile can still be the same.
- Maths is the most-time consuming, which also shows fewer marks for the same percentile.
- In an easier shift, the marks will be higher for the same percentile, because of a better average performance.
| Percentile Range | Easier Shifts (High Scoring) | Moderate Shifts | Tougher Shifts (Time-Consuming) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99+ | 195–205 | 188–198 | 180–190 |
| 98–99 | 178–194 | 170–187 | 162–175 |
| 95–97 | 158–177 | 150–169 | 142–155 |
| 90–94 | 138–157 | 130–149 | 122–135 |
| 85–89 | 122–137 | 115–129 | 108–120 |
JEE Main 2026 Step-Wise Score Calculation
| Stage | What Is Calculated | Formula / Rule | Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Step 1 | Raw Marks | (+4 × Correct) − (1 × Incorrect) | Total Marks out of 300 |
| Step 2 | Subject-wise Percentile | (Candidates ≤ your score ÷ Total candidates in shift) × 100 | Subject Percentile |
| Step 3 | Overall Percentile | Same percentile formula using total raw score | NTA Percentile Score |
| Step 4 | Final Rank (AIR) | Based on best percentile (if multiple sessions) | All India Rank |
- The Raw marks will not directly be compared across different shifts, due to changes in difficulty level.
- The Percentile normalization will ensure equal number of weightage for all shifts.
- If a candidate has appeared in both the shifts, the best rank among both will be considered.
- The Final AIR will be prepared after the results of session 2.
- Through this method, fair ranking will be done for around 15 lakh candidates irrespective of the difficulty level.
JEE Main 2026 Result
The JEE Main Result will be released online by NTA after each session.
- The JEE Main Scorecard will show the percentile scores for Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and the overall papers.
- The Result of the JEE Main session 1(January) is expected to be released in February 2026, and of the JEE Main session 2 (April) is expected in Late April 2026 on its official website.
FAQs for JEE Main 2026
Ques. Is JEE Main 2026 very difficult with record-high registrations this year?
Ans. The JEE Main 2026 is expected to be of moderate difficulty level, but the competition is expected to be highest this time.
The Difficulty is expected to be same as 2024 and 2025, the higher competition can affect the cutoffs, not the difficulty level.
Ques. How many questions should I attempt to get a safe percentile in JEE Main 2026?
Ans. A safe score depends more on accuracy than volume. As per the previous year, the balance attempt will give a better percentile
| Target Percentile | Safe Attempts (Approx.) | Accuracy Needed |
|---|---|---|
| 90–92 | 40–45 | 65–70% |
| 95 | 48–52 | 70–75% |
| 98+ | 55–60 | 80%+ |
Ques. How many sessions are there in JEE Mains 2026?
Ans. JEE Main 2026 will be in two sessions:
- Session 1 in January 2026
- Session 2 in April 2026
The candidate can take part in either one or both sessions. If candidates take both sessions, then the best NTA score will be used for the merit list and eligibility to JEE Advanced 2026.
Ques. Will JEE 2026 be tough?
Ans. The difficulty level of JEE Main varies each year and across shifts. Based on previous years’ analysis:
- Mathematics is usually the toughest and most time-consuming section.
- Physics is moderate with a mix of theory and numerical questions.
- Chemistry is often the easiest, especially for those who focus on the NCERT books.
Overall, the exam is expected to be moderately difficult.
Ques. Which IIT makes the toughest paper?
Ans. While JEE Main is conducted by NTA, JEE Advanced, which is used for admission into IITs, is prepared by one of the IITs on a rotational basis.
As per the records, IIT Bombay and IIT Delhi are known for making tougher JEE Advanced papers, but there is no official pattern indicating that one IIT consistently makes the toughest paper.
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