JEE Main Session 2 is the second phase of the Joint Entrance Examination (Main) conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). It gives students an additional opportunity to improve their scores or appear for the exam if they missed Session
1. The best of the two scores (Session 1 & Session 2) is considered for ranking.
In this guide, we will explain everything related to JEE Mains exam.
Important Dates for JEE Main Session 2
| Event | Tentative Timeline |
|---|---|
| Release of Application Form | Last week of January 2026 |
| Last Date to Apply | February |
| Application Correction Window | February |
| Admit Card Release | March |
| JEE Main Session 2 Exam Dates | 2 April - 9 April 2026 |
| Result Declaration | By 20 April 2026 |
| Counselling (JoSAA) Begins | June |
Note: Exact dates are announced on the official NTA JEE Main portal.
Application Fee Payable
The application fee for JEE Main Session 2 varies according to category, gender, and number of papers selected.
Fee Structure
| Category | One Paper (B.E./B.Tech or B.Arch/B.Planning) | Both Papers | Centres Outside India |
|---|---|---|---|
| General / OBC (Male) | Rs 1000 | Rs 2000 | Rs 5000 |
| General / OBC (Female) | Rs 800 | Rs 1600 | Rs 4000 |
| SC / ST / PwD | Rs 500 | Rs 1000 | Rs 2500 |
| Outside India Candidates | Higher fee as notified |
Processing charges and Goods & Service Taxes (GST) are to be paid by the candidate, as applicable
Mode of Payment:
- Debit Card
- Credit Card
- Net Banking
- UPI
Application Procedure for JEE Main Session 2
The application process is completely online and includes the following steps:
- Visit the official JEE Main website Click here
- Register using email ID and mobile number
- Fill the online application form
- Upload scanned documents
- Pay the application fee
- Submit the form and download confirmation page
Candidates meeting JEE Main eligibility criteria must keep all their documents ready before April 2026 registration begins.
Downloading of Confirmation Page
The JEE Main confirmation page is the document that is received after successfully submitting the application form and fees. This document confirms that your form has been sent to NTA and is under scrutiny.
How to apply for JEE Main 2026 Session 2 (April Attempt)
Candidates who have already applied for JEE Main session 1 can skip the registration process and directly proceed to fee payment and download their confirmation page through login Id.
How to recover the JEE Mains 2026 Application Number?
The process to retrieve JEE Main application number can be checked below –
- Go to the official website- jeemain.nta.nic.in
- Click on "forgot application Number"
- Enter details - candidate name, father name, mother name, date of birth, and captcha code
- Click on "submit"
- The application number will be displayed on screen OR sent to your registered email ID and mobile number.
JEE Main April Session Form Correction 2026
Candidates who have registered for sessions 1 and 2 in JEE Main can access the form correction window. Once session 2 registration is closed, NTA will activate the JEE Main 2026 application form correction window, and candidates will be able to access it using their application number and password.
What details can be edited in the JEE Main Exam Form?
| Details That Can be Changed | Details That Cannot be Changed |
|---|---|
| Candidate Name (or) Fathers Name (or) Mothers Name | Mobile Number |
| Educational Qualification Details of Class 10 and 12 | Email Address |
| State Code of Eligibility | Present or Permanent Address |
| Date of Birth | Emergency Contact Details |
| Gender | Photograph of Candidate |
| Category | |
| Sub-category/PwD | |
| Signature | |
| Paper | |
| Examination City Selection (based on permanent/present address) | |
| Medium of Examination (based on permanent/present address) |
Mode of Examination
- Computer Based Test (CBT)
- Conducted at designated exam centres
- Multiple shifts across several days
- Questions displayed on screen and answered using a mouse
Scheme of Examination
| Subject | Number of Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Physics | 25 | 100 |
| Chemistry | 25 | 100 |
| Mathematics | 25 | 100 |
| Total | 75 | 300 |
Each subject includes:
- 20 MCQs
- 5 Numerical Value Questions (any 5 to be attempted)
Marking Scheme
- Correct Answer: +4 marks
- Wrong Answer (MCQs): –1 mark
- No negative marking for numerical questions
Pattern of Examination
- Objective-type questions
- Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
- Numerical value-based questions
- Questions based on NCERT syllabus (Class 11 & 12)
Duration of the Exam
| Paper | Duration |
|---|---|
| B.E. / B.Tech | 3 Hours |
| B.Arch | 3 Hours |
| B.Planning | 3 Hours |
PwD candidates with benchmark disability are provided additional time as per NTA norms.
