The National Testing Agency (NTA) is gearing up for the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026, with the first session scheduled to commence later this month. Aspiring engineering and architecture students across India are awaiting crucial pre-exam documents, primarily the city intimation slip, which is their first official indication of their allotted exam center.
Key Dates for JEE Main 2026 Session 1
The examination for Paper 1 (BE/BTech) and Papers 2A & 2B (BArch and BPlanning) will be held from January 21 to January 31, 2026. According to the tentative schedule, the NTA will activate the city intimation slip links on the official JEE Main website, jeemain.nta.nic.in, in the first week of January 2026.
Following this, the actual JEE Main 2026 admit cards will be made available for download three to four days before the start of the examinations. Candidates must carry their admit card to the exam center on the day of their test. The results for the January session are slated to be declared on February 12, 2026.
Understanding the City Intimation Slip and Allotment Process
The city intimation slip is a preliminary document that informs candidates about the city where their examination center is located. It is not the final admit card. During the JEE Main 2026 application process, candidates were allowed to select up to four preferred cities from the list provided for their present and permanent address states.
The NTA has stated that it will make all efforts to assign the examination city based on the candidate's order of preference. However, the agency has clarified its policy regarding center allotment.
The NTA reserves the right to allot a different city due to administrative or logistical reasons. Furthermore, if very few candidates are allocated to a particular city, the NTA may merge it with one or more neighboring cities. The agency's decision on city and center allotment is final, and no requests for changes will be entertained after the release of the intimation slip.
Special Provisions and Important Guidelines
The same city selection and allotment rules apply to foreign candidates, based on their declared addresses. The NTA has also emphasized that it will consider the comfort and convenience of all candidates, including Persons with Disabilities (PwD) and Persons with Benchmark Disabilities (PwBD), while finalizing the exam center allotments for the January session.
Candidates are advised to keep a close watch on the official NTA JEE Main website for the latest updates and official notifications regarding the activation of the city intimation slip link. They should use their application credentials to log in and download the slip as soon as it is released to avoid last-minute technical issues.
With the exam dates fast approaching, this period is critical for final preparations. Knowing the exam city in advance helps candidates plan their travel and accommodation, reducing stress and allowing them to focus entirely on their revision.
