JEE Mains Exam Date 2026 — Latest Updates, Tentative Schedule and Tips

One of the freshest updates: on September 29, 2025, NTA (National Testing Agency) issued a public advisory. They asked all candidates planning to appear for JEE Main 2026 to update their Aadhaar, UDID (where applicable), and category certificates before registration begins — to avoid issues during application processing.

This is a red flag (in a good way) — it means NTA is serious about reducing errors. Also, multiple news outlets have picked up this advisory, emphasizing that no laxity will be tolerated.

So if you haven’t checked whether your documents are valid or updated, this is your cue.

Understanding the Focus Keyword: “jee mains exam date 2026”

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Tentative Dates for JEE Main 2026

Two Sessions — January & April

Historically, JEE Main has been held twice a year. That pattern is expected to continue in 2026: a January session and an April session.

Registration, Admit Card & Results Timeline

Here’s a likely timeline based on trustworthy projections:

Event	Tentative Timeframe
Notification release	Late October / First week of November 2025
Session 1 registration	November – December 2025
Admit card for session 1	January 2026 (about 3 days before exam)
Session 1 exam	Last week of January 2026
Session 1 result	February 2026
Session 2 registration	Late January / early February 2026
Admit card for session 2	Late March 2026
Session 2 exam	Early April 2026
Session 2 result	April 2026

But remember: these are tentative. Official confirmation is awaited.

What Previous Years Suggest

Looking back at earlier years, JEE Main’s first session often happens in late January and the second in early April. Some portals even suggest specific windows: like 22–30 January for session 1 and 2–9 April for session 2.

So if you see a date in those blocks, don’t panic — it’s probably just an estimate based on past trends.

Factors Affecting Final Dates

Board Examinations & Overlaps

One big factor is board exam schedules (like CBSE/State boards). Exams for Class 12 often run from February to April — so NTA may schedule JEE Main carefully to avoid clashes. If board exams get delayed, that may ripple into JEE dates.

Administrative & Logistical Challenges

Considerations like exam center availability, shift planning, computer lab scheduling, and region-wise coordination can push or pull dates slightly. Also, the pandemic years taught us that flexibility matters.

Thus, while the tentative schedule is useful, always keep an eye on official announcements.

Eligibility & Criteria (Expected for 2026)

Academic Qualifications & Passing Year

Likely rules (based on past years) include:

You must have passed Class 12 (or equivalent) from a recognized board.

Students from 2024, 2025, or appearing in 2026 may be eligible to apply.

There is generally no age limit imposed by NTA, but specific institutes may have their own rules.

Number of Attempts, Subjects, etc.

You can typically attempt JEE Main in both sessions.

You should have studied Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics in Class 12 (or equivalent).

The maximum number of attempts allowed is often defined (but the trend is lenient). Past eligibility info is a good guide until official rules are out.

Exam Pattern & Structure (What May Remain / What May Change)

Recent Pattern Overview

From recent changes, the exam structure has been refined:

Total questions per subject: 25 (i.e. 75 in total)

Of these, some are Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs) and some are Numeric Answer Type (NAT) questions.

Duration remains 3 hours for each candidate.

Marking: +4 for correct, –1 for incorrect answers.

For B.Arch Paper, drawing component may still be offline (pen-and-paper).

Possible Updates for 2026

While there’s no confirmed change yet, some educated guesses include:

Slight shift in weightage across topics

More emphasis on reasoning-type / application-based questions

Minor tweaks in the pattern of NAT questions

Introduce region-based exam centers or shift expansions

We’ll have to wait for the official notification to be sure.

Conclusion

To wrap it up: while JEE mains exam date 2026 is not officially confirmed yet, the expected plan is clear — sessions in January 2026 and April 2026, with registration likely in November 2025. The key now is to get your documents in order, stay updated with NTA’s announcements, and supercharge your preparation.

Once the official notification drops, align your study plan accordingly. Until then, stay steady, be consistent, and steer clear of rumors. You’ve got this.