How Many Attempts for JEE Mains 2026? - Eligibility & NTA Rules Explained Here

How Many Attempts for JEE Mains 2026? - Eligibility & NTA Rules Explained Here

Ongoing Event

JEE Main Application Date:31 Oct' 25 - 27 Nov' 25

Team Careers360Updated on 01 Nov 2025, 12:48 PM IST

How many attempts for JEE Mains 2026? - The National Testing Agency will conduct the JEE Mains 2026 exam in two sessions, the first session will be held from January 21 to 30, 2026, and the second session is scheduled for April 2 to 9, 2026. Candidates will be allowed six attempts for the JEE Mains 2026 exam. Candidates can check the details of how many attempts are allowed for JEE Mains 2026 on this page. As per the JEE Main eligibility criteria 2026, candidates can attempt the JEE Mains over three consecutive years, making it a total of six attempts. Candidates must note that there is no upper age limit for appearing in the JEE Main 2026 exam. The authority will conduct the JEE Main exam in online mode.
Also Check: JEE Main 2026 registration | JEE Main 2026 exam date

LiveJEE Main 2026 Registration LIVE: NTA application link at jeemain.nta.nic.in; exam cities increases to 323Nov 9, 2025 | 3:42 PM IST

JEE Main 2026 | IIT Delhi's closing ranks for various BTech programmes under the open category are as follows.

Courses

Closing ranks

Civil Engineering

Gender neutral - 4302

Female only - 9193

Electrical Engineering

Gender neutral - 605

Female only - 2627

Electrical Engineering (Power and Automation)

Gender neutral - 823

Female only - 2886

Computer Science Engineering

Gender neutral - 126

Female only - 498

Chemical engineering

Gender neutral - 2548

Female only - 5968

Biotechnology and Biochemical Engineering

Gender neutral - 4999

Female only - 8927

Mechanical Engineering

Gender neutral - 1862

Female only - 5178

Mathematics and Computing

Gender neutral - 323

Female only - 1234

BTech Design

Gender neutral - 12217

Female only - 23166

Textile Technology

Gender neutral - 5733

Female only - 11158

Engineering physics

Gender neutral - 2565

Female only - 6755

Production and Industrial Engineering

Gender neutral - 3223

Female only - 7617

Chemical Engineering (5-year)

Gender neutral - 3454

Female only - 7561

Mathematics and Computing (5-year)

Gender neutral - 355

Female only - 2258

JEE Main 2026: IIT Delhi closing ranks for top BTech courses under open category

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This Story also Contains

  1. How Many Times can a candidate appear for JEE Main?
  2. How Many Attempts For JEE Mains For the General Category
  3. How Many Attempts For JEE Mains For OBC
  4. JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2026
  5. JEE Main Application Form 2026
How Many Attempts for JEE Mains 2026? - Eligibility & NTA Rules Explained Here
How Many Attempts for JEE Mains 2026

However, in a single year, candidates can appear for the exam only twice. Students aspiring for admission in NITs, IIITs, or IITs often talk about the number of attempts of JEE Main 2026. This means they can appear for the exam twice every year for 3 consecutive years. Read the complete article for more details on the number of attempts in JEE Main 2026.

How Many Times can a candidate appear for JEE Main?

As per the JEE Main eligibility criteria, candidates can appear for JEE Mains 6 times in 3 consecutive years. That is, candidates qualified/appearing for Class 12th in the last 3 years are eligible to appear for JEE Main. NTA JEE Main exam 2026 will be conducted in two sessions. Candidates who are attempting the JEE Main exam for the first time in 2026 will be eligible to take to test in 2026 and 2027 as well. The answer to the question of the number of attempts in JEE Mains for the general category is that students can appear for three consecutive years from the year of passing their class 12. For more information on the JEE Mains attempt limit and the advantages, applicants can read the following pointers.

