How to Avoid Negative Marking in JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Exam - Best Tips

How to Avoid Negative Marking in JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Exam - Best Tips

Team Careers360Updated on 06 Nov 2025, 10:14 AM IST

How to Avoid Negative Marking in JEE Main 2026? - The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains is not just about getting the correct answers; it also involves dealing with negative marking, which can significantly impact your overall score. Candidates can know about how to avoid negative marking in JEE Main 2026 from this article. The JEE Mains 2026 exam has a negative marking scheme. This requires candidates to be careful even while choosing the questions to attempt in JEE Main 2026. Hence, aspirants need to build the right strategy for the JEE Mains exam. The authority will conduct session 1 JEE Main from January 21 to 30, 2026, while session 2 will be conducted from April 2 to 9, 2026. The last date tor register for session 1 is November 27, 2025.
Also Check: JEE Main 2026 Registration I JEE Main 2026 exam date

LiveJEE Main 2026 Registration LIVE: NTA publishes FAQs for BTech entrance exam; apply on jeemain.nta.nic.inNov 21, 2025 | 9:06 PM IST

Candidates who are giving improvement exam or re-appearing in one or more subjects to enhance scores in Class 12 will have to choose 'passed' option while filling the JEE Main application form 2025.

Read More

This Story also Contains

  1. How to Avoid Negative Marking in JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Exam?
  2. Tips to Attempt JEE Main 2026 questions to Avoid Negative Marking?
  3. Explore New Exam Pattern for JEE Main 2026
How to Avoid Negative Marking in JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Exam - Best Tips
How to attempt JEE Main 2026 and avoid negative marking?

Many aspirants look for concrete answers to how they should attempt the JEE Mains exam to avoid negative markings. Candidates should first thoroughly understand the JEE Main exam pattern to understand how negative marking works.

How to Avoid Negative Marking in JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Exam?

Understand JEE Main 2026 Exam Pattern

The JEE Main 2026 will consist of two sections. Section A will have 20 multiple-choice questions, while Section B will consist of 10 Numerical value-type questions. For section B, candidates will have a choice to attempt any five questions out of 10. The exam duration is 3 hours with a total mark of 300. There will be a negative marking in both sections A and B. That’s why the students need to avoid negative marking in the real exam.

Here we provide a link to a detailed video, which may help candidates clear their basic doubts regarding the JEE Main exam.

Tips to Attempt JEE Main 2026 questions to Avoid Negative Marking?

According to Toppers, the strategy of attempting the JEE Main question paper should be smart enough. One should always jump upon direct, easy, and memory-based questions whose single reading makes a clear picture of the solution in the candidate's brain. One should read the questions using the old practice of ‘stop, look, and go’. Such easy questions should be attempted with patience while having complete control so that the candidate does not get over-excited and mark the incorrect option. Candidates should avoid expecting a certain concept to repeat in the questions and not lose their presence of mind. For questions where some sort of confusion remains and the exact answer is unknown, aspirants should apply the ‘option elimination theory’.

In addition to the above, aspirants should always take up the JEE Main examination afresh, regardless of how many attempts they might have given and how many previous year papers they have practiced. They should analyze it the first time and then attempt the paper. This is because many times, students assumed that they would not be able to score well because they were not fully prepared or that they did not score well in the mocks. They should always have a positive attitude towards the JEE Main question paper. Not being able to answer two consecutive questions should not let that student think that he or she is not going to qualify.

Time Management for attempting JEE Main 2026

JEE Main exam is conducted for 3 hours, and a total of 90 questions are asked in the exam. So the best strategy for attempting JEE Main is time management, wherein the whole time is divided for each question so that candidates do not devote more than the time allotted to that question. They should keep in mind that all the questions hold the same number of marks and thus, should mark the time-consuming questions for the last minutes to be attempted if they still have some time.

Explore New Exam Pattern for JEE Main 2026

The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains, which is one of the most difficult examinations in the country and is among the most sought-after entrance tests, is also conducted in an online computer-based format. The exam consists of three core subjects: The three common Subjects include Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. The Mathematics section is usually the most unpopular among many candidates since its curriculum is extensive, and the level of understanding of concepts is profound.

The exam is divided into two main sections:

Section A: The quizzes contained in this section are 20 MCQs for each course. What the MCQ requires is four options, and only one of them is the right answer.

Section B: This section has 5 numerical value questions for each of the subject areas, and the candidate only has to answer all five of these. These numerical value questions have to be answered accurately, sometimes to the second decimal place.

How to avoid negative marking in JEE Main 2026?

While practicing, candidates should focus on the JEE Main paper-solving strategy and the silly mistakes that take place due to hurry or lack of concentration. They should also understand how to deal with the questions, or better to, avoid those which they are unable to understand. Also, one should not attempt memory-based questions in a hurry but should go through the provided options and then click on the most appropriate one out of the options available.

