JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2026 (Released) - Class 12 Marks, Age Limit, Number of Attempts

JEE Main 2026 Eligibility Criteria Highlights

Students must meet the JEE Mains 2026 eligibility for admission to various colleges accepting NTA JEE scores. The JEE Main attempt limit is three consecutive years. The National Testing Agency conducts JEE Main for admission into the undergraduate (UG) courses offered by the JEE Main 2026 participating institutes. For more details about the JEE Main eligibility criteria, 2026 candidates can check below.
Also Read: JEE Main Study Material 2026

Overview of JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2026

What are the Eligibility Criteria for JEE Main 2026?

Applicants must check the eligibility criteria for JEE Mains 2026 before filling out the application form. Candidates failing to meet the necessary JEE Main eligibility criteria 2026 will be rejected at a later stage of the admission process.

JEE Main 2026 Eligibility Criteria

Check the eligibility criteria for JEE Main 2026 below:

JEE Main Qualifying exam

• Students should have passed the 12th class or qualified for the exam in 2025 or 2026.
• Candidates appearing in the 12th class or equivalent qualifying exams in 2026 can also apply

JEE Mains age limit

• For appearing in the JEE Main 2026, there is no age limit for the candidates. Candidates who have passed the class 12 or are in equivalent examination in 2024, 2025 or appearing in 2026, irrespective of their age, can appear in the JEE Main - 2026 examination. However, the candidates may be required to fulfil the age criteria of the Institute to which they are desirous of taking admission.

JEE Main Number of Attempts

• JEE Main attempt limit is set for three consecutive years.
• The entrance test will be conducted in two sessions (January & April).
• Candidates must have passed class 12 in 2024, 2025, or be appearing in 2026.

JEE Main Eligibility Criteria of Subjects in Class 12/Qualifying Exam

• B.E/B.Tech: Applicants should have passed the qualifying exam with Physics, Mathematics, and any one of the chemistry, Biology, Biotechnology, or Technical Vocational Subjects).

• B.Arch: Applicants should have passed the qualifying exam with Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry.

• B. Plan: Applicants should have passed the qualifying exam in Mathematics.

JEE Main Eligibility Criteria NTA 2026 Qualifying Exams

• The final exam (10+2 system), is conducted by any recognised Central/ State Board, such as the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE), New Delhi; Council for the Indian School Certificate Examinations (ISCE), New Delhi, etc.
• The final exam of the 2-year course of the Joint Services Wing of the National Defence Academy
• Senior Secondary School Examination conducted by the National Institute of Open Schooling has a minimum of five subjects.
• Any Public School/ Board/ University examination in India or any foreign country recognised as equivalent to the 10+2 system by the Association of Indian Universities (AIU)
• Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) Vocational Examination
• A Diploma recognized by AICTE or a State board of technical education of a minimum of three years duration
• General Certificate of Education (GCE) examination (London/Cambridge/Sri Lanka) at the Advanced (A) level
• High School Certificate Examination of the Cambridge University or International Baccalaureate Diploma of the International Baccalaureate Office, Geneva.
• Candidates who completed the class 12 (or equivalent) exam outside India or from a Board not specified above should produce a certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU) to the effect that the exam they have passed is equivalent to the class 12 exam.
• In case the class 12 exam is not a public exam, the candidate must have passed at least one public (Board or Pre-University) exam earlier.

JEE Main Eligibility Marks in 12th

To appear for the JEE Main exam, there is no Class 12 minimum marks requirement. However, candidates must have a minimum of 75% marks in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics to get admission to IITs, NITs, IIITs and some premium colleges. JEE Main eligibility marks in 12th class are necessary to get admission, irrespective of your JEE Main rank or percentile. Also, the JEE Main eligibility marks in 12th for SC and ST remain the same.

JEE Main 2026 State of Eligibility

Candidates are required to enter their state of eligibility while filling out the application form.

JEE Main State of Eligibility 2026: Snippets

• The state code of eligibility for JEE Mains does not depend upon the native place or the residence place of the candidate.
• If a student has passed the 12th class exam or equivalent exam from a state but has appeared for the improvement/supplementary exam from a different state, then the state code where they passed the qualifying exam will be taken into account for eligibility.
• The 12th percentage required for the JEE Mains 2026 or equivalent exam from NIOS has to choose the state of eligibility based on the state in which the study centre is located.
• For Indian nationals who have passed class 12th or equivalent from Nepal/Bhutan, the State code of eligibility will be given based on the permanent address in India as mentioned in the passport.
• The State code of eligibility of OCI/PIO passing the class 12 exam in India will be at par with Indian nationals, however, OCI/PIO passing the 12th class exam from a college/institution abroad will be eligible for other state quota seats or All India quota seats in all NITs, IIITs, and Other-CFTIs (not for Home State quota seats).

List of JEE Mains States

Candidates can find the list of states where the JEE Main 2026 exam will be conducted. In case of any changes, the same is updated here.

State Code of Eligibility

JEE Mains Eligibility Criteria for Admissions in NITs, IIITs, and CFTIs

• JEE Main Eligibility Marks in 12th for NITs/IIITs/GFTIs Admission: Students must have passed the 12th class with 75 percent required for JEE Mains 2026 or they should be in the top 20 percentile in their class 12 exam (65% for SC/ST candidates).

• JEE Main 2026 Admission (B.Arch/B.Planning): He/She should have passed a 10+2 or equivalent exam from a recognized board with the required JEE Main eligibility marks in 12th which is 50% aggregate marks.

JEE Main 2026: Subject Combinations for Admissions

To get admission into NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs, below given subject-combinations must be studied in Class 12th as per NTA JEE Mains eligibility criteria 2026.

• B.Tech/B.E: Physics, and Maths as mandatory subjects along with one of the subjects such as Chemistry/Biology/Biotechnology/Technical Vocational subjects.

• B.Arch: Mathematics, Physics & Chemistry subjects.

• B.Planning: He/She must have passed the qualifying exam with Maths subject.

JEE Main Eligibility Criteria for Appearing in JEE Advanced

Candidates who clear the JEE Main exam and rank in the top 2,50,000, will be eligible to apply for the JEE Advanced exam. Check further JEE Advanced eligibility criteria based on JEE Main below.

• JEE Main 2026 rank should be under 2,50,000 (including all categories).
• Candidates will be shortlisted based on the reservation category. Here is the percentage distribution of various categories among the top 2.5 lakh applicants as per the previous year's notification.
  • GEN-EWS - 10%
  • OBC-NCL - 27%
  • SC - 15%
  • ST - 7.5%
  • OPEN - 40.5%
  • PwD - 5% horizontal reservation in all of the above.

Apart from the above-mentioned JEE Main eligibility criteria for appearing in JEE Advanced, candidates also have to fulfil certain conditions based on age limit, number of attempts, Class 12th exam and previous admission to IITs. For more in-depth knowledge aspirants are advised to refer to the JEE Advanced eligibility criteria online.

JEE Mains 2026 Eligibility Criteria for Droppers

Candidates who take a break from their education in order to prepare for the JEE Main 2026 exam are called Droppers. The JEE Main 2026 eligibility criteria for droppers is specified below.

• There is no age limit for candidates appearing for JEE Main 2026.
• Candidates must have passed their class 12 exam in 2024, 2025 and 2026 to be eligible.
• According to JEE eligibility 2026, candidates are allowed three consecutive attempts.
• Students must meet the minimum qualification marks required for JEE main.
• Candidates should have studied at least five subjects in their class 12 or qualifying exam (Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics mandatory).