JEE Main exam pattern and marking scheme
How many questions, how long, how it is marked, and what changes between Paper 1, Paper 2A and Paper 2B.
This page describes the pattern in the JEE (Main) 2026 Information Bulletin. The 2027 bulletin is awaited, and we will update this page if the pattern changes.
What is the JEE Main Paper 1 pattern?
Paper 1 is for B.E./B.Tech admissions and is the paper that decides JEE Advanced eligibility. It is a computer-based test (CBT) lasting 3 hours. PwD/PwBD candidates who are eligible for a scribe get 4 hours.
| Subject | Section A (MCQ) | Section B (numerical) | Marks |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 20 | 5 | 100 |
| Physics | 20 | 5 | 100 |
| Chemistry | 20 | 5 | 100 |
| Total | 60 | 15 | 75 questions, 300 marks |
All 75 questions are to be attempted. Section B has exactly five questions per subject with no internal choice.
Section B answers are integers. You type the value with an on-screen keypad, and NTA’s instruction is that the answer should be rounded off to the nearest integer.
What is the JEE Main marking scheme?
| Response | Section A (MCQ) | Section B (numerical) |
|---|---|---|
| Correct | +4 | +4 |
| Incorrect | −1 | −1 |
| Unanswered, or marked for review without an answer | 0 | 0 |
Is there negative marking in Section B?
Yes. A wrong numerical answer costs one mark, exactly like a wrong MCQ. Do not treat Section B as a free guess.
What happens if a question has a problem?
The bulletin sets out three special cases:
- If an MCQ has more than one correct option, anyone who marked any of the correct options gets +4.
- If all four options are correct, everyone who attempted the question gets +4.
- If a question is dropped or found incorrect, every candidate who appeared in that shift gets +4.
Can you use a calculator in JEE Main?
No. A notice dated 2 November 2025 corrected an error in the bulletin and confirmed that no virtual calculator is available and “the use of calculators in any form is not permitted”. All arithmetic is done by hand on rough sheets.
Which languages is JEE Main offered in?
The paper is available in 13 languages: English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu.
English is available at all centres, and Hindi and Urdu at all centres in India. Regional languages are offered in specific states. The paper is shown in English alongside your chosen language, and the English version prevails if the two differ.
How many shifts and sessions are there?
JEE Main runs twice a year: Session 1 in January and Session 2 in April. You can take one or both. Three-hour papers run in two shifts a day, 9:00 am to 12:00 noon and 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm IST. In 2026, Session 1 had 10 shifts and Session 2 had 9.
Each shift gets a different paper. That is why raw marks are converted to percentile scores before ranking, which our percentile and normalisation page explains.
What is the pattern for Paper 2A and Paper 2B?
Paper 2A is for B.Arch and Paper 2B is for B.Planning. Both share the Mathematics section with Paper 1’s 20 + 5 structure.
| Part | Paper 2A (B.Arch) | Paper 2B (B.Planning) |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics | 20 + 5 questions, 100 marks | 20 + 5 questions, 100 marks |
| Aptitude Test | 50 questions, 200 marks | 50 questions, 200 marks |
| Third part | Drawing: 2 questions, 100 marks | Planning: 25 questions, 100 marks |
| Total | 77 questions, 400 marks | 100 questions, 400 marks |
| Duration | 3 hours | 3 hours |
Paper 2A’s Mathematics and Aptitude parts are computer-based, but the Drawing Test is pen and paper on an A4 sheet. Paper 2B is fully computer-based. Candidates taking both 2A and 2B get 3 hours 30 minutes.
What does the pattern mean for your preparation?
- With no choice in either section, every unit of the syllabus is fair game.
- Because both sections carry −1, deciding when to skip is part of your score.
- With 75 questions in 180 minutes and no calculator, speed with hand arithmetic matters.
Our preparation strategy turns these into a practice routine. TestGuru’s JEE Main mock tests follow this Paper 1 pattern, with the same +4 and −1 marking on a timed three-hour paper.