The National Testing Agency (NTA) is expected to commence the application process for JEE Main 2026 Session 2 today, February 1, 2026. This crucial examination for engineering and architecture aspirants will be conducted in two phases this year, with Session 1 already held in January and Session 2 scheduled for April.
Important Dates and Application Deadline
According to the official schedule released by NTA, the JEE Main 2026 Session 2 examination will be conducted from April 2 to April 9, 2026. Candidates aspiring for admission to BTech, BArch, and BPlanning programmes across India must complete their applications through the official portal, jeemain.nta.nic.in, by February 25, 2026.
Application Process and Guidelines
Prospective candidates should note several important guidelines for the application process:
- Candidates who have already applied and paid the examination fee for the January session and wish to appear for Session 2 must log in using their previous application number and password
- Aspirants are strictly prohibited from filling more than one JEE Main application form
- If multiple applications are discovered, even at a later stage, one application number will be treated as Unfair Means (UFM) and strict disciplinary action will be taken against the candidate
Examination Structure and Purpose
JEE Main serves as the gateway to prestigious engineering institutions across India:
- JEE Main Paper 1 is conducted for admission to engineering programmes (BE/BTech) at National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs), other centrally funded technical institutions, and participating state government institutions
- JEE Main Paper 2 is conducted for admission to BArch and BPlanning courses throughout the country
- Qualifying candidates from JEE Main become eligible to appear for JEE Advanced, which serves as the entrance examination for Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs)
Admit Card Release and Session 1 Updates
For Session 2 candidates, admit cards are expected to be released three to four days prior to the examination dates. Meanwhile, NTA has announced important updates regarding Session 1:
- The answer key and response sheet for JEE Main 2026 Session 1 will be released on February 4, 2026
- Approximately 13 lakh candidates who appeared for the January session can download both documents from the official website
- This transparency measure allows candidates to verify their responses and calculate their expected scores before the final results are declared
With the registration window now open, aspiring engineers and architects across India should begin their application process promptly to avoid last-minute technical issues. The February 25 deadline provides candidates with approximately three weeks to complete their applications, upload required documents, and make the necessary fee payments.
