JEE Main 2026 Exam Pattern Changes: NTA has released the JEE Main 2026 exam pattern on the official website, jeemain.nta.nic.in. There are no changes in the JEE Main exam pattern 2026. JEE Main 2026 exam will be held in CBT mode. The JEE Main 2026 exam paper pattern consists of three papers: Paper 1 for B.E./B. Tech, Paper 2A for B.Arch, and Paper 2B for B.Plan. JEE Main 2026 Paper 1 includes Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, with 75 mandatory questions. Paper 2A consists of 77 questions from Mathematics, Aptitude, and Drawing. Paper 2B will have 100 questions from Mathematics, Aptitude, and Planning sections. The JEE Main 2026 session 2 BTech will be conducted from April 2 to 9, 2026. Also, the JEE Main 2026 session 1 has concluded on Januay 29, 2026.
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The JEE Main 2026 is a national-level entrance test conducted to offer admission in engineering and architecture courses in top colleges and institutions in India. In this article, Careers360 will discuss JEE Main exam details like pattern changes over the years, JEE Main expected changes, and the actual exam pattern.
The NTA has not announced any changes to the 2026 exam pattern so far. However, there were some notifiable changes made last year. Below is a table consisting of the exam pattern changes made in 2025:
| Criteria | JEE Main 2024 | JEE Main 2025 | Changes Highlighted |
|---|---|---|---|
Section A (Paper 1) | 20 MCQs per subject (PCM) | 20 MCQs per subject (PCM) | No changes |
Section B (Paper 1) | 10 numerical questions (5 to be answered, choice) | 5 numerical questions (all mandatory) | Removal of 5 optional questions |
Paper 2A Maths (B.Arch) | 10 numericals (5 to be answered, choice) | 5 numericals (all mandatory) | Removal of 5 optional questions |
Paper 2B Maths (B.Plan) | 10 numericals (5 to be answered, choice) | 5 numericals (all mandatory) | Removal of 5 optional questions |
Negative Marking (Numerical) | Not applicable | Applicable (-1 for incorrect answer) | Negative marking introduced |
Total Questions (Paper 1) | 90 questions (75 to be answered) | 75 questions (all are mandatory) | Reduced number of questions |
Total Marks (Paper 1) | 300 | 300 | No change |
The JEE Main exam pattern for 2026 has been released on the official website. The exam pattern consists of 2 papers- Paper 1 and Paper 2A and 2B. The exam is conducted for 3 hours in computer-based mode. Candidates can check the exam pattern below which is paper-wise and in detail:
| Subjecy | Section A (MCQs) | Section B (Numerical Value Questions) | Total Questions per Subject | Marks per Subject | Total Marks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mathematics | 20 | 5 | 25 | 100 | |
Physics | 20 | 5 | 25 | 100 | |
Chemistry | 20 | 5 | 25 | 100 | |
Total | 60 | 15 | 75 | 300 | 300 |
Section | Question Type | Number of Questions | Marks | Exam Mode |
Mathematics | 20 MCQs + 5 Numerical | 25 | 100 | Computer-Based Test |
Aptitude Test | Multiple Choice Questions | 50 | 200 | Computer-Based Test |
Drawing Test | Drawing Questions | 2 | 100 | Pen-and-Paper (Offline) |
Total | 77 | 400 |
Section | Question Type | Number of Questions | Marks | Exam Mode |
Mathematics | 20 MCQs + 5 Numerical | 25 | 100 | Computer-Based Test |
Aptitude Test | Multiple Choice Questions | 50 | 200 | Computer-Based Test |
Planning Based Questions | Multiple Choice Questions | 25 | 100 | Computer-Based Test |
Total | 100 | 400 |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
The Paper 1 consists of subjects of Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics with total marks being 300.
The authority has not made any changes to the JEE Main 2026 paper pattern so far.
On Question asked by student community
Approx 1 lakh to 3 lakhs as you are from a general category
There are many NITs that accepts JEE Main rank below 35,000 in different branches including Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and many more. These NITs are -
Yes, based on previous years' trends, some of the good colleges that offer BTech admissions with JEE Main rank between 65,000–80,000 include:
Arnav Gautam & P.Mohith secured 300 out of 300 in JEE Mains session 1, as per the provisional answer key. The list of toppers to be released with JEE Main results
JEE Main 2026 session 1 result is not declared yet. JEE Main session 1 result will be declared on February 12.
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