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    JEE Main VS JEE Advanced 2026 - Difference in Syllabus, Exam Pattern

    JEE Main VS JEE Advanced 2026 - Difference in Syllabus, Exam Pattern

    #JEE Main
    Team Careers360Updated on 16 Dec 2025, 01:44 PM IST

    JEE Main Vs JEE Advanced - Key differences: Aspirants can check this page for the key differences in JEE Main and JEE Advanced. It will help in devising a combined preparation plan. JEE Main is conducted by NTA, while JEE Advanced is conducted by participating IITs. Candidates qualifying for the JEE Main exam are considered for admission to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. Whereas JEE Advanced qualifying candidates will be offered admission to the best IITs. The top 2,50,000 JEE Main qualifiers are eligible to take the JEE Advanced exam. When preparing for both exams, candidates will find a key difference in the syllabus and exam pattern. Based on their eligibility criteria, admission to various types of institutes, exam pattern, syllabus, etc, students will be able to differentiate between JEE Main Vs JEE Advanced crystal clear.

    Live | Apr 11, 2026 | 3:15 AM IST

    JEE Main 2026 Answer Key LIVE: NTA April provisional key at jeemain.nta.nic.in today; BTech cutoffs

    National Testing Agency (NTA) faced criticism after the Coaching Federation of India reported 17 errors in the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 answer key and demanded bonus marks for 10 questions, citing ambiguity, numerical inconsistencies, and multiple correct options.

    According to CFI, 10 of these questions should receive “bonus” marks as they were fundamentally flawed or unclear. The remaining seven were said to contain issues such as incorrect numerical values, wrong answer choices, or more than one correct answer. Physics accounted for the highest number of disputed questions among all subjects.

    17 errors in JEE Main 2026 session 1 answer key; ‘one mark can change ranks’, says CFI

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    This Story also Contains

    1. What is JEE Main vs JEE Advanced
    2. JEE Main VS JEE Advanced- Key differences
    3. JEE Main VS JEE Advanced- Eligibility and Attempts
    4. JEE Main VS JEE Advanced- Exam Pattern
    JEE Main VS JEE Advanced 2026 - Difference in Syllabus, Exam Pattern
    JEE Main VS JEE Advanced 2026 - Difference in Syllabus, Exam Pattern

    However, JEE Main and JEE Advanced candidates will have to fulfil the minimum eligibility conditions, i.e. Class 12 passed, to secure admission. Further, candidates can also check the JEE Main 2026 college predictor to find the best colleges for admission. Students can refer to the article below to learn more about JEE Main VS JEE Advanced in detail.

    What is JEE Main vs JEE Advanced

    JEE Main exam is a national-level exam conducted as a computer-based test for admission to BTech courses. The authorities conduct the JEE Main exam for B.E./B. Tech course admission at NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs. The JEE Main exam tests fundamental concepts that align closely with the CBSE syllabus.

    Whereas, Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Advanced is also a national-level exam conducted for admission to the BTech course in top IITs and other participating institutions. Admission to IITs is through counselling conducted by the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA). The JEE advanced test covers complex subjects, analytical thinking, problem solving, and a more deep topics.

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    JEE Main VS JEE Advanced- Key differences

    JEE Main is the entrance exam for NITs, IIITs, and other government-funded institutes, and also qualifies students for JEE Advanced, which is required for IIT admissions. JEE Main is held twice a year, while JEE Advanced is held once for top-ranking students. Understanding the differences helps students plan their preparation effectively. Given below is a detailed table for students to understand JEE Main VS JEE Advanced -

    Key differences- JEE Main VS JEE Advanced

    DifferenceJEE MainJEE Advanced

    Official website link

    jeemain.nta.ac.in

    jeeadv.ac.in

    Admission to institutes

    Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)

    Eligibility

    • Should have passed 10 + 2 from a science background with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects.

    • Minimum 75% aggregate

    • B.Arch/ B. Plan- 50% aggregate scores

    • One among the top 2,50,000 candidates who cleared JEE Mains.
    • Class 12 with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects
    • Minimum 75% for (gen/OBC)

    Paper

    • Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech.)

    or

    • Paper 2A (B.Arch.)

    or

    • Paper 2B (B.Planning.) and B.Arch. & B.Planning (both)

    • JEE Advanced Paper 1 & 2

    • JEE Advanced AAT

    Registration Fee

    Single Paper

    • General Male Candidates - Rs. 1000

    • OBC Male Candidates - Rs. 900

    • General/OBC Female Candidates - Rs. 800

    • SC/ST/PwD/Transgender Candidates - Rs 500


    More than One Paper

    • General/OBC Male Candidates - Rs. 2000

    • General/OBC Female Candidates - Rs. 1600

    • SC/ST/PwD/Transgender Candidates - Rs. 1000

    Female Candidates (all categories) ₹ 1600

    SC, ST, and PwD Candidates ₹ 1600

    All Other Candidates ₹ 3200

    Exam Duration

    3 Hours

    6 Hours

    Counselling

    Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JOSAA)

    Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JOSAA)

    JEE Main Paper 1

    JEE Main Paper 2

    JAC Delhi B.Tech Admission

    CSAB

    JoSAA Counselling

    MP B.E Admission

    Haryana Admission

    Uttarakhand Admission

    Maharashtra CAP All India Counselling

    UPTAC

    WBJEE Counselling

    IPU CET Counselling

    Chandigarh Admission

    TIET B.Tech Admission

    IIIT Hyderabad B.Tech Admission

    JEE Main VS JEE Advanced- Eligibility and Attempts

    The eligibility criteria for JEE Main and JEE Advanced differ slightly based on various factors. Students can refer to the key pointers below to check the difference between JEE Main Vs JEE Advanced.

