JEE Main 2026 Marking Scheme Explained by NTA: +4, −1 Rule You Must Know

JEE Main 2026 Marking Scheme Explained by NTA: +4, −1 Rule You Must Know

Team Careers360Updated on 17 Dec 2025, 02:28 PM IST

JEE Main 2026 Marking Scheme- National Testing Agency (NTA) has released marking scheme for JEE Main 2026 at jeemain.nta.ac.in. Candidates preparing for the JEE Main 2026 exam must clearly understand the marking scheme and exam pattern to maximize their scores. The JEE Mains marking scheme 2026 explains the number of questions, marks distribution, and negative marking rules for each subject. The authority will conduct the JEE Main exam in two sessions. Session 1 exam will be held from January 21 to 30, 2026 and Session 2 is scheduled for April 2 to 9, 2026.

LiveJEE Main 2026 City Intimation Slip LIVE: NTA session 1 city slip likely today; exams from January 21Jan 7, 2026 | 4:29 AM IST

The least and most opted courses by candidates at IIT Delhi in the last two years are as follows.

Courses

2025

2024

Chemical Engineering

9920

9219

Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering

9930

9563

Civil Engineering

16128

15122

Chemical Engineering

16591

15805

5-year Computer Science and Engineering

17825

16188

Electrical engineering (power and automation)

17722

16226

Maths and computing

20087

18760

Mechanical Engineering

20357

19035

Computer Science Engineering

27697

25064

Electrical Engineering

23503

21855

JEE Main 2026: IIT Delhi’s CSE, EE most opted; last 2 years' closing ranks for all categories

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This Story also Contains

  1. JEE Main 2026 Marking Scheme – Highlights
  2. JEE Main 2026 Marking Scheme
  3. JEE Main 2026 Exam Pattern
  4. Key Points for JEE Main 2026 Marking Scheme
JEE Main 2026 Marking Scheme Explained by NTA: +4, −1 Rule You Must Know
JEE Main 2026 Marking Scheme

There will be a total of 75 questions of 300 marks in JEE Main 2026. Each question will have +4 marks and -1 will be deducted for incorrect response. The complete details of the updated JEE Mains marking scheme is updated on this page. Along with the JEE marking scheme, candidates should also be aware of all topics listed in JEE Main syllabus 2026.

JEE Main 2026 Marking Scheme – Highlights

Below are the key details of the marking scheme for JEE Main 2026:

Particulars

Details

Total Number of Questions

75 (25 Questions in each section)

Questions to be Attempted

75 (25 per subject)

Marks for Correct Answer

+4

Marks for Wrong Attempt

-1 (only for MCQs)

Marks for Unattempted Question

0

Question Types

  • MCQ

  • Numerical Value Questions

Total Marks

300

JEE Main 2026 Marking Scheme

The JEE Main 2026 paper will consist of two sections in each subject:

  • Section A (MCQs) : All Compulsory, with negative marking.

  • Section B (Numerical Value Questions) : All Compulsory, with no negative marking.

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Subject-Wise JEE Main Marking Scheme

Subject

Physics

Chemistry

Mathematics

Section A (MCQs) : All Compulsory

20

20

20

Section (Numerical)

05

05

05

Total Number of Questions

25

25

25

Marks Distribution

25 x 4 = 100

25 x 4 = 100

25 x 4 = 100

Total Marks

300

JEE Main 2026 Exam Pattern

Candidates should also understand the overall JEE Main 2026 exam pattern before preparation:

Particulars

Details

Exam Mode

Computer Based Test (CBT)

Duration

3 Hours (180 Minutes)

Language

English, Hindi, and Regional Languages (as per choice)

Type of Questions

MCQs & Numerical Value Questions

Total Marks

300 (Paper 1)

Type of Questions

MCQs & Numerical Value Questions

Key Points for JEE Main 2026 Marking Scheme

  • Each correct answer will award +4 marks.

  • Each incorrect MCQ will deduct -1 mark.

  • No negative marking for Numerical Value Questions.

  • In Section B, candidates need to attempt only 5 out of 10 numerical questions in each subject.

  • The total marks for JEE Main Paper 1 (B.E/B.Tech) is 300 marks.

JEE Main 2026: Preparation Tips & Study Plan
Download the JEE Main 2026 Preparation Tips PDF to boost your exam strategy. Get expert insights on managing study material, focusing on key topics and high-weightage chapters.
Download EBook
JEE Main Syllabus: Subjects & Chapters
Select your preferred subject to view the chapters

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What are the total marks of JEE Main 2026?
A:

The JEE Main 2026 Paper 1 will be for 300 marks with a duration of 3 hours.

Q: How many questions need to be attempted in JEE Main 2026?
A:

Candidates have to attempt 75 questions in total – 25 each from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.

Q: What is the marking scheme of JEE Main 2026?
A:

In JEE Main 2026, each correct answer gives +4 marks, while every wrong MCQ deducts 1 mark. Numerical questions have no negative marking.

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Career360 link for JEE Main short notes:

JEE Main short notes for Physics Chemistry and Mathematics

https://www.careers360.com/jee-main-study-material

You can open this link in your browser to access chapter-wise short notes, formula sheets, and important points for JEE Main preparation. These notes are helpful for quick revision and understanding key concepts

JEE Main aspirants should prepare short notes for quick revision of important concepts and formulas from Physics Chemistry and Mathematics. Short notes help in revising topics like kinematics laws of motion current electricity chemical bonding periodic table quadratic equations trigonometry and coordinate geometry in less time. Regular revision of these

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Since you’re in Delhi and have already registered for JEE, BITSAT, VITEEE, and CUET, you can also consider registering for a few additional entrance exams to keep more options open. These include COMEDK UGET (for private engineering colleges in Karnataka), WBJEE (West Bengal engineering colleges), MHT CET (Maharashtra colleges

If you want to pursue Biotechnology without appearing for JEE, you can do so by taking the CUET (UG) examination, which is accepted by many central and state universities for admission into B.Sc . Biotechnology or related life science courses. After appearing in CUET and receiving your scorecard, the next

Hello,

Based on previous year cutoff trends, SC category students usually need around 50 to 60 marks in JEE Main to qualify.

In recent years, the cutoff for SC category has been around 60 marks out of 300 .
The exact marks change every year. It depends on the exam