The National Testing Agency (NTA) released the eligibility criteria for JEE Main 2026. Students are advised to check the eligibility criteria before applying for the exams.
Basic Eligibility Criteria:
- Candidates should have completed class 12 before appearing for the exams.
- Candidate must be a citizen of India.
- There is no age limit to appear for the exam.
- Class 12 marks are not required to appear in JEE Mains.
- Candidates can appear in JEE Mains for three consecutive years from the year of passing class 12.
JEE Main Minimum Age Criteria:
According to the National Testing Agency (NTA), there is no age limit for candidates appearing in the JEE Main examination. Students who have passed their Class 12 or equivalent examination in 2024, 2025, or are appearing in 2026, can apply for JEE Main 2026, regardless of their age. However, candidates must meet the age requirements specified by the institutes where they seek admission.
JEE Main 75% Marks Criteria:
There is no minimum percentage requirement to appear for the JEE Main exam. Candidates can register and write the exam irrespective of their Class 12 marks. The 75% marks criterion (or top 20 percentile rule) applies only during admissions to NITs, IIITs, and other GFTIs through JEE Main. Some institutes, however, may not have any minimum marks requirement for admission.
JEE Main State Code of Eligibility:
The State Code of Eligibility refers to the state from which the candidate has passed their Class 12 (or equivalent) qualifying examination, and it determines the candidate’s eligibility category for JEE Main. It is important to note that this code does not depend on the candidate’s place of residence or native state.
For example, if a student resides in Chennai (Tamil Nadu) but has completed Class 12 from a school in Bangalore, their State Code of Eligibility will be Karnataka, not Tamil Nadu.
List of Qualifying Examinations for JEE Main 2026:
To be eligible for JEE Main, candidates must have passed any of the following recognised examinations:
- The 10+2 system from any recognised Central or State Board, such as CBSE or CISCE
- Intermediate or Pre-University examinations
- The final exam of the two-year course of the National Defence Academy (NDA) Joint Services Wing
- The Senior Secondary School Examination conducted by NIOS with at least five subjects
- A three-year diploma recognised by AICTE or the respective State Board of Technical Education
- GCE A-Level examinations (London/Cambridge/Sri Lanka)
- The Cambridge High School Certificate
- The International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma awarded by the IB Office, Geneva
Candidates who completed Class 12 outside India or from a non-listed board must present an equivalence certificate from the Association of Indian Universities (AIU). Moreover, if Class 12 were not a public examination, the candidate must have passed at least one public Board or Pre-University examination beforehand.
JEE Main 2026: Important Points to Remember.
Candidates must check all the details about the eligibility criteria before filling out the application form. Candidates who fail to fulfil the eligibility criteria and still apply for the JEE Main 2026, their applications cancelled at any stage of the admission cycle. Make sure you fill in the correct details in your application form as per the original documents and eligibility criteria.
Keep checking the official website for regular updates and notifications.
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