    Age- When it comes to JEE Main Vs JEE Advanced, there is no age restriction for the JEE Main exam. For JEE Advanced, a five-year age relaxation is given to ST, SC and PwD candidates.

    Attempt- A candidate can attempt JEE (Advanced) a maximum of two times in two consecutive years. As for JEE Main, students are eligible to appear the exam 6 times over three consecutive years.

    Education qualification- Students will need to pass 10 + 2 to qualify for both JEE Main and JEE Advanced exam. Students are also required to pass with a minimum aggregate of 75% for general (65% for SC/ST).

    JEE Main VS JEE Advanced- Exam Pattern

    JEE Main consists of multiple sections and is held twice a year, allowing students three consecutive years to participate. It serves as the qualifying exam for NITs, IIITs, and other government-funded institutions. On the other hand, JEE Advanced, conducted once a year, comprises two papers with multiple-choice and numerical-type questions. It is specifically for students seeking admission to IITs and other select institutes, with only two attempts allowed in consecutive years. To understand the exam pattern for JEE Main Vs JEE Advanced, students should look out for the exam marking scheme, exam mode of conduct, language, etc. Students should therefore refer to the table below for the differences between JEE Main and JEE Advanced.

    Exam pattern for JEE Main VS JEE Advanced

    ParticularsJEE Main DetailsJEE Advanced Details

    Mode of Conduct

    Computer-based examination

    Computer-based examination

    Language of Examination

    English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu.

    English and Hindi

    Type of Questions

    • Multiple choice questions (MCQs)

    • Questions with numerical values as answers

    • MCQs

    • Numerical value answer type questions

    • Single-digit integer answer

    No. of Sections

    Three are three sections:

    • Mathematics

    • Physics

    • Chemistry

    Both papers include 3 sections-

    Paper 1-

    • Physics

    • Chemistry

    • Mathematics

    Paper 2-

    • Physics

    • Chemistry

    • Mathematics

    JEE Mains Total questions

    75 Questions (25 questions in each section)

    54 Questions (18 questions each)

    jee main vs jee advanced marks

    300 Marks (100 marks for each section)

    306 Marks

    JEE Mains negative marking

    MCQs:

    • For each correct answer Four marks will be awarded

    • Negative marking of one mark on each wrong answer.


    Questions with numerical value answers:

    • Four marks for each correct answer

    • Negative marking of 1 mark for each wrong answer.

    The exam has a concept of full, partial and zero marks.


    JEE Main vs JEE Advanced difficulty

    Moderate to difficult

    Moderate to difficult

    Difference Between JEE Main And JEE Advanced

    JEE Main is the entrance exam for admission to NITs, IIITs, and other central and state government-funded institutes. It is held twice a year, allowing students multiple opportunities to take the exam.

    JEE Advanced is used for admission to IITs, IISTs, and RGIPTs. Unlike JEE Main, JEE Advanced is conducted once a year and is specifically for students who have qualified for JEE Main.

    JEE Main Vs JEE Advanced Syllabus

    JEE Main includes Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, Aptitude test, and Planning-Based Objective Type.

    JEE Advanced covers Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics with a focus on specific topics

    JEE Main Vs JEE Advanced which is better

    JEE Main is aligned with the NCERT syllabus and is generally easier than JEE Advanced. It provides entry to NITs, IIITs, and other GFTIs and also serves as the qualifier for JEE Advanced. A top 2,50,000 rank in JEE Main allows you to sit for JEE Advanced.

    JEE Advanced, on the other hand, is more challenging and tests a deeper understanding of concepts. It is specifically for admission into the top-tier Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) and other select institutions like IIST and RGIPT. To gain admission to these elite colleges, a high rank in JEE Advanced is crucial.

    JEE Main vs JEE Advanced preparation

    JEE Main includes Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics from CBSE classes 11 and 12.

    JEE Advanced has additional topics like Thermal Physics and electrochemistry not covered in JEE Main. Some topics are exclusive to JEE Advanced.

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

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    Q: Which is better: JEE Mains or Advanced?
    A:

    Students wanting to secure a better seat in top technology institutes like IITs should aim for JEE Advanced.

    Q: What is the gap between jee mains and jee Advanced?
    A:

    The gap between JEE Mains and JEE Advanced is around 40- 50 days.

    Q: How much time is given in JEE Advanced?
    A:

    Students will be allotted a total of 3 hours for the JEE Advanced exam.

    Q: What is the difference between JEE Mains and JEE Advanced?
    A:

    Students can refer to our article to know about the differences between JEE Mains and JEE Advanced.

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    On Question asked by student community

    Have a question related to JEE Main ?
    can anyone tell me if in jee mains obc ncl rank will be something around 1 lakhs to 1.3 lakh then will this rank will be used for seat allocation in ojee counselling 2026 ?? also in ojee obc ncl category rank is used as crl for counselling???

    Yes, with a rank of 1 to 3 lakh in OBC-NCL, you may elligible for to participate in OJEE 2026 counselling . OJEE counselling primarily uses the JEE Main Common Rank List for seat allocation; it also considers OBC-NCL category ranks for state reservation benefits. If your OBC-NCL rank is

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    I am a JEE 2028 aspirant. Please suggest vibrant online or motion online??

    Both the coaching institutions are well known for their JEE classes. Based on online reviews, Vibrant Academy is known to offer classes with a higher focus on JEE Advanced, meaning tougher maths and physics questions. Whereas Motion is known for a balanced approach between JEE Main and JEE Advanced.
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    K Guna Sahiti
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    Jee mains hindi medium memory based question

    Hi Bhanu Pratap,

    You can get JEE Mains 2026 Hindi Medium memory based question and answers from the link provided below.

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    Chintakuntla Sai Gnan
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    what is rank on 100 marks in jee advance 2018

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