JEE Advanced eligibility: the five conditions you must meet
JEE Advanced has stricter rules than JEE Main. Here are all five criteria from the 2026 brochure, plus what you need for an IIT seat.
JEE Advanced eligibility is stricter than JEE Main’s, and the rules are checked closely. This page follows the JEE (Advanced) 2026 Information Brochure. The 2027 brochure had not been published as of 9 October 2026, and the 2027 rules, including the dates, may differ. Confirm everything in the 2027 brochure when it comes out.
What are the five eligibility criteria?
Indian nationals and OCI/PIO candidates had to meet all five for 2026.
1. Rank in the top 2,50,000 of JEE Main
You must be among the top 2,50,000 successful candidates in JEE (Main) 2026 Paper 1, counted by category:
| Category | Share | Places |
|---|---|---|
| OPEN | 40.5% | 1,01,250 (including 5,063 PwD) |
| Gen-EWS | 10% | 25,000 |
| OBC-NCL | 27% | 67,500 |
| SC | 15% | 37,500 |
| ST | 7.5% | 18,750 |
There is a 5% horizontal PwD reservation within each category. The total can slightly exceed 2,50,000 because of ties. The actual 2026 percentile cutoffs are on the JEE Main cutoff page.
2. Age
You must have been born on or after 1 October 2001. SC, ST and PwD candidates get five years’ relaxation, so for them the date is on or after 1 October 1996.
3. Number of attempts
At most two attempts, in two consecutive years.
4. Class 12 year
You must have appeared for Class 12 or equivalent for the first time in 2025 or 2026, with Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics as compulsory subjects. The brochure has a special rule for boards that declared their 2023-24 results on or after 18 June 2024.
5. Not already admitted to an IIT
You must not have been admitted to an IIT before through a programme covered by the JoSAA Business Rules. There are nuances for candidates whose seats were cancelled, so read the brochure if this applies to you.
Do foreign nationals need JEE Main?
No. Foreign nationals do not need JEE Main. They register directly for JEE Advanced. In 2026 their registration window opened earlier, on 6 April.
What do you need for an IIT seat?
Qualifying JEE Advanced is not enough on its own. For admission to an IIT you also need, in Class 12:
| Category | Requirement |
|---|---|
| General, Gen-EWS, OBC-NCL | At least 75% aggregate, or a place in your board’s category-wise top 20 percentile |
| SC, ST, PwD | At least 65% aggregate, or a place in your board’s category-wise top 20 percentile |
Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics must be among your subjects. The same 75% / 65% / top-20-percentile rule applies to NITs and IIITs through JEE Main, as explained on the JEE Main eligibility page.
What does this mean for planning?
The two-attempt rule makes each attempt valuable. Under the 2026 rules, only the year of your first Class 12 exam and the year after it counted, and you had to clear the JEE Main cut each time. Plan your preparation so the first attempt is a real one.
The important dates page shows how tight the window is between the JEE Main result and JEE Advanced registration, and the exam pattern page explains what you will face.
TestGuru JEE Advanced mock tests are not open yet. Join the waitlist for one email the day they open.