Last updated for the JEE Main 2026 cycle. Conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) twice a year (January and April sessions).
What is JEE Main?
JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) Main is India's most popular engineering entrance test. Over 12–14 lakh students appear each session for admissions to:
- 31 NITs (National Institutes of Technology) — Warangal, Trichy, Surathkal, etc.
- 25 IIITs (Indian Institutes of Information Technology)
- 28 CFTIs (Centrally Funded Technical Institutions) — including IIEST Shibpur, ISM Dhanbad
- Qualifier for JEE Advanced — top ~2.5 lakh rankers become eligible for JEE Advanced, which grants admission to the 23 IITs
Exam Structure & Pattern
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) at NTA centres |
| Duration | 3 hours (180 minutes) |
| Subjects | Physics · Chemistry · Mathematics (PCM) |
| Questions | 75 total (25 per subject: 20 MCQ + 5 numerical) |
| Total Marks | 300 (100 per subject) |
| Marking | +4 correct · −1 wrong · 0 unattempted |
| Language | English · Hindi · 11 regional languages (Marathi included) |
| Sessions | Session 1 (Jan) & Session 2 (April) — best-of-two score counts |
Eligibility Criteria
- Educational qualification: Class 12 pass with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics (75% for NIT admission — 65% for SC/ST)
- Age: No upper age limit for JEE Main (relaxed 2021)
- Attempts: Three consecutive years from Class 12 passing (2 attempts per year)
- Nationality: Indian, NRI, OCI, PIO all eligible
Detailed Syllabus (PCM)
Physics (25 Q · 100 marks)
Class 11 topics: Units & Measurements, Kinematics, Laws of Motion, Work-Energy-Power, Rotational Motion, Gravitation, Thermodynamics, Kinetic Theory, Oscillations & Waves.
Class 12 topics: Electrostatics, Current Electricity, Magnetism, EM Induction, EM Waves, Optics (Ray + Wave), Modern Physics (Photoelectric, Bohr Model, Nuclei, Semiconductors, Communication).
Chemistry (25 Q · 100 marks)
Physical: Atomic Structure, Chemical Bonding, Gaseous State, Thermodynamics, Equilibrium, Redox, Solutions, Kinetics, Electrochemistry.
Inorganic: Periodic Table, s/p/d/f-block elements, Coordination Compounds, Metallurgy.
Organic: Nomenclature, Isomerism, Hydrocarbons, Halides, Alcohols & Phenols, Aldehydes/Ketones, Carboxylic Acids, Amines, Biomolecules, Polymers.
Mathematics (25 Q · 100 marks)
Class 11: Sets, Complex Numbers, Quadratic Equations, Sequences & Series, Trigonometry, Coordinate Geometry (Straight Lines, Circles, Conic Sections), Statistics & Probability, Permutations & Combinations.
Class 12: Matrices & Determinants, Relations & Functions, Limits & Continuity, Differentiation, Integration, Differential Equations, Vectors & 3D Geometry, Probability.
Recommended Books
Physics
- NCERT Physics Class 11 & 12 (foundational)
- H.C. Verma — Concepts of Physics Vol. I & II
- D.C. Pandey — Understanding Physics series
Chemistry
- NCERT Chemistry Class 11 & 12 (especially for Inorganic & Physical)
- O.P. Tandon — Physical & Inorganic Chemistry
- M.S. Chauhan — Organic Chemistry problem sets
Mathematics
- NCERT Maths Class 11 & 12
- R.D. Sharma — Objective Mathematics
- Arihant JEE Main archives
Sample Questions
B) v²/r
C) v/r
D) rv
B) 4
C) 5
D) 6
B) 1
C) 2
D) π
Preparation Strategy — 2-Year Study Plan
Class 11 (Year 1)
- Cover complete Class 11 syllabus with NCERTs
- Chapter-wise problem solving
- Weekly tests (chapter-level)
- Aim: Strong conceptual base
Class 12 (Year 2)
- Complete Class 12 syllabus in parallel with Board prep
- Full-length JEE Main mock tests every 2 weeks
- Revise Class 11 topics 3–4 times
- Last 60 days: Solve 15 years of previous papers
Frequently Asked Questions
🚀 Start Your JEE Preparation!
Free NEET-level Physics, Chemistry & Biology practice papers available on EkXam.com. Great practice for JEE Main aspirants too (Physics & Chemistry overlap heavily).
📖 View NEET Practice (PCB) 📝 Register FreeDisclaimer: Always verify eligibility, dates and pattern with the official NTA JEE Main notification at jeemain.nta.nic.in.