JEE Main 2026 Exam Schedule
The table below illustrates the schedule of the JEE Main 2026 exam in detail. It gives the start times of the tests, directions, and admission times and has morning and afternoon sessions. This timetable should have a good and efficient exam day that all aspirants will enjoy.
| Session | Morning Shift | Evening Shift |
|---|---|---|
| Exam Time | 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM | 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM |
| Duration of Examination | 3 Hours | 3 Hours |
| Entry to Exam Hall | 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM | 2:00 PM to 2:30 PM |
| Instructions by the Invigilators | 8:30 AM to 8:50 AM | 2:30 PM to 2:50 PM |
| Candidates Log In | 8:50 AM | 2:50 PM |
| Test Starts | 9:00 AM | 3:00 PM |
JEE Main 2026 Eligibility Criteria- Who Can Apply?
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the official JEE Main 2026 eligibility criteria for students appearing for the exam. Before filling the application form, candidates must review the detailed eligibility requirements, such as educational qualification, age limit, number of attempts, and required subjects.
Below are The Key Requirements for JEE Main 2026
- Nationality: Candidates must be Indian citizens. Foreign Nationals, NRIs, PIOs (Persons of Indian Origin), and OCIs (Overseas Citizens of India) are also eligible to apply.
- Educational Qualification: Students who have passed or are appearing in Class 12 (or equivalent) in 2024, 2025, or 2026 are eligible.
- Age Limit: The upper age limit in terms of appearing in the JEE Main 2026 exam does not exist. Nonetheless, there are the age requirements; the applicants must meet the requirements of the institute they are applying to.
- Attempts: Applicants may attend JEE Main in three consecutive years starting with the ones who have passed Class 12.
- Minimum Marks: Class 12 does not have any minimum percentage to qualify to take JEE Main.
- Exam Boards: The examination should be of one of the recognized Central or State Boards (CBSE, ICSE, NIOS, or State Boards).
- JEE Main 75% Marks Rule: The 75% marks rule does not apply to taking the JEE Main exam. Nonetheless, to gain access to NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs, one should have a minimum score of:
- Grades of 75% in Class 12 (when it is the General category) or
- 65% marks (for SC/ST category)
Important Topics for JEE Main Session 2
Physics
- Laws of Motion
- Work, Energy & Power
- Current Electricity
- Magnetism & EMI
- Optics
- Modern Physics
Chemistry
Physical Chemistry
- Mole Concept
- Chemical Kinetics
- Thermodynamics
Organic Chemistry
- Hydrocarbons
- Alcohols, Phenols & Ethers
- Biomolecules
Inorganic Chemistry
- Periodic Table
- Chemical Bonding
- Coordination Compounds
Mathematics
- Limits & Continuity
- Differentiation & Integration
- Matrices & Determinants
- Coordinate Geometry
- Probability & Statistics
Why JEE Main Session 2 Is Important?
- Second chance to improve percentile
- Best score of both sessions considered
- Higher chances of qualifying for JEE Advanced
- Better options during JoSAA counselling
JEE Main Session 1 vs Session 2
| Feature | Session 1 | Session 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Exam Month | January | April |
| Application Period | Oct–Nov (previous year) | Jan–Feb |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate | Moderate |
| Syllabus | Same | Same |
| Exam Pattern | Same | Same |
| Score Consideration | Used if higher | Best of both sessions considered |
| Improvement Opportunity | First attempt | Chance to improve score |
| Eligibility | Same | Same |
| Result Use | Ranking + Counselling | Final ranking preference |
Students appearing in both sessions get the advantage of selecting the higher score.
JEE Main Session 2 plays a crucial role for aspirants targeting top engineering colleges in India. With the same syllabus, exam pattern, and scoring system as Session 1, it provides a valuable second opportunity to enhance performance and secure a better rank. Proper planning, revision, and smart exam strategy can significantly improve outcomes in Session 2.
JEE (Main) NTA Score for Paper-1 and Paper-2
- For JEE (Main) 2026, the marks of Paper-1 and Paper-2 are calculated using the final answer keys released by NTA. The actual marks scored by a candidate are taken into account while preparing the result.
- In Paper-2(A), the marks obtained in the Drawing Test (which is evaluated digitally) are added to the total marks of the candidate.
- Since the JEE (Main) examination is conducted in multiple shifts and sessions, the actual marks scored by candidates in different shifts are converted into NTA Scores. This is done to ensure fairness, as the difficulty level of each shift may vary.
