JEE Advanced
Am I eligible for JEE Advanced, and what else do I need for an IIT seat?
JEE Advanced is the entrance exam for the Indian Institutes of Technology. The seven zonal IITs run it under the Joint Admission Board, and one IIT organises it each year (IIT Roorkee in 2026). You cannot apply straight to it: Indian candidates must first finish in the top 2,50,000 of JEE Main Paper 1. You sit two three-hour papers on the same day, both on computer and both compulsory, each with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. A rank alone does not get you an IIT seat. You also need 75% in Class 12 (65% for SC, ST and PwD) or a place in your board's top 20 percentile. Everything below is from the JEE (Advanced) 2026 Information Brochure.
This page may be out of date. It was due for a re-check on 31 January 2027. Confirm every rule with the official source before acting on it.
The 2026 exam and JoSAA rounds are over. On 5 October 2026 jeeadv.ac.in still carried the 2026 brochure and no 2027 notice. The age and Class 12 year dates above are the 2026 ones and move forward by a year for 2027.
Exam at a glance
- Conducted by
- Seven zonal IITs under the Joint Admission Board; IIT Roorkee organised 2026[1]
- Who can register
- The top 2,50,000 candidates in JEE Main Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech), across all categories[1]
- Programmes
- B.Tech and B.S. (4 years), B.Arch, dual-degree and integrated master's (5 years) at the 23 IITs[1]
- Papers
- Paper 1 and Paper 2, 3 hours each, on the same day. You must sit both.[1]
- Mode and language
- Computer Based Test only, in English and Hindi (you can switch during the exam)[1]
- Age limit (2026)
- Born on or after 1 October 2001; SC, ST and PwD on or after 1 October 1996[1]
- Attempts
- At most two, in two consecutive years[1]
- 2026 dates
- Exam 17 May 2026, result 1 June 2026[1]
The top 2,50,000 by category, 2026
Minimum aggregate marks to get a rank, 2026
| Category | Without PwD | PwD | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| OPEN | 96,187 | 5,063 | 1,01,250 |
| GEN-EWS | 23,750 | 1,250 | 25,000 |
| OBC-NCL | 64,125 | 3,375 | 67,500 |
| SC | 35,625 | 1,875 | 37,500 |
| ST | 17,812 | 938 | 18,750 |
The shares are 40.5% OPEN, 10% GEN-EWS, 27% OBC-NCL, 15% SC and 7.5% ST, with 5% of each for PwD candidates. The total can go slightly above 2,50,000 when scores tie. OCI/PIO (I) candidates can only be counted in the two OPEN rows.[1]
| Rank list | Each subject | Aggregate |
|---|---|---|
| Common rank list (CRL) | 10% | 35% |
| GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL | 9% | 31.5% |
| SC, ST, and all PwD lists | 5% | 17.5% |
| Preparatory course lists (SC, ST, PwD) | 2.5% | 8.75% |
Your Physics marks are your Physics marks in Paper 1 plus Paper 2, and the same for Chemistry and Mathematics. The aggregate is the sum of the three. You must clear the subject minimum in all three and the aggregate minimum. The brochure says the aggregate minimum may be lowered later under a 2018 ministry directive.[1]
| Candidate | Fee |
|---|---|
| Female candidates (all categories) | ₹1,600 |
| SC, ST and PwD candidates | ₹1,600 |
| All other candidates | ₹3,200 |
Gateway and bank charges are extra, and the fee is not refunded. OCI/PIO and foreign candidates, and centres abroad, have separate fees in US dollars in the brochure.[1]
You must meet all five at the same time. OCI/PIO card holders who chose to be treated like Indian nationals follow the same rules.
- You are in the top 2,50,000 of JEE Main Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech) that year.
- You were born on or after 1 October 2001, or on or after 1 October 1996 if you are SC, ST or PwD (2026 dates).
- This is your first or second attempt, and the two attempts are in consecutive years.
- You sat Class 12 or its equivalent for the first time in 2025 or 2026, with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as compulsory subjects.
- You have never been admitted to an IIT. A seat you were allotted but did not report for, withdrew from before the last round, or lost before the last round does not count against you. A first admission to an IIT preparatory course in 2025 also does not.
Source[1]
For 2026, a candidate who first sat Class 12 in 2024 or earlier could not take JEE Advanced, whatever subjects they took. 'Sat' means your board declared results for that year, even if your own result was withheld.
There was one exception. If your board declared its 2023-24 results on or after 18 June 2024, its 2024 candidates could still sit JEE Advanced 2026.[1]
Each paper has three separate sections: Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. The questions test comprehension, reasoning and analytical ability, and the syllabus is in the brochure's Annexure I. The keyboard is disabled, and you answer with the mouse and an on-screen keypad.
Some questions may carry negative marks. The brochure does not print the marking scheme; you see it in the instructions on screen when the exam starts. If a question is dropped, every candidate gets full marks for it.
