JEE Main 2026 LIVE: NTA session 2 admit card soon; exam dates, pattern, marking scheme

Candidates will be able to download the JEE Main admit card 2026 through the link available on the official website of NTA, jeemain.nta.nic.in, once the hall ticket is out.

The JEE Main 2026 admit card will contain important details like the candidate’s roll number, application number, name, father’s name, gender, date of birth, state of eligibility, PwD status, and scribe requirement. It will also display the candidate’s photograph and signature, along with the paper applied for (BE/BTech, BArch, or BPlan). Additionally, the admit card will specify the exam date, shift, reporting time, and gate closing time, along with full details of the test centre, including state, city, centre name, and address, as well as a self-declaration form to be submitted by the candidate.

A score of 250 or higher in JEE Main 2026 is generally seen as a strong performance. However, the definition of a good score can vary based on factors such as the number of candidates appearing, the difficulty level of the exam, cut-off trends, and overall competition.

Electronic devices such as mobile phones, calculators, smartwatches, and Bluetooth-enabled gadgets are strictly prohibited inside the exam hall.

The city intimation slip informs candidates only about the city of their exam centre. The official admit card, issued later, provides detailed information, including the exact centre address, reporting time, and important instructions.

The exam includes three sections—Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics—with a total of 90 questions to be attempted within three hours in a computer-based format.

While filling the JEE Main 2026 application form, candidates should avoid common errors such as ignoring eligibility criteria, entering incorrect personal details, selecting the wrong exam city, uploading documents improperly, choosing the wrong category, overlooking the exam pattern and syllabus, and skipping the fee payment.

The exam consists of three separate papers tailored to different undergraduate courses: Paper 1 for B.E./B.Tech, Paper 2A for B.Arch, and Paper 2B for B.Planning. Students can appear for one or multiple papers depending on their chosen courses.

Candidates can check their assigned exam centre by downloading the JEE Main 2026 city intimation slip from the official website, jeemain.nta.nic.in.

To ensure fairness, NTA applies a normalisation procedure to calculate scores, accounting for differences in difficulty levels across multiple shifts.

The computer-based JEE Main 2026 exam will be conducted over three hours. Candidates will earn four marks for each correct answer, while one mark will be deducted for every incorrect response.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has increased the number of JEE Main 2026 exam cities to 323. Students can view the complete list of examination cities on the official website, jeemain.nta.nic.in.

Only the top 2.5 lakh candidates in JEE Main 2026 will be eligible to appear for JEE Advanced. Admissions to IITs require qualifying this exam, while the JoSAA counselling process for NITs and other institutes will begin after the JEE Advanced results are announced.

While completing the JEE Main 2026 application form, candidates must upload essential documents such as their photograph, signature, valid ID proof, and Class 10 certificate in the prescribed format.

Candidates are not allowed to carry electronic devices like mobile phones, calculators, smartwatches, or Bluetooth-enabled gadgets into the exam hall.

Candidates aiming for JEE Advanced 2026 can refer to the expected JEE Main Session 2 cut-off percentiles. For the General (UR) category, the cut-off is likely to be between 93–95 percentile, while OBC-NCL candidates may require around 79–81. For EWS, it is expected to be 80–82, SC candidates may need 60–63, ST candidates 47–50, and PwD candidates could qualify with a percentile ranging from 0.001 to 1.

Many candidates confuse the city intimation slip with the admit card. The city slip only informs candidates about the city of their exam centre. The admit card, released later, provides complete details such as the exact centre address, reporting time, and important instructions.

A score of 250 or above in JEE Main 2026 is generally regarded as a strong performance. However, what counts as a good score can vary depending on factors such as the number of test-takers, exam difficulty level, cut-off trends, and overall competition.

JEE Main is conducted fully in a computer-based test (CBT) mode for engineering aspirants. However, the drawing section in the BArch paper may be held offline. Candidates are advised to familiarise themselves with the CBT interface before the exam.

The Joint Entrance Examination (Main) is held for admission to various undergraduate programmes. Through this exam, candidates can apply for BE, BTech, BArch, and BPlanning courses offered by engineering and architecture institutes across the country.

To download the JEE Mains 2026 hall ticket, aspirants can follow the steps given below:

• Visit the official website of NTA JEE Main at jeemain.nta.nic.in.

• On the homepage, click on the Session 2 admit card link.

• Enter the log in credentials such as: application number, password/date of birth, and security pin.

• Submit all the details after reviewing it carefully.

• Download the JEE Mains admit card 2026 and take a printout for further reference.

The important documents needed on the JEE Main 2026 exam day are: admit card, valid ID proof, and photograph, if required.

JEE Main 2026 Session 2 is scheduled to be held from April 2 to April 9 in two shifts. The morning shift for Paper 1 will run from 9:00 am to 12:00 pm, while the afternoon shift for both Paper 1 and Paper 2 will take place from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm.