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What After JEE Main?- The National Testing Agency will conduct the JEE Main 2026 exam for sessions 1 & 2 in online mode. After the exam, many aspirants naturally wonder, "What after JEE Mains?"—especially those concerned about low marks or curious about college and course options. Whether you’ve scored well or need alternatives, there are plenty of career paths and admission possibilities. From top engineering colleges to backup plans, Careers360 has compiled a detailed guide to help answer questions like “What to do after JEE Main 2026 exam?” and explore the best options ahead. The JEE Main 2026 session 1 will be held from January 21 to 30, 2026, and the session 2 exam will be conducted from April 1 to 10, 2026. The JEE Main 2026 registration is scheduled to start in October 2025. Check out the article to get an idea about "What after JEE Main 2026?
Also check- JEE Main rank predictor 2026 | JEE Main college predictor 2026
JEE Main 2026 will be held in 13 languages, including English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, and Urdu, allowing candidates to choose their preferred language for the exam.
The result of a year-long preparation, in some cases more than 2 years of preparation says whether admission to the NITs, IIITs and GFTIs is possible; whether qualifying for JEE Advanced is in luck or not. The options may vary for students who have done well and students who may not have done well but the fact remains that there are good options. Take a look at the different possibilities that come as an answer to the question of what to do after JEE Mains. Candidates can use the JEE Main Rank Predictor to know the probable rank based on the JEE score. By knowing about the ranks, you will be informed about whether you have qualified IIT JEE Main or not. This will also help you in making decisions regarding applications for admission into engineering institutes.
Candidates who qualify the JEE Main exam and are among the top 2,50,000 candidates can appear for the JEE Advanced. However, candidates need to fulfil the other eligibility criteria too. Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) conduct the JEE Advanced exam. Registration for JEE Advanced 2026 will commence online. The exam is conducted for two papers. JEE Advanced qualifying candidates will be offered admission to the IITs. The qualifying candidates need to participate in the JoSAA counselling. Other institutes which will consider JEE Advanced merit are the Indian Institutes of Science Education & Research (IISERs), Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bangalore and Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Thiruvananthapuram. Around 10,988 seats are available for admission in the participating IITs.
If you missed the chance for JEE Advanced 2026, then do not despair. Based on your JEE Main 2026 performance, you will be eligible for admission into good engineering colleges. Through the JoSAA counselling, you will be allotted seats offered by NITs, IIITs and GFTIs. The counselling is conducted online. The allotment process will be conducted by Joint Seat Allocation Authority and admissions will be done based on JEE Main rank and choice of college or courses.
Other than NITs, IIITs, CFTIs and IITs, there are other top engineering entrance options present for you. Private and state-level engineering entrance exams will also be able to win you a seat in prestigious institutes. By attempting other top engineering entrance exams, you will be able to provide yourself with a wider range of options to select. These exams will also let you be closer to home and ensure a good all-round education.
If you wish to study near home, then you can always apply for the state engineering entrance exam as an option for "What after JEE Main 2026?". These exams provide admissions into the best government institutes and give preference to those students who meet the domicile requirements. Some states also provide admissions through the JEE Main rank. These states use the All India ranks to allot seats and simply conduct the counselling based on specified eligibility criteria as announced by the state authorities.
Maharashtra – Maharashtra state offers 15% of the total seats at private/self-financed engineering institutes through JEE Main 2026.
West Bengal – The state offers 10% of the total seats at private engineering institutes through JEE Main.
Himachal Pradesh – Himachal Pradesh offers the first 50% of the total seats across all institutes based on JEE Main merit/rank.
Rajasthan – The state offers 15% of the total seats at private-unaided engineering institutes and 15% of the total seats across self-financed courses offered by government-aided institutions to candidates from other states based on JEE Main score or class 12th marks.
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Engineering entrance exams in India are held at the national, state and college levels. State-level engineering exams are conducted by individual states for admission to engineering colleges within that state, providing an alternative route to engineering education. Candidates need to fulfil the eligibility conditions to appear for the entrance examinations conducted at the state level. The same is the case with the entrance test held at university level.