If two candidates have the same aggregate, the one with more positive marks ranks higher. If that does not break the tie, higher Mathematics marks win, then higher Physics marks. If they are still level, both get the same rank.[1]
A JEE Advanced rank is not enough on its own. With Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics in Class 12 and at least five subjects passed, you must have either 75% aggregate (65% for SC, ST and PwD) or a place in the top 20 percentile of successful candidates of your own board, in your category.
The five subjects counted are Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, one language (the higher-scoring one if you took two) and your best other subject. Marks not out of 100 are scaled to 100. Your marksheets must all come from one board. If your board does not publish its top-20-percentile cut-off, you need a certificate from the board, or the CBSE cut-off is used.[1]
Only IIT (BHU) Varanasi, IIT Kharagpur and IIT Roorkee offer B.Arch. To join it you must qualify in JEE Advanced and then pass the Architecture Aptitude Test (AAT), a single three-hour paper in English only. You bring your own drawing and colouring materials.
The AAT is pass or fail with no separate rank. Seats are then given by your JEE Advanced category rank. In 2026 the AAT was on 4 June and its result on 7 June.[1]
Ranked candidates choose courses and institutes through JoSAA, the joint seat allocation for IITs, NITs, IIITs and other government-funded institutes. A rank and a filled-in choice list do not guarantee a seat. That depends on your rank and the seats left in each round.
IITs add supernumerary seats for women so that every IIT has at least 20% women in its undergraduate programmes. Seats reserved for SC, ST and PwD candidates that stay empty go to a one-year preparatory course; pass it and you join the course you were allotted the next year.
Some other institutes have also admitted on JEE Advanced ranks, including IISc Bengaluru, the IISERs, IIST Thiruvananthapuram, RGIPT Rae Bareli and IIPE Visakhapatnam. You apply to them directly.[1]
Tips and tricks
- Count your attempts: at most two, and they must fall in consecutive years. Skip the year after your first try and the second chance is gone.[1]
- For the Class 12 year rule, go by the year your board declared results, not your own result. "Sat" counts even if your result was withheld.[1]
- The keyboard is disabled, so practise answering with a mouse and an on-screen keypad.[1]
- The brochure doesn't print the marking scheme. Read the on-screen instructions for each paper before you start.[1]
- For B.Arch at an IIT, only IIT (BHU), Kharagpur and Roorkee offer it, and you bring your own drawing and colouring materials to the AAT.[1]
- Keep your Class 12 marks up: 75% aggregate (65% for SC, ST and PwD) or your board's top 20 percentile.[1]
Questions people ask
Can I apply for JEE Advanced without JEE Main?
Not as an Indian national. You must be in the top 2,50,000 of JEE Main Paper 1 that year. Only foreign nationals and OCI/PIO (F) candidates can register directly.[1]
How many times can I take JEE Advanced?
Twice at most, and the two attempts must be in consecutive years.[1]
I passed Class 12 in 2024. Could I sit JEE Advanced 2026?
Usually not. Only those who first sat Class 12 in 2025 or 2026 could. The exception was a board that declared its 2023-24 results on or after 18 June 2024.[1]
Do I need 75% in Class 12 for an IIT?
You need either 75% aggregate (65% for SC, ST and PwD) or a place in your board's top 20 percentile in your category. One of the two is enough.[1]
Is there negative marking in JEE Advanced?
Some questions may have negative marks. The exact scheme appears in the on-screen instructions on exam day, not in the brochure.[1]
I got an IIT seat but did not report. Can I sit again?
Yes, if you did not report, withdrew before the last round, or had the seat cancelled before the last round, and you meet the other conditions. Anyone who joined an IIT programme cannot sit again.[1]
Is JEE Advanced online or offline?
Online. It's a Computer Based Test only, in English and Hindi, and you can switch language during the exam.[1]
Connected pages
- Part of pathway · PathwayAfter Class 12 Science (PCM)What Physics, Chemistry and Maths in Class 12 open up: B.Tech, B.Arch and B.Planning through JEE Main, B.Sc through CUET (UG), and the rules for each.
- Admits to · DegreeB.Tech / B.E.How long a B.Tech takes, the Class 12 subjects and marks NITs ask for, which entrance exam gets you in, and where the degree leads. Sourced from NTA and AICTE.
- Related · ExamJEE MainJEE Main paper pattern, marking scheme, age and year-of-passing rules and NIT admission criteria, taken from NTA's official Information Bulletin.
- Related · ExamNATAHow NATA is set and scored, who can sit it, the Class 12 rule for B.Arch admission and how scores are used, from the Council of Architecture's 2026 brochure.
- Entrance exam for · DegreeB.Arch (Bachelor of Architecture)B.Arch in India: the Council of Architecture's 45% rule, NATA or JEE Main Paper 2A, the 5-year course with practical training, and registration.
Official and partner links
- Official bodyJEE (Advanced) official website
- CounsellingJoSAA seat allocation
Sources
- JEE (Advanced) 2026 Information Brochure, IIT Roorkee for the Joint Admission Board. Clauses 1-2, 5, 7-9, 11-13, 17-18, 22-28. Accessed 5 October 2026.
Found an error or a newer rule? Tell us through the corrections page. Updated 8 October 2026.