JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2026 has been published by the NTA (National Testing Agency) on the website jeemain.nta.nic.in. Candidates can check the full JEE Main 2026 eligibility here. This includes details on attempts, class 12 marks, age limit, and more. Every JEE Main 2026 candidate must meet the eligibility criteria set by NTA. This is necessary for admission to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. JEE Main eligibility criteria are of two types:
- Eligibility criteria for appearing in the JEE Main 2026 examination
- Eligibility criteria for admission in institutes- IITs, NITs, IIITs and GFTIs
The JEE Main 2026 eligibility criteria outline requirements for appearing in the exam, including age limit, qualifying exam, required subjects, number of attempts, and year of passing. For admission to institutes, eligibility includes nationality, Class 12 marks percentage, and year of passing the qualifying exam. Candidates must thoroughly review the JEE Main 2026 eligibility criteria before submitting the application form. Applications from ineligible candidates will be canceled, and they will not qualify for admission. Aspirants must ensure they meet all criteria before applying.
Candidates must fulfill the JEE Main 2026 eligibility criteria for admission to colleges accepting NTA JEE scores. The exam allows three consecutive attempts. Conducted by the National Testing Agency, JEE Main facilitates entry into undergraduate programs offered by participating institutes
JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2026 Overview
| Eligibility requirements | Eligibility Criteria for JEE Main 2026 |
|---|---|
| Age limit | No age limit |
| Academic Eligibility | Class 12 or equivalent level |
| Year of the qualifying exam | 2024/ 2025/appeared in 2026 |
| Class 12th subjects | For JEE Main Paper 1 (BTech)- Physics and Maths as compulsory subjects and any one subject among Chemistry/Biology/Technical Vocational Subject For JEE Main Paper 2A (BArch)- Physics, Chemistry, and Maths as compulsory subjects in class 12 For JEE Main Paper 2B (BPlan) – Mathematics as a compulsory subject in class 12 |
| Required 12th class percentage | BTech in NITs/ IIITs/ GFTIs- 75% (general) or 65% (SC/ST) B.Arch/ B. Plan- 50% aggregate scores |
| Limit of JEE attempts | Three consecutive years |
What are the Eligibility Criteria for JEE Main 2026?
Applicants must review the JEE Main 2026 eligibility criteria before submitting the application form. Failure to meet the specified eligibility requirements may result in rejection during the later stages of the admission process.
JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2026 Age Limit
For JEE Main 2026, there’s no age limit. Students who completed their 12th exam in 2024, 2025, or will do so in 2026 are eligible.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Age Limit | No age limit; students who passed the 12th exam in 2024, 2025, or are appearing in 2026 are eligible. |
JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2026: Number of Attempts
JEE Main 2026 participating candidates can attempt the exam a maximum of three times in consecutive years, with exams scheduled in January and April.
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Number of Attempts | Limited to three consecutive years; the exam will be conducted twice, in January and April. |
JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2026 Qualifying Exams
- Completed the 12th-grade exam from a recognized board.
- Completed a two-year course at the National Defence Academy.
- Passed Senior Secondary School Exam from NIOS with at least five subjects.
- Completed a three-year diploma recognized by AICTE.
- Passed GCE examination (London/Cambridge/Sri Lanka) at the Advanced (A) level.
JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2026 Course Wise
- B.E/B.Tech: Applicants should have passed the qualifying exam with Physics, Mathematics, and any one of the chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, or Technical Vocational Subjects).
- B.Arch: Applicants should have passed the qualifying exam with Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry.
- B. Plan: Applicants should have passed the qualifying exam in Mathematics.
JEE Main 2026 State of Eligibility
Candidates need to specify their state of eligibility while filling out the JEE Main application form.
- It’s based on the state where the 12th exam was passed, not the native or residence place.
- For OCI/PIO passing the 12th abroad, eligibility is determined for other state or All India quota seats.
