JEE Main 2027: exam date, pattern, syllabus and how to apply
JEE Main is the engineering entrance test run by the National Testing Agency (NTA). Paper 1 is used for B.E. and B.Tech admission at the NITs, IIITs and other centrally funded institutes, and it is also the test you must clear to sit JEE Advanced for the IITs. The question most students have right now is when JEE Main 2027 is. The NTA's examination calendar puts Session 1 on 22 to 24 and 28 to 30 January 2027, with 31 January as a buffer day (checked 20 October 2026). Those dates are tentative, and the application form for 2027 had not opened on that day.
JEE Main at a glance
| Conducting body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| What it is for | B.E./B.Tech (Paper 1), B.Arch (Paper 2A), B.Planning (Paper 2B); Paper 1 is also the eligibility test for JEE Advanced |
| Mode | Computer-based test at a centre (the B.Arch drawing test is on paper) |
| Questions | Paper 1: 75 questions, 25 each in Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry |
| Time | 3 hours on one clock (4 hours for a PwD/PwBD candidate eligible for a scribe) |
| Marking | +4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one, 0 for a blank, on both MCQs and numerical questions |
| Languages | 13: English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu |
| How often | Two sessions a year (January and April in the 2026 cycle); the better NTA score counts |
| Official website | jeemain.nta.nic.in |
JEE Main 2027 exam date
On 16 September 2026 the NTA published its examination calendar up to March 2027. For JEE Main it lists:
| Session | Proposed dates | Status (checked 20 October 2026) |
|---|---|---|
| Session 1 (January) | 22–24 and 28–30 January 2027, buffer 31 January 2027 | Tentative, in the NTA calendar |
| Session 2 (April) | Not in the calendar, which stops at March 2027 | Not announced yet |
The NTA says the calendar is not a notification: the information bulletin, application dates, city intimation and admit cards come separately on jeemain.nta.nic.in. The calendar itself is on nta.ac.in. In the 2026 cycle, Session 1 was in January and Session 2 in April, and a candidate did not have to sit both.
How to apply for JEE Main 2027
The steps below follow the 2026 process; the 2027 bulletin will confirm them.
- Wait for the NTA notice "Inviting Online Applications" on jeemain.nta.nic.in and download the information bulletin. Read the eligibility chapter first.
- Register with your own mobile number and email; the NTA sends every update to them.
- Fill in the form: personal details, Class 12 details, the paper (1, 2A, 2B or a combination), the question-paper language and your choice of exam cities. The language cannot be changed later.
- Upload a recent photograph, your signature and any category or disability certificate the bulletin asks for.
- Pay the fee online. In 2026 the fee depended on category, gender and the number of papers; check the 2027 table in the bulletin.
- Print the confirmation page and keep it. Use the correction window if the NTA opens one.
Eligibility in short (2026 bulletin): there is no age limit. You may sit if you passed Class 12 or an equivalent in one of the two previous years or are appearing in the exam year. For 2026 that meant passing in 2024 or 2025, or appearing in 2026. Admission to NITs and similar institutes also has Class 12 performance conditions set by JoSAA and CSAB.
Exam pattern (Paper 1, B.E./B.Tech)
| Subject | Section A (MCQ) | Section B (integer answer) | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 20 | 5 | 100 |
| Physics | 20 | 5 | 100 |
| Chemistry | 20 | 5 | 100 |
| Total | 60 | 15 | 300 |
- All 75 questions count. The 2026 bulletin prints five numerical questions per subject, not a set to choose five from.
- A Section B answer is an integer typed on an on-screen keypad. A wrong integer also costs 1 mark.
- One 3-hour clock covers all three subjects, and you may move between them at any time.
- Raw marks are turned into NTA scores (percentiles) shift by shift, so that candidates from different shifts can be compared.
Papers 2A (B.Arch) and 2B (B.Planning) each have 25 Mathematics questions and 50 aptitude questions, plus a drawing test (2A) or 25 planning questions (2B), out of 400.
JEE Main syllabus
The syllabus is the NTA's own document, built on Class 11 and 12.
- Mathematics: sets and functions, complex numbers and quadratic equations, matrices and determinants, permutations and combinations, binomial theorem, sequences and series, limits, continuity, differentiability, integral calculus, differential equations, coordinate geometry, 3D geometry, vectors, statistics and probability, trigonometry.
- Physics: units and measurements, kinematics, laws of motion, work and energy, rotation, gravitation, properties of matter, thermodynamics, kinetic theory, oscillations and waves, electrostatics, current electricity, magnetism, EMI and AC, EM waves, optics, dual nature, atoms and nuclei, electronic devices, experimental skills.
- Chemistry: basic concepts, atomic structure, bonding, thermodynamics, solutions, equilibrium, redox and electrochemistry, kinetics, periodicity, p-, d- and f-block elements, coordination compounds, organic basics, hydrocarbons, organic compounds with halogens, oxygen and nitrogen, biomolecules, practical chemistry.
The unit-by-unit list is on our JEE Main syllabus page.
A plan for the weeks before January 2027
Session 1 is about thirteen weeks away. A workable split:
| Weeks | What to do |
|---|---|
| Now to mid-November | Finish any unit you have not covered. Keep a list of formula sheets per subject. Sit one full mock a week. |
| Mid-November to end of December | Two full mocks a week, each in one 3-hour sitting. After each, spend as long on review as on the test. Fill the application as soon as it opens. |
| January | A mock every two or three days at your shift time, then revision only from the formula sheets and your error log. |
Two habits matter most with this pattern. First, since Section B now carries −1, guess an integer only when you have actually narrowed it down. Second, decide your subject order before the test (many students start with their strongest) and give each subject a time check, such as 60 minutes, so one subject does not eat the paper. Our article on when to guess with negative marking works through the arithmetic, and how to analyse a mock test explains the review.
Useful links
- Official JEE Main site, for the application form and notices: jeemain.nta.nic.in
- Official information bulletin page: JEE (Main) information bulletin
- Official syllabus: JEE (Main) syllabus 2026
- NTA examination calendar and public notices: nta.ac.in
- Free JEE Main mock tests on Mockrooms
- JEE Main syllabus and JEE Main exam dates
- Related: JEE Advanced exam date and how to apply and how to use mock tests
Frequently asked questions
What is the JEE Main 2027 exam date?
The NTA calendar of 16 September 2026 proposes Session 1 on 22–24 and 28–30 January 2027, with 31 January as a buffer (checked 20 October 2026). The dates are tentative. Session 2 had not been announced.
Is there negative marking in JEE Main?
Yes. A wrong answer costs 1 mark in both Section A (multiple choice) and Section B (integer answer). A question left blank scores 0, and a right answer scores 4.
How many attempts are allowed in JEE Main?
There is no age limit, but you may sit only in the year you appear for Class 12 and the two years after you pass it. Each year has two sessions, and the better NTA score is used.
Do I have to appear in both sessions?
No. You can sit one session or both. If you sit both, the NTA uses your better score for the merit list.
What is the JEE Main pass mark?
There is no fixed pass mark. Raw marks become NTA percentiles and an All India Rank. Who may go on to JEE Advanced is set out in that year's JEE Advanced brochure, so check it when it is published.
Is a calculator allowed in JEE Main?
No. Calculators, log tables and electronic devices are not allowed in the hall, so practise the arithmetic in Section B by hand.