The tentative date for the JEE (Joint Entrance Examination) Mains 2026 is January-April 2026. NTA (National Testing Agency) is the conducting body for JEE Mains, which is the first gateway for admission into IITs, NITs, etc. Upon achieving the qualifying percentile from JEE Mains Total Marks, candidates will be eligible to appear for JEE Advanced 2026. 300 is the total marks for Paper 1(B.Tech) of JEE Mains. The second paper of JEE Main is segregated into two components,i.e, Paper 2A (B.Arch) and Paper 2B (B.Plan), which carry 400 marks each. For every correct response in Paper 1 and Paper 2, you will receive +4 marks. There are two different sections in JEE Mains-Paper 1 and -1 marks are deducted for every incorrect response from Section A and Section B. Even in Paper 2, -1 marks are subtracted for every wrong attempt. In this blog, we will now talk about the highlights of the JEE Mains Total Marks and other key specifications of JEE Mains 2026.
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JEE Main Total Marks For Paper 1 (B.Tech)
JEE Mains Paper 1 (B.Tech) consists of three distinct subjects,i.e, Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. In total, there are 75 MCQs. Each subject from Section A consists of 20 multiple-choice questions. In Section B, 5 numerical-type questions are asked from every section. The JEE Mains Total Marks for Paper 1 are 300. Hereby, 100 marks have been distributed equally across the three sections. There is +4 positive marking for a right answer and -1 marking for an inaccurate attempt. For unattempted questions, there’s zero marking in JEE Mains Paper 1. Refer to the table below and acquire a thorough understanding of the JEE Main Total Marks, number of questions, exam mode, total exam duration, etc., in Paper 1.
JEE Mains Paper 1 (B.Tech) Highlights
| Major Particulars | Information |
| Entrance Exam | JEE Mains |
| Course Type | B.Tech |
| Eligibility Criteria | A candidate must have cleared or appeared for the 10+2 examination with a minimum passing mark of 75% from a recognised school or educational institution. 65% marks are the criteria for SC/ST candidates.You must be an Indian Citizen. However, NRIs, OCIs and PIOs are also eligible to appear for Paper 1(B.Tech) of JEE Mains 2026.Your passing or appearing year for the 12th grade must be 2023,2024, or 2025. Physics and Mathematics are compulsory subjects for Paper 1. |
| JEE Main Syllabus | Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics |
| JEE Main Total Marks | 300 |
| Positive Marking Scheme | +4 Marks |
| Negative Marking Scheme | -1 Marks |
| Unattempted Question | 0 Marks |
| Type Of Questions | Multiple Choice Questions and Numerical Value Questions |
| Section A Questions (MCQs) | Physics- 20Chemistry- 20Mathematics- 20 |
| Section B Questions (Numerical Value) | 5 Questions Per Subject ( It’s compulsory to attempt all questions) |
| Total No. Of Questions | 75 |
| Difficulty Level | Moderate to Tough |
| Official Platform | jeemain.nta.ac.in. |
| Mode Of Exam | Online (Computer-Based Test) |
| JEE Mains Exam Duration | 3 Hours, PwD Candidates – 4 Hours |
| Available Languages | Assamese, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Hindi, English, Gujarati |
JEE Main Total Marks For Paper 2 (B.Arch and B.Plan)
NTA conducts a separate entrance examination for candidates who aspire to establish a successful career in architecture and planning. Two different question papers are designed for B.Arch and B.Plan, which constitute 400 marks each. The exam pattern of both these examinations is entirely different. In B.Arch, candidates must attempt the drawing test, which will help them score 100 marks. There are two different questions in this section. Whereas, candidates who decide to register and appear for Paper 2B (B.Plan) of JEE Mains will have to answer MCQs from the Mathematics, Aptitude and Planning-based categories. However, there will be a few questions from the Mathematics section that will have numerical value answers. A detailed description of the JEE Mains Total Marks for Paper 2A and Paper 2B has been addressed below for your reference.
