Engineering entrance exams in India are the first step of JEE aspirants whether it is JEE Main and JEE Advanced, both are the most important stages to cover admission into top engineering colleges including 23 IITs, 31 NITs and 26 IIITs. Many JEE aspirants are confused about the actual difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced. Understanding about the JEE Main and JEE Advanced difference is very important for every candidate who is preparing for these exams because the exam pattern, difficulty level, and number of attempts vary accordingly.
JEE Main exam is a qualifying exam to get admission in NITs and IIITs whereas it also serves as the eligibility criteria to sit for a JEE Advanced exam for taking admissions into IITs.
In this blog, we will be covering the difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced in detail with a proper comparison table, eligibility criteria, exam pattern of both, difficulty level as well as number of attempts allowed to sit for the exam and syllabus overview of both JEE Main and JEE Advanced exams so that it is clear for you to choose which exam matters for you to choose as a dream engineering college.
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What is the Difference Between JEE Main and JEE Advanced?
The difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced is the main purpose for JEE aspirants to understand along with their difficulty level and the institutes for that they are opening doors. JEE Main exam is the first step for JEE aspirants of the Joint Entrance Examination and it is well conducted by the Government official body and that is NTA (National Testing Agency). This serves as the gateway to enter in 31 NITs, 26 IIITs as well as other GFTIs. In addition to that feature, JEE Main exam eligibility allows the aspirants to sit for the one of the most toughest and competitive entrance exams that is JEE Advanced.
On the other hand, the JEE Advanced exam is the next step for JEE aspirants after the JEE Main exam and it is conducted by one of the IIT but on a rotational basis. Only the top 2.5 lakh aspirants who are having such rank are eligible to appear for the toughest JEE Advanced exam and it is highly famous not only in India but out of India also because of its difficulty level. This exam tests aspirants on the basis of their problem-solving skills as well as analytical skills that require a good in-depth knowledge of various concepts. Unlike the JEE Main exam that focuses more on the clarity of concepts compared to this, JEE Advanced exam focuses more on the basis of advanced applications of concepts which is making this exam the final ladder for securing admissions into the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
Difference Between JEE Main and JEE Advanced: Comparison Table
| JEE Main Exam | JEE Advanced Exam |
| National Testing Agency (NTA) | Conducted by IITs on a rotational basis |
| Admission to NITs, IIITs, GFTIs, and eligibility for JEE Advanced | Admission to all 23 IITs |
| Class 12 pass or appearing students | Top 2.5 lakh rank holders in JEE Main + 75% in Class 12 or top 20 percentile |
| Computer-Based Test (CBT) | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Conducted 2 times a year (January & April Sessions) | Conducted once a year |
| Based on NCERT concepts of Class 11 & 12 (Physics, Chemistry, Math) | Includes JEE Main syllabus + additional advanced-level topics |
| Moderate focuses on concept clarity and speed | High focuses on analytical thinking, application, and problem-solving |
| One paper (Paper 1 for B.E./B.Tech; Paper 2 for B.Arch/B.Planning) | Two compulsory papers (Paper 1 & Paper 2) |
| +4 for correct -1 for incorrect (MCQs & Numerical Value Questions) | Varies each year; includes full, partial, and negative marking |
| NITs, IIITs, GFTIs, and private colleges | IITs only |
Syllabus Difference Between JEE Main and JEE Advanced
The syllabus difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced exam is very important to know for JEE Aspirants for the success in exam. Both the exams cover Mathematics, Physics as well as Chemistry from Class 11th and 12th and the depth of concepts and other factors may vary. JEE Main exam focused more on the NCERT level concepts and the direct applications derived from those concepts whereas JEE Advanced exam is a high level exam in comparison to JEE Main exam because it goes beyond the basic applications and test aspirants based on their problem solving skills.
JEE Main Syllabus
| Subjects | Topics |
| Physics | Physics and Measurement, Kinematics, Laws of Motion, Work, Energy & Power, Rotational Motion, Gravitation, Properties of Solids & Liquids, Thermodynamics, Kinetic Theory of Gases, Oscillations & Waves, Electrostatics, Current Electricity, Magnetic Effects of Current & Magnetism, Electromagnetic Induction & Alternating Currents, Electromagnetic Waves, Optics, Dual Nature of Matter & Radiation, Atoms & Nuclei, Electronic Devices, Experimental Skills (20% weightage) |
| Chemistry (Physical) | Basic Concepts, Atomic Structure, Chemical Bonding & Molecular Structure, Chemical Thermodynamics, Solutions, Equilibrium, Redox Reactions & Electrochemistry, Chemical Kinetics |
| Chemistry (Inorganic) | Classification of Elements & Periodicity in Properties, P-block Elements (Group 13–18), d-block & f-block Elements, Coordination Compounds |
| Chemistry (Organic) | Purification & Characterization of Organic Compounds, Some Basic Principles of Organic Chemistry, Hydrocarbons, Organic Compounds Containing Halogens, Organic Compounds Containing Oxygen, Organic Compounds Containing Nitrogen, Biomolecules, Principles Related to Practical Chemistry |
| Mathematics | Sets, Relations & Functions, Complex Numbers & Quadratic Equations, Matrices & Determinants, Permutations & Combinations, Binomial Theorem & Its Simple Applications, Sequence & Series, Limit, Continuity & Differentiability, Integral Calculus, Differential Equations, Coordinate Geometry, Three-Dimensional Geometry, Vector Algebra, Statistics & Probability, Trigonometry |
JEE Advanced Syllabus
| Subjects | Topics |
| Physics | Electrodynamics, Heat and Thermodynamics, Mechanics, Modern Physics, Optics, SHM & Waves |
| Chemistry (Inorganic) | Chemical Bonding, Coordination Compounds, Metallurgy, P-Block, Qualitative Analysis |
| Chemistry (Organic) | Amines, Aromatic Compounds, Biomolecules, Carbonyl Compounds, General Organic Chemistry, Polymers, Stereoisomerism |
| Chemistry (Physical) | Atomic Structure & Nuclear Chemistry, Chemical Equilibrium, Chemical Kinetics, Electrochemistry, Gaseous State, Mole Concept, Solution & Colligative Properties, Surface Chemistry, Solid State |
| Mathematics | Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus, Matrix & Determinants, Probability, Trigonometry, Vector & 3D Geometry, Coordinate Geometry, Complex Numbers, Sequence & Series, Binomial Theorem, Statistics |
JEE Main and JEE Advanced Difference in Eligibility Criteria
The JEE Main and JEE Advanced difference in the eligibility criteria is important for aspirants to know before they are appearing for the JEE exam. JEE Main exam allows JEE aspirants who have passed or appearing in the class 12 with Physics, Chemistry as well as Mathematics. Whereas JEE Advanced exam allows the top 2.5 lakh rankers who are the holders of JEE Main exam.