How Are JEE Main Scores Calculated?
JEE Main does not use raw marks directly for ranking. Instead, it uses a percentile-based system called the NTA Score to ensure fairness across multiple exam shifts.
Step 1: Calculation of Raw Marks
First, NTA calculates your raw (actual) marks based on the marking scheme:
Marking Scheme
- Correct answer: +4 marks
- Wrong answer (MCQ): –1 mark
- Numerical questions: No negative marking
- Unattempted question: 0 marks
These raw marks are calculated using the final answer key released by NTA.
Step 2: Why Raw Marks Are Not Enough
JEE Main is conducted in multiple shifts.
Each shift may have a slightly different difficulty level.
Because of this, raw marks alone are not fair for comparing students from different shifts.
Step 3: Conversion of Raw Marks into NTA Score (Percentile)
To solve this problem, NTA converts raw marks into an NTA Score, which is a percentile score.
What Is NTA Score?
- It shows the percentage of candidates who scored equal to or less than you in that session.
- It is not the same as percentage marks.
NTA Score Formula (Simple Meaning)
- If you scored better than 90% of students in your shift, your NTA Score will be 90 percentile.
NTA calculates:
- Subject-wise NTA Score (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics)
- Overall NTA Score (Total)
Scenario
- Total students in your shift: 1,00,000
- Your raw marks: 180 / 300
Now NTA checks:
How many students scored less than or equal to you in the same shift
- Students who scored ≤ 180 marks: 95,000
- Total students in that shift: 1,00,000
NTA Percentile Calculation
Percentile= 95,000/1,00,000 ×100=95.00
- Your NTA Score = 95 Percentile
Step 4: Multi-Session Normalisation
When exams are held in different shifts or sessions, NTA:
- Converts raw marks of each shift into percentile scores
- Ensures students from easier or tougher shifts are treated equally
This process is called normalisation.
Step 5: Best Score Considered (If Appeared in Multiple Sessions)
If a candidate appears in both Session 1 and Session 2:
- NTA calculates scores for both sessions
- The best (highest) NTA Score is used for ranking and counselling
| Session | Raw Marks | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Session 1 (Jan) | 165 | 92.4 |
| Session 2 (Apr) | 180 | 95.1 |
Best percentile (95.1) is used for:
- All India Rank (AIR)
- JoSAA counselling
- College admission
Step 6: Preparation of Rank
- All India Rank (AIR) is prepared after Session 2
- Rank is based on the best NTA Score
- This rank is used for JoSAA counselling for admission to NITs, IIITs, and other engineering colleges
Raw marks → Converted to NTA percentile → Best score chosen → Rank prepared
Percentile vs Percentage
| Feature | Percentage | Percentile |
|---|---|---|
| Based On | Marks | Relative performance |
| Depends on Others | No | Yes |
| Used in JEE Main | No | Yes |
| Meaning | How much you scored | How many you beat |
One Simple Line to Remember
- Percentage = your marks
- Percentile = your rank position
Admission based on JEE Main AIR (All India Rank)
Admission to engineering institutes in India after JEE Main is primarily based on a candidate’s All India Rank (AIR). The AIR is prepared by the National Testing Agency (NTA) using the best NTA percentile score obtained by the candidate across JEE Main sessions.
Different institutes use AIR in different ways, depending on their category and admission authority.
What Is AIR in JEE Main?
- AIR stands for All India Rank
- It represents a candidate’s position among all JEE Main qualified students
- AIR is used for seat allotment and counselling
- Lower AIR = better rank = higher admission chances
Indicative AIR Range and Admission Possibilities
| AIR Range | Admission Possibility |
|---|---|
| Top 10,000 | IITs (via JEE Advanced), Top NITs |
| 10,000 – 50,000 | NITs, IIITs |
| 50,000 – 1,50,000 | GFTIs, State Govt Colleges |
| Above 1,50,000 | Private Engineering Colleges including Puran Murti Vidyapeeth |
Actual cut-offs vary every year based on demand, category, and seat availability.
Conclusion
JEE Main AIR plays a crucial role in engineering admissions across India. While top AIRs secure seats in IITs, NITs, and IIITs, students with higher AIRs still have strong admission opportunities in private engineering institutions. Colleges like Puran Murti Vidyapeeth offer a merit-based pathway for students to pursue B.Tech education using their JEE Main AIR.