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JEE Main 2026 Schedule (Tentative)

EventsJEE January Dates (Session 1)JEE April Dates (Session 2)
Start date for JEE Main registrationOctober 31, 2025Last week of January 2026
Last date for JEE Main registrationNovember 27, 2025February 2026
JEE Main 2026 exam correction dateDecember 2025February 2026
Release of Advanced city intimation slipJanuary 2026March 2026
JEE Main January 2026 admit card release dateJanuary 2026March 2026
JEE Main 2026 exam dates session 1January 21 to 30, 2026April 2 to 9, 2026
Answer key release dateFebruary 2026April 2026
Last date to challenge the provisional answer keyFebruary 2026April 2026
Release date of JEE Main answer keyFebruary 2026April 2026
JEE Main 2026 session 1 result dateFebruary 2026
JEE Main 2026 session 2 result dateApril 2026
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

Related links:

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Advantages of 2 attempts for JEE Main 2026

Candidates have the following benefits under two sessions for JEE Main:

  • Candidates will be able to improve their scores in the second attempt if they are not satisfied with their IIT JEE Main 2026 first session result.
  • The second attempt will help the candidates to overcome the mistakes from session one if any.
  • This will reduce the probability of dropping a year. Thus, candidates do not have to waste an entire year.
  • In case any candidate misses the first session, they will not have to wait for one more year to appear for the JEE Main exam.

How Many Attempts For JEE Mains For the General Category

For the JEE Main exam, candidates from the general category are allowed a maximum of 6 attempts. This ensures fairness and opportunities for aspiring engineers to showcase their aptitude and secure admissions to esteemed institutions across the country.

How Many Attempts For JEE Mains For OBC

Candidates belonging to the OBC (Other Backward Classes) category are granted a maximum of six attempts for the JEE Main exam in three consecutive years. This provision ensures that OBC candidates have equitable opportunities to showcase their potential and secure admissions to top-notch engineering institutions in the country.

Validity of JEE Main Score 2026

The score of JEE Main is valid for the current year only. This means if a candidate appears for JEE Main 2026 he/she can apply for admission to the institute only for the academic year 2026-27. Candidates will be able to check the qualifying marks for JEE Main 2025 online. Candidates have to use the JEE Main login 2025 to check their scores.

JEE Main Eligibility Criteria 2026

The authority released the JEE Main 2026 eligibility criteria online. Candidates need to check the information bulletin for eligibility criteria. The eligibility criteria for JEE Main 2026 consist of educational qualifications, number of attempts, nationality, and more. According to the criteria, the eligibility conditions of JEE Main 2026 are as follows-

JEE Main 2026 Eligibility Criteria

CriteriaDetails

JEE Main 2026 Number of Attempts

NTA will conduct the JEE Mains 2026 in two sessions - January and April. Students will be able to appear in the exam two times a year. Also, students can appear in JEE Main for three consecutive years from the year of passing their class 12 exam.

Age Criteria for JEE Main 2026

NTA has not mandated any criteria for the age of candidates appearing for the JEE Main. Students of any age can appear in the exam, but only for three consecutive years after passing their class 12.

Criteria for Subjects in Class 12

Students who are aiming for B.Tech admission must have studied Physics and Mathematics as compulsory subjects along with any one subject among Chemistry/Biotechnology/Biology/Technical Vocational subjects in class 12 and must have passed in each subject.

B.Arch aspirants must have passed class 12 or its equivalent examination with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics. For B.Plan, candidates must have Mathematics in class 12.
No Diploma holder is eligible for the entrance exam. Rest the eligibility criteria remain the same as B.Tech aspirants.

Criteria of Percentage of Marks in Class 12

Candidates must have secured at least 75% marks in the Class 12 examination conducted by the respective Boards. For SC/ST candidates the qualifying marks would be 65% in Class 12/qualifying examination. The candidate is also required to pass each of the subjects of the Class 12 / qualifying examination.

