Session 1 ran 21-30 January. Session 2 is 2-9 April 2026. Here is every deadline that matters.
The National Testing Agency finished JEE Main 2026 Session 1 in January. Session 2 registration closed on 25 February 2026, though NTA briefly reopened the portal on 12-13 March for those who missed the original window. If you are appearing in April, your admit card releases on 29 March 2026.
This timeline covers both sessions end to end: registration open and close dates, correction windows, city intimation slips, admit card phases, exact exam dates by paper, answer key releases, result dates, and the post-result JoSAA counselling schedule. Bookmark it. Missing a single deadline can cost you a full academic year.
JEE Main 2026 at a glance
Two sessions. One exam year. Your best NTA score across both sessions counts for the final rank.
Session 1 drew candidates across 642 centres in 311 Indian cities and 15 cities abroad. Session 2 saw over 1.6 million applications, a record for the exam.
JEE Main 2026 Session 1: complete timeline
Session 1 wrapped in January 2026. But if you are tracking how early the cycle starts for next year, the pattern matters. Registration opened on 31 October 2025, a full three months before the first exam.
NTA released Session 1 admit cards in two phases. If your exam fell on 21-24 January, you got your hall ticket on 17 January. Candidates scheduled for 28-29 January received theirs on 24 January. The gap was deliberate; it reduced server load and let later-slot candidates focus on last-minute revision rather than scrambling for downloads.
JEE Main 2026 Session 2: complete timeline
Session 2 is in progress as of 2026. Registration is closed. The city intimation slip released on 21 March 2026. Admit cards follow on 29 March for the first exam dates.
The correction window on 27-28 February was narrow. You had roughly 48 hours to fix errors in your submitted form. NTA allows editing specific fields: candidate name, father's or mother's name (only one), date of birth, gender, category, sub-category/PwD status, exam city preferences, medium of question paper, Class 10/12 qualification details. What you cannot change: mobile number, email ID, permanent or present address, uploaded photograph, and uploaded signature. If you missed even this window, the 12-13 March reopening was a final chance, though that window was meant for fresh applications, not corrections.
For a detailed walkthrough of what the registration form demands, read our JEE Main registration guide.
JEE Main 2026 application fee
NTA sets the fee per session. The structure is identical for both January and April. Candidates appearing for a single paper pay one rate; those opting for two or more papers (e.g., B.E./B.Tech + B.Arch) pay a higher combined fee.
Processing charges and GST are payable separately by the candidate. The fee is non-refundable and must be paid online via debit/credit card, net banking, or UPI. If a transaction fails, you will not receive a confirmation page; you must pay again and the failed amount will be refunded after the result.
City intimation slip vs admit card: know the difference
NTA issues two documents before the exam. Many candidates confuse them. Do not.
The city intimation slip tells you which city your exam centre is in. It helps you book travel and accommodation early. It is not a hall ticket. You cannot enter the exam centre with it.
The admit card carries your exact centre address, reporting time, shift timing, and exam-day instructions. This is your entry document. Carry a printed copy with a passport-size photo affixed in the space provided, plus a valid government photo ID.
For Session 2, the city slip dropped on 21 March 2026. If you are appearing on 2 or 4 April, your admit card is available from 29 March. Candidates scheduled later (5-8 April) can download theirs from 1 April. Download from jeemain.nta.nic.in using your application number and password. If the portal is slow, try during off-peak hours.
The admit card itself includes a self-declaration section on the first page. Before reaching the centre, paste a recent passport-size photograph (same as the one uploaded during registration) and affix your left-hand thumb impression in the designated boxes. Do not sign the declaration at home. The signature must be done in front of the invigilator on exam day. Carry the card and a photo ID. Without both, entry is denied.
For step-by-step download instructions, see our JEE Main admit card page.
JEE Main 2026 exam day schedule and shift timings
JEE Main runs in two shifts per exam day. The timing depends on your paper's duration.
For 3-hour papers (Paper 1, Paper 2A alone, or Paper 2B alone):
For 3-hour-30-minute papers (Paper 2A and 2B combined):
Gate closing is strict. If you arrive after 8:30 am for the morning shift or after 2:30 pm for the afternoon shift, you will not be allowed inside, regardless of your reason. Plan to reach the centre by 7:00 am (Shift 1) or 1:00 pm (Shift 2). This gives you buffer for traffic, security checks, frisking, and biometric verification.