How to reduce negative marking in JEE Mains 2026?

The very formula to avoid negative marking in JEE Main is to analyze one's mistakes while practicing with JEE Main mock tests, so that one knows what mistakes are repeating and why. As the Indian educational system is, students are made to focus on what is the right answer, but exams like JEE Main are conducted to ensure who understands the concepts better with their open and focused minds. That is why statements like ‘Which of the following is incorrect’ rather than ‘Which of the following is correct’ are introduced to create a sense of confusion and test the alertness and smartness of the aspirants. Those students who read the question thoroughly and calmly will not make any mistakes in such questions.

How to attempt the JEE Mains Paper?

Many students are too afraid of Physics and sometimes get nervous while dealing with the subject questions. As teachers suggest, one of the most effective JEE Main paper-solving strategies is to carefully read and understand the question provided and get into the essence of what exactly is being asked. The words using which the question is framed in itself carry the solution, and thus, all one has to do is frame a diagram in their mind as to what exactly is being asked.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Are mock tests important to qualify JEE Main exam?
A:

Yes, solving mock tests play an important role in qualifying the JEE Main 2026 exam. 

Q: What will be the duration of JEE Main 2026 ?
A:

JEE Main exam will be conducted for 3 hours.

Q: What will the expected JEE Main exam date 2026 ?
A:

JEE Main 2026 is held twice a year so, the expected date will be in January and April. 

Q: How to reduce negative marking in JEE Mains 2026 ?
A:

To avoid negative markings in JEE Main, candidates are advised to attempt mock tests and sample papers without seeing the solution first. This will help them analyze their mistakes that can be avoided during the entrance exam.

Articles
|
Upcoming Engineering Exams
Ongoing Dates
HITSEEE Application Date

5 Nov'25 - 22 Apr'26 (Online)

Ongoing Dates
SNUSAT Application Date

19 Nov'25 - 31 Mar'26 (Online)

Certifications By Top Providers
Basic Programming using Python
Via Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Introduction to Aerospace Engineering
Via Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Fundamental Concepts of Electricity
Via Indian Institute of Technology Bombay
Artificial Intelligence
Via Columbia University, New York
Computer Fundamentals
Via Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya, Indore
B.Sc in Programming and Data Science
Via Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Udemy
 1525 courses
Swayam
 817 courses
NPTEL
 773 courses
Coursera
 697 courses
Edx
 608 courses
Explore Top Universities Across Globe

Questions related to JEE Main

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to JEE Main ?

Hello murali

No, your son is not eligible for OBC NCL for IIT JEE because you fall in the "creamy layer" occupational category, regardless of your current employment status or family income. Students whose family income is less than Rs. 8 lakhs annually and they are not belong to the "creamy layer".

Note -

  • Children of professionals like doctors, lawyers, and engineers, as well as government officials in Group A and Group B services, are generally considered in the "Creamy layer" category.
  • Your current unemployment does not change your occupational status. The eligibility is based on your profession, not your current job status.

Thank You

Hello,

You can fill the JEE Main form even if you are a private candidate

Write the name of the school/board from where you are appearing as a private candidate .
If your Class 12 admit card or registration slip shows a school/centre name, use that exactly.

If your board lists you as a “Private Candidate” under the board name , then write:

CBSE – Private Candidate
(or your board name – Private Candidate)

Use the pin code of the examination centre/school mentioned on your Class 12 private candidate admit card or registration details.

If your board does not give any school address and only shows the regional office address, then use the regional office address pin code given by your board.

Hope it helps !

Hello Aspirant

You should not leave the OBC-NCL certificate ID blank in the JEE Main form it can create problems later.

NTA wants the certificate details while filling the form, not just at counselling. If you can, apply for the OBC-NCL certificate immediately so you get the ID on time.

If you fail to submit the certificate during counselling, your category will shift to General. It’s safer to enter OBC-NCL only if you’re sure you’ll get the certificate before counselling.

Hope it will help you

Hello,

No, X-rays are not deleted for the JEE 2026 exams. X-rays are part of the electromagnetic spectrum, a topic that remains in the syllabus for both JEE Main and JEE Advanced. Here in this article you will find more about the JEE Main syllabus.

I hope it will clear your query!!

Of course Lakshmi, that's why we are here. As you mentioned, you didn't start preparation for JEE Mains Exam. Don't worry start TODAY. Because today is the best day to start.

Okay you can start with the previous years question papers which you can download by Clicking Here .

You also can browse the JEE Mains Syllabus by Clicking Here . These help you to know which will come in the exam.

If you need any strategical need -- Click Here . This will effectively help you to do more in less time