JEE Main 2026: Exam Dates, Pattern, Cut Off, Registration

The NTA will conduct the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) MAIN from 2019. The Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) administered this examination till 2018.

JEE Main is valid for admission to NITs, IIITs, and CFTIs that participate in the Central Seat Allocation Board, provided that the applicant obtained at least 75% in the 12th class examination or was in the top 20% in the relevant Boards' 12th class test. The qualifying marks in the 12th class examination for SC/ST candidates will be 65%.

There is no age limit for applicants taking the JEE (Main) 2024. Those who completed the class 12/equivalent examination in 2022, 2023, or are appearing in 2024, regardless of age, are eligible to take the JEE (Main) - 2024 examination. Candidates may, however, be needed to meet the age requirements of the Institute(s) to which they wish to apply.

• The final examination of the 10+2 system, administered by any recognised Central/State Board, such as the Central Board of Secondary Education in New Delhi, the Council for the Indian School Certificate Exams in New Delhi, and so on.
• A recognised Board/University administers an intermediate or two-year Pre-University test.
• Final test for the National Defence Academy's two-year Joint Services Wing programme.
• The National Institute of Open Schooling conducts a Senior Secondary School Examination with a minimum of five topics.
• The Association of Indian Universities recognises any public school/board/university examination in India or any other country as comparable to the 10+2 system (AIU).
• Vocational Examination for the Upper Secondary Certificate.
• A three-year diploma approved by AICTE or a state body of technical education.
• Advanced (A) level General Certificate of Education (GCE) test (London/Cambridge/Sri Lanka).
• Cambridge University's High School Certificate Examination or the International Baccalaureate Diploma from the International Baccalaureate Office in Geneva.
• Applicants who have finished the Class 12 (or comparable) examination outside of India or from a Board other than those listed above must present a certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) stating that the test they passed is equal to the Class 12 Examination.
• If the Class 12 Exam is not a public test, the candidate must have previously passed at least one public (Board or Pre-University) examination.

The state code of eligibility is the state code from where the candidate completed the Class 12 (or equivalent) qualifying examination, making the individual eligible to compete in JEE (Main) - 2024. It is vital to remember that the candidate's native location or residency has no bearing on the State code of eligibility. For example, if a candidate sits for the Class 12 (or similar) qualifying examination from a New Delhi-based institution and resides in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, the candidate's State code of eligibility will be Delhi, NOT Uttar Pradesh.

Suppose a candidate passes the Class 12 (or equivalent) qualifying examination in one state but appears for improvement in another. In that case, the candidate's State code of eligibility will be the state where the candidate first passed the Class 12 (or equivalent) examination, NOT the state where the candidate has appeared for improvement.

Candidates who have passed/are appearing for Class 12 from NIOS should pick the State of Eligibility based on the location of the study centre.

For Indian citizens completing the Class 12 (or equivalent) examination in Nepal/Bhutan, the State code of eligibility will be established based on the candidate's passport's permanent residence in India.

OCI completing Class 12 (or similar) exams in India have the same state code as Indian nationals. OCIs who pass the Class 12 (or equivalent) examination from a foreign institution are eligible for Other State quota or All India quota seats (but NOT Home State quota seats) at all NITs, IIITs, and Other-CFTIs.

The reservation for JEE Main 2024 is based on rules issued by the Government of India. Applicants from economically disadvantaged sections are entitled to a 10% reservation. The NTA publishes a separate category-wise merit list, and universities that accept JEE Main scores reserve 10% more seats for EWS students. To be eligible for this reservation, aspirants must choose EWS in the category field on the JEE Main 2024 application form. The percentage of reservations is indicated in the table below based on the most recent JEE Main Reservation regulation.