Criteria of Year of Appearance in JEE Main 2026

Students appearing in JEE Main 2026 must have passed class 12 not earlier than 2023.

JEE Main Syllabus: Subjects & Chapters
Select your preferred subject to view the chapters

JEE Main Application Form 2026

NTA is conducting the JEE Main 2026 registration for session 1 from October 31 to November 27, 2025. The application process involves registration, form filling, uploading photographs & signatures, and payment of registration fees. Candidates can fill and submit the JEE Main application form on the website, jeemain.nta.nic.in.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: What is the age criteria for JEE Main 2026?
A:

NTA has not mandated any criteria for the age of candidates appearing for the JEE Main.

Q: How many attempts are there in the JEE Main 2026?
A:

There are two attempts in the year 2026. Candidates can attempt both the sessions of the JEE Main exam. The session is being conducted in January, and session 2 will be held in April. 

Q: What is the criteria of percentage of marks in class 12th?
A:

Candidates must have secured at least 75% marks in the Class 12 examination. SC/ST candidates must have 65% in the Class 12/qualifying exam. The candidate is also required to pass in each of the subjects of Class 12 / qualifying exam.

Q: How many times JEE Mains conducted in a year?
A:

The JEE Main exam is conducted twice a year, with attempt 1 taking place in January and attempt 2 in April.

Q: What is the JEE Mains attempt limit?
A:

JEE Main aspirants are allowed to attempt entrance exams for 3 consecutive years. JEE Main 2025 will be conducted twice this year, and the candidates can appear in both sessions. 

Q: What is the benefit of extra attempts in JEE Main exam?
A:

Extra attempts will help the candidates to overcome the mistakes from session one if any, improve their scores, reduce the probability of dropping a year, and more.

Q: What is the validity of the JEE Main scorecard?
A:

The JEE Main scorecard is valid for the current year only. It means if a candidate appears for JEE Main 2025, then he/she can apply for admission in the institutes for the academic year 2025-26. 

Q: How many times can we give JEE Mains?
A:

A candidate can appear in the JEE Main exam 6 times in 3 three consecutive years after 12th class.

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Questions related to JEE Main

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to JEE Main ?

Hi dear aspirant,

You want to prepare for JEE Mains in 2 months. Don't worry you still make the most of your preparation with a smart strategy. You can check out these detailed tips and tricks from Careers360 including important topics, revision strategies, and ways to improve your speed and accuracy.

Here's the link you can check :

https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/jee-main-preparation-tips

If you follow a proper plan and practice regularly, you can boost your chances of scoring well in JEE Mains.

BEST REGARDS

Currently, there is no official release of JEE Mains 2026 registration begin. But on an average, every year there will be 11 Lakh to 12.5 Lakh students register

Hello,

If you belong to the BC (Backward Class) category, you can choose OBC-NCL in JEE Mains only if your caste is included in the Central OBC list released by the Government of India.

Here’s how it works:

  • Central OBC list: Used for national-level exams like JEE, NEET, UPSC, etc.

  • State BC list: Used only for state-level admissions or jobs.

So, if your BC caste name is in the Central list, select OBC–NCL while filling the JEE form.
If your caste is not in the Central list, choose General category, because the state BC certificate won’t be valid for JEE.

Example:
If you’re BC in Tamil Nadu but your caste isn’t in India’s Central list, you’ll be counted as General for JEE.

Hope you understand.

Hello,

No, it’s not compulsory to fill the APAAR ID in the JEE Main application form right now.

If your APAAR ID shows a “credential mismatch” error even after entering the correct number, don’t worry, you can simply leave it blank and continue filling the form.

  • The APAAR ID field is optional for most students.

  • It’s mainly for linking your academic records under the Academic Bank of Credits (ABC) system.

  • The mismatch often happens if your Aadhaar details or school record name format differ.

So, you can submit your JEE form without the APAAR ID, and it won’t affect your application.


Hope you understand.