JEE Mains Paper 2: Exam Pattern, Total Duration and Marking Scheme
| Fundamental Components | JEE Mains Paper 2A (B.Arch) | JEE Mains Paper 2B (B.Plan) |
| Basic Admission Requirements | You must have completed your 10+2 grade examination with PCM as the major subjects. | It’s compulsory to have mathematics as one of your major subjects in the 10+2 or any other equivalent examination. |
| JEE Mains 2026 Core Subjects | Mathematics, Aptitude Test, Drawing Test | Mathematics, Aptitude Test, Planning-based Questions |
| JEE Mains Total Marks 2026 | 400 | 400 |
| Right Answer | +4 | +4 |
| Wrong Attempt | -1 | -1 |
| Unattempted Question | 0 | 0 |
| JEE Mains Question Type | MCQs (Math & Aptitude), Drawing Tasks (Pen & Paper) | MCQs + Numerical Value + Planning-Based Questions |
| Total Questions in JEE Mains 2026 | 77 | 100 |
| JEE Mains MCQs Question Distribution | Mathematics- 25 (20 MCQs + 5 Numerical Value Questions)Aptitude- 50Drawing Test- 2 | Maths- 25 (20 MCQs + 5 Numerical Value Questions)Aptitude Test- 50Planning- 25 |
| Total Questions in JEE Mains 2026 | 77 | 100 |
| Paper Level | Moderate To Easy | |
| Official Website | jeemain.nta.ac.in. | |
| JEE Mains 2026 Exam Mode | Aptitude and Mathematics: Online Drawing Test: Offline | |
| Total Exam Duration | 3 HoursPwD/PwBD candidates – 4 Hours | |
| Language Preferences | Assamese, Bengali, Kannada, Malayalam, Marathi, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu, Hindi, English, Gujarati | |
How To Score JEE Main Total Marks?
JEE Mains is the key stepping-stone for students who mainly aspire to pursue an engineering degree from IITs, NITs or other top engineering schools.. In the former sections of this content, we have briefed you about the JEE Main Total Marks for Paper 1 and Paper 2. The total number of questions and exam duration differ in JEE Mains: Paper 1 and Paper 2. However, there’s a commonality in the marking scheme. Candidates score +4 marks for an accurate response. In case of a wrong attempt, -1 mark will be deducted from the JEE Main Total Marks scored by a candidate. Fortunately, there’s no negative marking for unattempted questions. Avoid negative marking in JEE Mains 2026 by following these valuable tips shared by the JEE expert faculty from iQuanta.
- Start Studying High-Scoring Topics: To score JEE Main Total Marks, you must prioritise strengthening your basics on significant topics first. Pick topics like Organic Chemistry, Optics, Kinematics, Laws of Motion, Atomic Structure, Matrices and Determinants, and Coordinate Geometry to achieve maximum scores.
- Always Follow Concept-Based Learning: Don’t just read the topics from every chapter. Develop a habit of deep study sessions and solidify your proficiency in every single topic from Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry.
- Solve JEE Mains Past 10 Year Papers: Practice JEE Mains past year papers under actual exam time conditions to enhance your speed, time management and accuracy skills. By solving PYQs, you will also become proficient in selecting good questions.
- Opt for Multiple Revisions: From the day you start your JEE preparation, note down crucial formulas, important tips and tricks in a notebook. Summarise vital concepts from every chapter in less than 2 pages.
- Study NCERT and Popular Resources: For years, NCERT textbooks have been a total saviour to achieve JEE Main Total Marks in Paper 1 and Paper 2. You must pay more attention to studying from the NCERT to build your fundamental understanding of the JEE Mains syllabus and then switch to other materials.
- Build a Positive Mindset: Constant meditation, physical exercises, maintaining a proper sleep schedule, eating a healthy diet and eliminating negative distractions should be a part of your daily routine while preparing for JEE Mains.
Final Words
Preparing for JEE Mains 2026 while appearing for the 10+2 examination can be a challenging task for students. Thus, we suggest you join iQuanta online classes where we prepare students to crack JEE Mains with a remarkable score. A team of highly-qualified faculty members guide the students about the basic learning techniques, JEE Mains Syllabus, marking scheme and JEE Main Total Marks in a detailed manner. Side by side, we make our students familiar with the effective strategies to select good questions, master accuracy, and avoid negative marking schemes. Henceforth, keep everything aside and register for our JEE Mains preparation courses to accomplish a good percentile in this popular entrance examination, which witnesses a high level of competition every year.
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Frequently Asked Questions
In 2026, Paper 1 (B.Tech) will carry 300 marks. However, Paper 2 will carry 400 marks separately for B.Arch and B.Plan.
There’s a difference between the qualifying cut-off and admission cut-off of JEE Mains. Candidates who achieve the JEE Main Total Marks or minimum qualifying percentile will be shortlisted for JEE Advanced 2026.
Candidates appearing for JEE Mains 2026 must follow a structured preparation routine and revise every day to hit their target score in JEE Mains 2026.
You must visit the official website of NTA: jeemain.nta.ac.in to register for JEE Mains in the upcoming year. Fresh registrations are expected to start from November 2025. The tentative last date to register for JEE Mains is December 2025.
You can register online for Paper 1 and Paper 2 of JEE Mains if you fulfil the basic eligibility requirements and have all the necessary documents for proper background verification.
. Paper 2 will carry 400 marks individually for B.Arch and B.Plan in the JEE Mains 2026.){kind=link}