What to carry: printed admit card with self-declaration filled, one passport-size photograph, a valid photo ID (Aadhaar, passport, PAN card, driving licence, voter ID, or school ID), and a simple transparent ballpoint pen. For B.Arch candidates, bring your own geometry box, colour pencils, erasers, and pencils. No watercolours.
Prohibited items: mobile phones, smart watches, calculators, electronic devices, bags, wallets, or any stationery other than the allowed pen. Centres typically do not provide secure storage. Leave everything else at home or with someone accompanying you. Diabetic students may carry sugar tablets, fruit, and a transparent water bottle.
Answer key and result schedule
NTA follows a fixed post-exam sequence. Understanding it helps you estimate your score before the official result.
For Session 2, the provisional answer key released on 11 April 2026, with a revised version on 12 April. The challenge window ran until 13 April (11:50 pm). Candidates could raise objections by paying ₹200 per question, uploading supporting evidence (preferably NCERT page references). The final answer key was published on 20 April 2026, simultaneously with the result.
The marking scheme: +4 for each correct answer, -1 for incorrect (both MCQs and numerical-value questions), 0 for unanswered. If a question is dropped after review, all candidates in that shift receive +4 marks for it, regardless of whether they attempted it.
Session 2 results were declared on 20 April 2026. Candidates can check their NTA score and All India Rank by logging in at jeemain.nta.nic.in. If you appeared in both sessions, the better of the two NTA scores is used for the final merit list. The top approximately 2.5 lakh qualifiers become eligible for JEE Advanced 2026.
For live updates on result announcements and scorecard download steps, see our JEE Main results page.
What happens after Session 2 results: JoSAA 2026 dates
JoSAA counselling is the next major milestone. Registration opened on 2 June 2026 at josaa.nic.in and closed on 11 June. Candidates must fill and lock their college and course preferences during this window. The first round of seat allotment was on 13 June 2026, followed by five more rounds through July. The full schedule is typically released in June, but the broad timeline is:
- JoSAA registration and choice filling: early June 2026
- Round 1 seat allotment: 13 June 2026
- Subsequent rounds: 30 June, 6 July, 10 July, 16 July (tentative)
- Final round for IITs and withdrawal for NIT+ system in July 2026
The seat acceptance fee is ₹30,000 for general category (₹15,000 for reserved). You must upload documents and report online or at a reporting centre after each allotment.
For state engineering colleges, separate counselling processes run in parallel. If you are targeting a state-quota seat, check the respective state authority's timeline early.
You can start estimating your college options now using our JEE Main college predictor. For a deep dive into the counselling process, read our JEE Main counselling guide.
How to plan your 2026 JEE Main calendar
If you are targeting the next cycle, here is the shape of the year based on the 2026 pattern.
Session 1 registration should open around October-November 2026. The exam window will likely fall in late January. Session 2 registration opens around February of the following year, with exams in April. NTA typically announces exact dates via a public notice about 4-6 weeks before registration opens.
Between now and registration, lock down these three things. First, ensure your Aadhaar details match your Class 10 certificate exactly: name, date of birth, and father's name. Mismatches delay or invalidate your application. Second, confirm your JEE Main eligibility. Third, start aligning your preparation with the JEE Main syllabus, particularly high-weightage topics.
For a structured study plan calibrated to the exam timeline, see our JEE Main preparation section.
JEE Main 2026 cut-off for JEE Advanced
Although the page focuses on dates, many students ask when the qualifying cut-off is released and what it looks like. NTA releases the JEE Advanced qualifying percentile alongside the Session 2 result. For 2026, the category-wise cut-off (percentile) was:
Candidates scoring at or above these percentiles and ranking among the top 2.5 lakh overall become eligible for JEE Advanced 2026. The cut-off for the general category was the highest in four years.
For a full trend analysis and how the cut-off translates to marks, see our JEE Main cutoffs page.
Registration deadlines: the one mistake you cannot afford
Every cycle, thousands of candidates miss the registration deadline. They assume a grace extension will come. Sometimes NTA reopens the portal briefly, as it did on 12-13 March 2026 for Session 2. But relying on that is a gamble. The Session 1 application window had no reopening. If you missed 27 November 2025, you lost the January attempt.
The fee payment deadline is also strict. The application portal closes at 9:00 pm on the last date. Fee payment is accepted until 11:50 pm the same day. Do not wait until 11:30 pm to pay. Payment gateways can fail. A failed transaction at 11:49 pm leaves you no time to retry.
After submitting, download and save your confirmation page. NTA emails a copy to your registered email and your parents' email. Keep it until counselling concludes. You will need your application number and password repeatedly: for admit card, answer key, result, and counselling registration.