How Many Times We Can Give JEE Main 2026 - Attempt Limit, Eligibility & Rules

JEE Main is one of the most common competitive exams that learners take after passing Class 12. Since it is also one of the toughest exams, learners want multiple chances to qualify for these exams and get into their dream engineering colleges.

This proves to be the seed that these learners sow to reap a great future in engineering and related fields.

Learners often ask themselves, "How many times can we give JEE Main?" In this article, we will try to find the right answer for that and also see how it is beneficial for learners.

How many times can we give JEE Main?

You can appear in JEE Main for a total of 6 times after passing in all subjects in Class 12. The exam is taken for 3 consecutive years biannually, beginning from the year you completed your 12th.

In this manner, learners get multiple chances to take exams and improve their marks for better opportunities in future.

JEE Main attempt limit: Quick summary table

Learners can write the JEE Main exam within a three-year period, and two sessions every year.

Number of sessions per year in JEE Main

To give learners multiple opportunities, the National Testing Agency administers JEE Main two times in a year.

The first session is normally in January and the second session in April.

Learners can appear in all exams without any stress because only the highest score among all the attempts is considered by the colleges for engineering students. Along with this, learners should remember to utilise all these attempts as opportunities to learn from the failures and improve.

Eligibility of JEE Main based on year of passing Class 12

You are eligible to take JEE Main after you successfully complete your Class 12 examination.

Any candidate may take the exam in the year of passing Class 12 and in the following two years.

This implies that there should be a three-year limit for eligibility. Once this duration is over, a candidate can no longer take a chance to write JEE Main.

Learners should, therefore, strategise their efforts so that they can make the best within this period.

Age limit for JEE Main attempts

JEE Main attempts are free of any compulsory age bar. This suggests learners can appear in JEE Main exams at any age, but only within three years of getting a Class 12th passing certificate.

JEE Main attempts category wise

Learners are treated equally when it comes to the number of attempts in JEE Main exams.

1. How many attempts for JEE Main for OBC

OBC candidates can give JEE Main a total of 6 times. They might get some reservation or relaxation in cut-off marks for seats during admission in NITs and IITs.

2. How many attempts for JEE Main for SC

SC candidates can give JEE Main a total of 6 times. NITs and IIITs have some limited seats reserved for them.

3. How many attempts for JEE Main for ST

ST candidates can give JEE Main a total of 6 times. They might get some reserved seats or relaxation in cut-off marks during admission in NITs and IITs.

4. How many attempts for JEE Main for general

General candidates can give JEE Main a total of 6 times. They do not get any reserved seats or relaxation in cut-off marks during admission in NITs and IITs.

Difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced attempts

Many learners confuse JEE Main and JEE Advanced. They both are national-level competitive exams taken by learners who have completed their Class 12 education from the science stream, but are precisely different.

Though both of them are required for admission in central engineering colleges and universities, JEE Main is easier than JEE Advanced.

While JEE Main offers 6 attempts for engineering students, JEE Advanced only offers 4 chances to write exams (a maximum of two attempts in two consecutive years, starting from the Class 12 qualifying year).

The syllabus of JEE Advanced is also more vast than JEE Main; therefore, learners need to prepare more seriously if they want to qualify for JEE Advanced.

In India, the best of the best engineering universities are IITs and below them in hierarchy are NITs and IIITs. JEE Main takers get the chance to enrol in NITs, while JEE Advanced aspirants have the chance to get admission in the most renowned IITs of the country.

Common errors learners make on JEE Main attempts

Some learners, due to the vastness of the syllabus and difficulty level of JEE Main, make some wrong assumptions. These mistakes can cost them a whole year, so better note them down as mentioned below:

1. Considering two sessions as one

JEE Main exams are taken biannually. Still, some learners assume that these two sessions are considered as one.

But both the marks of these sessions are different and accepted by the engineering colleges as such.

2. Skipping attempts

Skipping attempts or sessions of JEE Main can only cost you chances to reevaluate your progress. Each attempt is your chance towards preparation and making yourself better for studying in National Institutes of Technology in India.

Even though learners don't feel properly prepared, these attempts can teach them a lot about their weak points and areas of improvement.

3. Delay preparation

As stated earlier, JEE Main is a tough exam and needs a good amount of preparation. Getting distracted and focusing on trivial things can delay your preparation and cost you your future career and dreams.

Starting Class 11, learners should direct their minds towards preparing for these competition-based exams and practise relentlessly to save years of regret.

Eligibility criteria and subject combinations

JEE Main has no upper age limit as its eligibility criteria. So the only criteria for JEE Main is that you should have passed Class 12th board examinations in 5 compulsory subjects.

You can refer to the official website of NTA for detailed information.

• You should have physics and mathematics compulsorily along with chemistry, one vocational subject, biotechnology, or biology for B.E./B. Tech (Paper 1).

• For B. Arch., take physics and maths.

• Mathematics is a necessary subject in B. Planning.

Benefits of taking numerous JEE Main attempts

Multiple attempts at the JEE Main exams motivate learners to improve their basics and bounce back stronger than the previous year's attempt. Other advantages are as follows:

1. Recover from poor performance.

With consecutive attempts in JEE Main, learners get the advantage to recover from poor performance and bounce back when there's still time. If a learner fails in one attempt, they have another 5 attempts to recognise their weak points and improve.

In this way, they learn from their past mistakes and do better in future attempts.

2. Giving time to adapt

Since learners have 6 attempts in total for JEE Main, they get enough time to adapt and understand the examination pattern and level of questions.

Once they are well-adapted to the examination format, they feel quite confident about being successful in JEE Main exams.

3. Encourage a growth mindset.

JEE Main several attempts encourage learners to build a growth mindset.

When learners fail in one attempt or do not get satisfactory marks, they can reattempt the exam with new motivation after learning from their past mistakes.

Application process for JEE Main

JEE Main application is online, and it is carried out using the official site of the National Testing Agency through jeemain.nta.nic.in. Follow the steps mentioned below to apply for JEE Main:

Step 1: Visit the official website

Start by visiting the correct portal for the JEE Main application published by the National Testing Agency. Click on the “New Registration" link.

Step 2: Registration

In this step, you will have to enter your name, email ID, phone number, and date of birth for registration in the JEE Main portal through an OTP.

Your application number will be generated after submission of the necessary details, after which you have to set a password for login purposes in future.

Step 3: Fill application form

After registration, log in to your JEE Main profile and fill in the application form using personal information, academic details, exam cities, and paper preference ( B.E./B.Tech, B. Arch, or B. Planning). Double-check all details before proceeding.

Step 4: Upload documents

Ensure you upload your signature, Class 10 marksheet, passport-size photograph, category certificate, and an official government ID before the deadline. NTA also publishes certain guidelines about the font size and type needed in the files, so you should abide by them as well.

Step 5: Pay fee for applying

Pay the application fee for JEE Main online through net banking, debit/credit card, or UPI as per your category (₹800 for females, ₹1000 for General/OBC male candidates, ₹900 for Gen-EWS males, and ₹500 for SC/ST/PwD/Third Gender candidates) for a single session.

Step 6: Download confirmation page

To safekeep your confirmation of application in JEE Main, you should download and print a hard copy after submitting the fee online. This page might be required for getting the admit card of JEE Main.

Summing thoughts

The number of JEE Main attempts remains the same for all categories.

Each learner is allowed to take JEE Main exams six times in three consecutive years starting from the year of passing Class 12.

Whoever wants to take admission in national engineering colleges should appear in JEE Main exams and prepare for a great future.

NITs and IIITs are hugely recognised in the job sector, and employers prefer learners from these colleges.

Frequently asked questions