JEE Advanced exam pattern and marking scheme
The pattern is not fixed. Here is what the official brochure guarantees, and exactly how the 2026 papers were built and marked.
The first thing to understand about JEE Advanced is that its pattern is not fixed. Treat the 2026 structure below as the most recent example, not as a promise about 2027.
What does the official brochure say about the pattern?
The JEE (Advanced) 2026 Information Brochure commits to only a few things:
- Two papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2, each three hours long.
- Both are compulsory. Only candidates who appear in both papers are ranked.
- Each paper has separate sections for Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.
- The exam is computer-based only.
- It is offered in English and Hindi. You can switch between them at any time, and English prevails if they differ.
- “Negative marks may be awarded for incorrect answers for some of the questions.” The details are shown at exam time.
It gives no question counts. In 2026, Paper 1 ran from 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and Paper 2 from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm IST. PwD candidates get one extra hour per paper.
What was the JEE Advanced 2026 pattern?
This is read from the official 2026 question papers. The same structure was repeated for each of Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
Paper 1 (2026)
| Section | Question type | Qs per subject | Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MCQ, single correct (4 options) | 4 | +3 / 0 / −1 |
| 2 | MCQ, one or more correct | 4 | +4 full, partial +3/+2/+1, 0 unanswered, −1 otherwise |
| 3 | Numerical value (two decimal places) | 4 | +4 / 0, no negative |
| 4 | Matching lists (List-I has 4 entries, List-II has 5) | 4 | +4 / 0 / −1 |
| Total | 16 per subject, 48 questions | 60 per subject, 180 marks |
Paper 2 (2026)
| Section | Question type | Qs per subject | Marking |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MCQ, single correct | 4 | +3 / 0 / −1 |
| 2 | MCQ, one or more correct | 5 | +4 full, partial +3/+2/+1, −1 otherwise |
| 3 | Numerical value | 5 | +4 / 0, no negative |
| 4 | Numerical value, 2 stems with 2 questions each | 4 | +2 / 0, no negative |
| Total | 18 per subject, 54 questions | 60 per subject, 180 marks |
Across both papers, 2026 had 102 questions for 360 marks.
How does partial marking work?
The multiple-correct questions are where JEE Advanced differs most from JEE Main. In 2026 the rule was:
| What you chose | Marks |
|---|---|
| All the correct options, and nothing else | +4 |
| Three options, all correct, when all four are correct | +3 |
| Two options, both correct, when three or more are correct | +2 |
| One option, correct, when two or more are correct | +1 |
| Nothing | 0 |
| Anything else, including any wrong option | −1 |
The practical result: choosing one wrong option wipes out the credit for the correct ones and costs you a mark. If you are sure of two options and unsure of a third, marking only the two you are sure of protects you.
Is there negative marking in JEE Advanced?
In 2026, yes for single-correct, multiple-correct and matching questions, which carried −1 for a wrong answer. Numerical-value questions had no negative marking.
This changes from year to year. On the day, read the marking instructions at the top of every section before you start it.
How are numerical answers entered?
In 2026, numerical answers were truncated or rounded to two decimal places. That is different from JEE Main, where Section B answers are integers. If you have practised only JEE Main numericals, practise giving answers to two decimal places too.
What if a question is dropped?
The brochure says a dropped question gives full marks to all candidates.
What the pattern means for preparation
You cannot prepare for a fixed format, because there is not one. You can prepare for the types that have appeared: single-correct, multiple-correct with partial marks, numerical values to two decimals and matching lists. Our preparation strategy covers how. For past papers in the real format, see previous-year papers, and for the topics, the syllabus.
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