JEE MAIN Exam Pattern
How many questions, how many marks, how long, and what a wrong answer costs. Paper 1 is for B.E./B.Tech, Paper 2A for B.Arch and Paper 2B for B.Planning.
OfficialPublished by the conducting body.JEE (Main) 2026 Information Bulletin
This is the 2026 edition, the latest one NTA has published. When the 2027 edition comes out we will check this page against it.
The three papers at a glance
| Paper | For | Subjects | Questions | Marks | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | B.E./B.Tech | Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry | 75 | 300 | 3 hours |
| Paper 2A | B.Arch | Mathematics, Aptitude Test, Drawing Test | 77 | 400 | 3 hours |
| Paper 2B | B.Planning | Mathematics, Aptitude Test, Planning | 100 | 400 | 3 hours |
All three are computer-based. The one exception is the Drawing Test in Paper 2A, which you do with pencil on an A4 drawing sheet.
Paper 1: B.E./B.Tech
| Subject | Section A (multiple choice) | Section B (numerical) | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 20 | 5 | 100 |
| Physics | 20 | 5 | 100 |
| Chemistry | 20 | 5 | 100 |
| Total | 60 | 15 | 300 |
Every subject has two sections. Section A is multiple choice: four options, one answer. Section B has no options. You work out a number and type it in with the on-screen keypad, rounded to the nearest whole number.
All 75 questions count. There is no choice in Section B.
Marking scheme
| Your answer | Multiple choice | Numerical |
|---|---|---|
| Correct | +4 | +4 |
| Wrong | -1 | -1 |
| Left blank, or only marked for review | 0 | 0 |
The negative marking on numerical questions is the part students forget. A guess in Section B costs a mark, the same as a wrong option in Section A.
If NTA drops a question, everyone who sat that shift gets the full 4 marks for it.
Paper 2A: B.Arch
| Part | Questions | Marks | How you answer |
|---|---|---|---|
| Part I: Mathematics | 25 (20 multiple choice, 5 numerical) | 100 | On the computer |
| Part II: Aptitude Test | 50 multiple choice | 200 | On the computer |
| Part III: Drawing Test | 2 | 100 | Pencil on an A4 drawing sheet |
| Total | 77 | 400 |
Paper 2B: B.Planning
| Part | Questions | Marks |
|---|---|---|
| Part I: Mathematics | 25 (20 multiple choice, 5 numerical) | 100 |
| Part II: Aptitude Test | 50 multiple choice | 200 |
| Part III: Planning | 25 multiple choice | 100 |
| Total | 100 | 400 |
Language of the paper
The exam is offered in 13 languages. Apart from English and Hindi, a regional language is available only at centres in the states listed against it.
| Language | Offered at |
|---|---|
| English | All centres in India and abroad |
| Hindi | All centres in India |
| Urdu | All centres in India |
| Assamese | Assam |
| Bengali | West Bengal, Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
| Gujarati | Gujarat, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli |
| Kannada | Karnataka |
| Malayalam | Kerala, Lakshadweep |
| Marathi | Maharashtra |
| Odia | Odisha |
| Punjabi | Punjab, Chandigarh, Delhi/New Delhi (including Faridabad, Ghaziabad, Gurugram, Noida and Greater Noida) |
| Tamil | Tamil Nadu, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
| Telugu | Andhra Pradesh, Telangana |
- You choose the language in the application form and cannot change it afterwards.
- A paper in any language other than English also shows the English version. If the two differ, the English one is treated as correct.
If two students get the same score
For Paper 1, NTA separates a tie by checking these in order and stopping at the first one that differs:
- Higher NTA score in Mathematics
- Higher NTA score in Physics
- Higher NTA score in Chemistry
- Fewer wrong answers compared with correct ones, across the whole paper
- The same comparison in Mathematics, then Physics, then Chemistry
If all of these are equal, both students get the same rank.
Extra time
| Paper | Standard time | Candidates eligible for a scribe |
|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 | 3 hours | 4 hours |
| Paper 2A or Paper 2B | 3 hours | 4 hours |
| Paper 2A and 2B together | 3 hours 30 minutes | 4 hours 10 minutes |
Questions students ask
- How many questions are there in JEE Main Paper 1?
- There are 75 questions for 300 marks: 25 each in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. In each subject 20 are multiple choice and 5 are numerical.
- Is there negative marking for numerical questions?
- Yes. A wrong numerical answer costs 1 mark, the same as a wrong multiple-choice answer. Leaving a question blank costs nothing.
- Can I skip some of the numerical questions?
- You can leave any question blank, but there is no built-in choice. Section B has 5 questions per subject and all 5 count, unlike 2021 to 2024 when there were 10 and you answered any 5.
- Is the B.Arch drawing test on the computer?
- No. Mathematics and the Aptitude Test are on the computer, but the Drawing Test is done with pencil on an A4 drawing sheet.
- Can I take both Paper 2A and Paper 2B?
- Yes. If you take both, they are held together and you get 3 hours 30 minutes.