Rest, the detailed table of the JEE Main and JEE Advanced difference is mentioned below:
| JEE Main Exam | JEE Advanced Exam |
| Candidate must have passed Class 12 or equivalent with Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics | Must be among the top 2.5 lakh rank holders in JEE Main and have Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics in Class 12 |
| Candidates who passed Class 12 in the last 2 years or appearing in the current year | Same as JEE Main (current year or previous two years) |
| No minimum for appearing, but NITs/IIITs require 75% (65% for reserved) or top 20 percentile | Must have 75% (65% for SC/ST/PwD) or be in top 20 percentile of the board |
| Maximum 3 consecutive years; exam held twice a year | Maximum 2 attempts in 2 consecutive years |
| No specific age limit | Born on or after October 1, 2000 (5-year relaxation for SC/ST/PwD) |
JEE Main vs JEE Advanced: Exam Pattern
The difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced exam pattern is very important to understand during planning the preparation strategy. JEE Main exam is overall designed to test accuracy, speed as well as the concept knowledge of an aspirant.
Below mentioned is the detailed table that covers the exam pattern of both the exams.
| JEE Main Exam | JEE Advanced Exam |
| Computer-Based Test (CBT) | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Paper 1 (Paper 1 for B.E./B.Tech) Paper 2 (B.Arch/B.Planning) optional | 2 Papers (Paper 1 & Paper 2) – both compulsory |
| Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics | Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics |
| 3 Hours (180 minutes) | 6 Hours (2 Papers of 3 hours each) |
| 90 (30 each in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics – attempt 75) | Varies every year |
| +4 for correct answer -1 for the incorrect (MCQs + numerical values) | Varies each year |
JEE Main vs JEE Advanced: Difficulty Level
| Parameters | JEE Main Exam | JEE Advanced Exam |
| Overall Difficulty | Moderate | High |
| Focus | Concept clarity, speed, and accuracy | In-depth problem-solving and analytical skills |
| Question Type | Not direct application based. | Complex, application based |
| Competition Level | High | Very high (only JEE Main qualifier) |
JEE Main and JEE Advanced Difference in Number of Attempts
The JEE Main and JEE Advanced difference for the factor of number of attempts is important for JEE aspirants to cover. JEE Main majorly allows candidates to appear for the exam twice a year within two major sessions and these are April and January. And students can attempt these a maximum for 3 consecutive years. But the JEE Advanced exam is more difficult and application based that permits only two attempts in 2 consecutive years which is making the planning very careful for the aspirants who are targeting IITs.
Conclusion: Difference Between JEE Main and JEE Advanced
The difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced exam covers some purpose, syllabus and concepts depth, exam pattern as well as difficulty level. JEE Main is the first step for JEE aspirants to their dream engineering colleges while also serving as the qualifying exam for JEE Advanced exam. JEE Advanced is the main stage to the IITs which is designed for aspirants to check them for the advanced application based concepts and having high level in comparison to the JEE Main.
In addition to that JEE Main depends on the direct NCERT based concepts and it is important for aspirants to crack both the JEE Main and JEE Advanced exam if they are targeting Indian Institutes of Technology i.e, IITs. Understanding the JEE Main vs JEE Advanced difference helps aspirants to plan proper strategies so that they will be able to focus on the right level of practice for the JEE exam.
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Difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced FAQs
The key difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced is all about the qualification of both for the top engineering colleges like NITs, IIITs and GFTIs where JEE Advanced is the exam to target IITs.
Yes due to coming of application based question directly in the JEE Advanced exam makes it difficult in comparison to the JEE Main examination.
No you cannot appear for the JEE Advanced exam without qualifying the JEE Main exam as this exam is the first step to qualify to get eligible to sit for the JEE Advanced.
You can allow to give JEE Main twice a year for the next consecutive three years where JEE Advanced exam is quiet restricted towards this process due to one attempt in a year.
