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

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

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.

LiveJEE Main Admit Card 2026 LIVE: Exam hall ticket for BTech admission today? Marking scheme, test timingsJan 13, 2026 | 8:58 AM IST

Yes, candidates can download their JEE Main admit card online from the official website, jeemain.nta.nic.in. Once it is released a few days before the exam, log in using the application number and password or date of birth.

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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 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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Questions related to JEE Main

On Question asked by student community

Have a question related to JEE Main ?

Hello aspirant,

The JEE Main 2026 admission card will include information about the exam location. On the other hand, students can use the JEE Main 2026 city notification slip, which was made available on January 8, 2026, to check the exam city beforehand. The second week of January 2026 is

Hello,

Yes you can submit EWS certificate for 2nd Jee mains with a valid certificate declaring yourself EWS. But you have to be ready with the valid documents during counseling time. Your general rank might be used unless you get the session 2 declaration processed correctly and have proof, so

Hello aspirant,

Yes, offcourse many Delhi Public Schools(DPS) provides JEE coaching in 11th and 12th classes. They will offer coaching simultaneously with regular CBSE curriculum through separate morning or evening sessions or by conducting dedicated programs,with some schools like DPS Warangal, International Delhi Public Hyderabad providing such specialized coaching along

Hello aspirant,

I'm so glad you are preparing JEE Mains. Mostly cover all the topics well to perform well in the exam and mainly focus on weightage topics. The most important topics in mathematics for JEE  includes

Calculus: limits, continuity, Differentiation, Integration,Area.

Algebra:Complex Numbers, Binomial Theorem, permutations and combinations, Matrices

Hello,

For jee mains 2026 class 11th and 12th maths are equally important. Below, a link to the ebook of jee mains 11th amd 12th maths notes and formula book.

Here is the link:

https://engineering.careers360.com/download/ebooks/jee-main-maths-important-formulas

Hope this will help you!

Thank you.