Latest detailed pattern: 2026, with 2027 rules still to check
As of 27 October 2026, NTA has opened the JEE (Main) 2027 Session 1 application, but the official site material checked here does not yet provide a 2027 information bulletin with a detailed question-paper pattern. The latest detailed official pattern used below is therefore the 2026 notice and bulletin. Keep the years attached to every count and rule: a new application notice is not, by itself, confirmation that the previous paper format has carried forward.
JEE (Main) 2026 had three paper choices. Paper 1 was for B.E./B.Tech., Paper 2A for B.Arch., and Paper 2B for B.Planning. Paper 1 comprised Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. The NTA Session 1 notice listed 20 Section A multiple-choice questions and five Section B numerical-answer questions in each of those subjects, for 75 questions overall. The 2026 bulletin gave a three-hour duration for each individual paper. It listed three hours and thirty minutes when a candidate selected both B.Arch. and B.Planning together. These are 2026 facts, not confirmed 2027-28 rules.
Paper 1: engineering entrance
For the 2026 Paper 1 format, each of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry had a 20-question MCQ section and a five-question numerical-answer section. This gives candidates 25 questions per subject and 75 across the paper. The distinction between question type and subject is useful in practice: each subject requires both option selection and numerical entry, so a mock test should include the full response workflow rather than only solving equations on paper.
NTA stated that Section A questions were MCQs and Section B answers were to be entered as numerical values. Its 2026 notice also said there was negative marking for incorrect answers in both Section A and Section B. That explicit wording matters because numerical-answer sections have had different rules in earlier editions. Do not carry forward a remembered “no penalty for numerical answers” rule from an older paper. For the 2026 format, a numerical entry was not automatically risk-free. The next bulletin’s instructions should be checked before applying this rule to a future cycle.
The three-hour duration means time control is part of the attempt strategy, but an even 2-minute-24-second allowance for each of 75 questions is only arithmetic, not NTA advice. Questions vary in working time, and the official notice describes the sections and counts rather than recommending a uniform pace. In a timed practice, note the time spent on each subject and on numerical entry. If an answer requires several calculations, check that the final number is entered in the required field and precision format described by the live question interface. Then use the official answer key and recorded responses to identify whether lost marks came from concept gaps, calculation, interpretation or response entry.
Paper 2A: architecture
Paper 2A combined three parts in the 2026 notice: Mathematics, Aptitude Test and Drawing Test. Mathematics had 20 MCQs plus five numerical-answer questions; the Aptitude Test had 50 questions; and the Drawing Test had two questions. The notice listed 77 questions overall. The 2026 exam was computer-based except for the Drawing Test, which was to be attempted offline on an A4 drawing sheet. That is a material operational difference: practising only in a computer interface does not prepare a candidate for the physical drawing component.
Plan practice for Paper 2A across both modes. For Mathematics and Aptitude, use timed digital practice and carefully follow the displayed instructions. For Drawing, practise on the prescribed sheet size and build a repeatable approach to interpreting the prompt, organising the page and checking that the requested elements are present. The final point is preparation guidance, not an official marking rubric; the NTA notice specifies the medium and count but does not publish a universal checklist for the drawing response. Refer to the paper instructions for the actual task and evaluation details.
Paper 2B: planning
Paper 2B also began with Mathematics and an Aptitude Test, followed by Planning-based questions. The 2026 notice listed 20 MCQs and five numerical-answer items for Mathematics, 50 Aptitude questions and 25 Planning questions, for 100 questions. Unlike Paper 2A, the notice described Paper 2B as CBT mode. This makes the paper’s final component distinct in content but not a separate offline drawing task. Keep the A/B paper labels clear when comparing official schedules, answer keys or past question papers; Paper 2A and Paper 2B test different applied skills and should not be treated as interchangeable merely because their first two parts share headings.
Candidates deciding between the papers should use the official course requirements and the exam’s own paper description, not assume that all architecture and planning degrees accept the same paper. This article is limited to examination structure; it does not establish an institution’s admission eligibility. The NTA bulletin describes Paper 2A as B.Arch. and Paper 2B as B.Planning, while specific participating institutions and counselling authorities govern admissions.
How to use the pattern without overfitting
Use official 2026 question papers and answer keys as dated examples. NTA’s 2026 JEE Main site provides shift-wise Paper 1 question papers, and its bulletin explains the scheme for that edition. A past paper can show how a response type was presented in a particular shift; it cannot establish that 2027 will use the same counts, interface, marking details or paper duration. Preserve the year and session beside every practice set in your notes.
A useful analysis sheet has one row per attempted question and records the paper, subject, response type, time used, confidence and error cause. This is a study method derived from the official paper structure, not an NTA scoring formula. Review the paper under the correct 2026 rules, especially the Section B penalty, then repeat the task under the next cycle’s instructions when they are published. Avoid calculating a predicted NTA score from a raw mock score unless the calculation uses the correct session-specific scoring and normalization rules.
Before the next attempt, return to the NTA bulletin and public notices for the exact edition shown on the live site. Confirm subject-wise counts, numerical-answer rules, negative marking, paper mode and duration. For B.Arch., check drawing-medium instructions; for B.Planning, check the Planning section’s paper-specific instructions. If the 2027 bulletin changes any item, it supersedes this 2026 reference. Until that document is available, this page keeps the latest verified details dated rather than presenting them as a forecast.