Engineering Entrance Exam | Conducting Body |
|---|---|
VIT University | |
SRM Institute of Science and Technology (Earlier known as SRM University) | |
BITS Pilani | |
Manipal Academy of Higher Education | |
Consortium of Medical Engineering and Dental Colleges of Karnataka (COMEDK). | |
JNTU Anantapur | |
Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology | |
State Common Entrance Test Cell, Mumbai | |
West Bengal Joint Entrance Examinations Board |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
If your JEE Main result didn't meet the cut-off, you can consider other colleges that accept JEE Main scores, explore alternative courses, or prepare to improve your score for the next attempt.
If your JEE Main score is low, you can explore other engineering entrance exams, consider state-level colleges, retake JEE Main, or opt for courses aligned with your interests.
If you've qualified for JEE Advanced, focus on rigorous preparation, take mock tests, seek guidance from mentors, and utilize study materials to increase your chances of securing a good rank for admission to top IITs.
To prepare for JEE Advanced, focus on advanced and deeper concepts, practice solving complex problems, and take mock tests. Follow the JEE Advanced syllabus for the preparation for the exam. Moreover, refer to advanced study materials and previous years' question papers.
To be eligible for JEE Advanced, you must be among the top 2,50,000 candidates in JEE Main. You should also fulfill other eligibility conditions, such as age limits and previous attempts.
No, admission to IITs is based on JEE Advanced rank. However, JEE Main scores can be used to get admission to other engineering colleges and NITs.
Yes, if you meet the eligibility criteria for JEE Advanced, you can appear for both exams in the same year.
If you didn't clear JEE Main, you can consider other engineering entrance exams like state-level exams, BITSAT, VITEEE, or private university entrance exams. You can also explore diploma courses, and lateral entry options, or take a year gap to prepare again.
Yes, some colleges and universities offer courses like B.Sc., B.Arch., and other non-engineering programs based on JEE Main scores. Check the admission criteria of individual institutions.
Yes, some institutions may accept JEE Main scores for admission to courses like B.Sc. (Hons.), B. Planning, etc. However, the eligibility criteria and cutoffs can vary.
On Question asked by student community
Hello there!
I am attaching two links from the official website of Careers360. First one will provide you with the comprehensive analysis about the most repeated questions of JEE Mains examination , and second link provides you with a free pdf for the top 30 most repeated topics and questions. Kindly go through it. Hope it helps.
https://engineering.careers360.com/download/ebooks/jee-main-top-30-most-repeated-questions-topics
Thank you !
Hello there!
I am attaching a link from the official website of Careers360 which contains all the important formulas for physics , chemistry and mathematics for JEE mains. Hope it helps!
https://engineering.careers360.com/articles/jee-main-formulas
thank you!
Hello,
Yes, you can edit the OBC authority designation in the JEE Main 2026 form during the correction window.
To do it:
Wait for the correction window to open.
Log in to the JEE Main portal at jeemain.nta.nic.in.
Click on “Correction in Application Form.”
Go to the category or certificate details section.
Edit the authority designation if the field is active, or re-upload a corrected OBC certificate.
Save and submit the changes.
If the field is not editable, upload a new valid certificate or contact the NTA helpline for help.
Hope it helps !
Hello,
NTA has not yet announced the JEE Main correction window dates. It will open after the registration process ends, and the notice will be released on the official website.
You can usually edit details like school name and category-related information during the correction window. So, you should be able to correct the school name and the OBC certificate authority field if those sections are made editable.
Keep checking the JEE Main website regularly, and make the changes as soon as the correction window opens.
Hope it helps !
Hello,
Yes, you need to enter your board registration number while filling the JEE Main application form .
This is the number given by your school board (like CBSE, ICSE, or state board) when you registered for your Class 10 or Class 12 board exams .
You can find it on your Class 10 or 12 admit card, marksheet, or registration slip provided by your board.
If you don’t remember it, you can ask your school for the registration number.
Hope it helps !
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