Name of State/ Union Territory (UT)
| Andaman & Nicobar Islands (UT) | Karnataka | Ladakh | Goa |
| Andhra Pradesh | Delhi (NCT) | Lakshadweep (UT) | Gujarat |
| Arunachal Pradesh | West Bengal | Madhya Pradesh | Haryana |
| Assam | Foreign/ OCI/ PIO/ Nepal | Maharashtra | Himachal Pradesh |
| Bihar | Tripura | Manipur | Jammu & Kashmir |
| Chandigarh (UT) | Odisha | Meghalaya | Jharkhand |
| Chhattisgarh | Puducherry (UT) | Mizoram | Uttar Pradesh |
| Dadra & Nagar Haveli (UT) | Punjab | Nagaland | Kerala |
| Rajasthan | Telangana | Tamil Nadu | Uttarakhand, Sikkim |
JEE Main Eligibility 2026 For NITs, IIITs, And CFTIs Admissions
To secure admission in NITs, IIITs, and CFTIs, students need to achieve a minimum of 75% in their 12th class for JEE Mains 2026 or be among the top 20 percentile in their class 12 exams (65% for SC/ST candidates).
JEE Main 2026 Admission (B.Arch/B.Planning)
Applicants must review the JEE Main 2025 eligibility criteria before submitting the application form. Failure to meet the specified eligibility requirements may result in rejection during the later stages of the admission process.
JEE Main 2026 Subject Combinations for Admissions
To secure admission to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs through JEE Main 2026, candidates must have studied specific subject combinations in Class 12, as required by the eligibility criteria.
- B.Tech/B.E: Physics and Maths as mandatory subjects along with one of Chemistry/Biology/Biotechnology/Technical Vocational subjects.
- B.Arch: Mathematics, Physics & Chemistry subjects.
- B.Planning: The candidate must have passed the qualifying exam with the Maths subject.
JEE Mains Eligibility Criteria 2026 for Droppers
Candidates who take a break from their studies to focus on preparing for the JEE Main 2026 exam are known as droppers. The eligibility criteria for droppers in JEE Main 2026 are outlined below:
- There is no age limit for candidates appearing for JEE Main 2026.
- Candidates must have passed their class 12 exam in 2024, 2025 or 2026 to be eligible.
- According to JEE eligibility 2026, candidates are allowed three consecutive attempts.
- Students must meet the minimum qualification marks required for JEE main.
- Candidates should have studied at least five subjects in their class 12 or qualifying exam (Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics mandatory).
JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2026 FAQs:
Q. How many candidates appear in JEE Mains?
A. Approximately 14-15 lakh candidates appear for JEE Main each year, making it one of the largest entrance exams in India.
Q. What is the age limit to apply for JEE Main?
A. Candidates must be born on or after October 1, 2000, to apply for JEE Main. A 5-year relaxation is provided for SC/ST/PwD candidates.
Q. How many minimum marks are required to clear JEE Mains?
A. There is no fixed minimum passing mark for JEE Main. Candidates must meet the cutoff determined by NTA, which varies each year based on factors like difficulty.
Q. Is there 75 criteria for JEE Mains 2026?
A. Yes, candidates must secure at least 75% marks in Class 12 (or be in the top 20 percentile) to be eligible for JEE Main 2026, as per NTA criteria.
Q. Who is eligible for JEE Advanced 2026?
A. Candidates who qualify JEE Main 2026 and rank among the top 2,50,000 are eligible for JEE Advanced 2025, based on the eligibility criteria set by NTA.
Q. What are the eligibility criteria to apply for NITs, IIITs and GFTIs?
A. Candidates must have secured a minimum of 75% marks (65% for SC/ST category) or be in the top 20 percentile in class 12 or equivalent exam.
Q. What is the minimum 12 marks for JEE?
A. The minimum marks in Class 12th for JEE Main 2026 eligibility is 75% aggregate (65% for SC/ST) or top 20 percentile in respective board exams.
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