JEE Advanced: Eligibility, Two Papers, IIT Admission & AAT
JEE Advanced is the sole gateway to undergraduate admission in the 23 IITs and IISc. It is organised by a rotating IIT — IIT Roorkee conducted the 2026 exam. To appear, you must be among the top 2,50,000 qualifying candidates in JEE Main and must not have exhausted your two-attempt limit across two consecutive years.
JEE Advanced 2026 was held on 17 May 2026. Paper 1 ran 9:00–12:00 and Paper 2 ran 14:30–17:30. Both papers are compulsory — missing either invalidates the attempt. The question types change every year and can include single-correct, multiple-correct, integer-type, and matching questions. The official information brochure at jeeadv.ac.in is the authoritative source for that year's exact marking scheme.
JEE Advanced 2026 key facts
| Aspect | Details |
|---|---|
| Organising body (2026) | IIT Roorkee (rotates each year) |
| Eligibility | Top 2,50,000 in JEE Main (category-inclusive); maximum 2 attempts in consecutive years |
| Papers | Paper 1 + Paper 2 (both compulsory) |
| Subjects | Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics in each paper |
| Question types | Varies by year: single-correct, multiple-correct, integer, matching — check the brochure |
| Exam date (2026) | 17 May 2026 |
| Final answer key (2026) | 25 May 2026 |
| Result (2026) | 1 June 2026 |
| Past papers archive | jeeadv.ac.in/archive.html (2007–2025, both papers) |
| AAT (Architecture) | 4 June 2026; for B.Arch at IITs |
Cycle-specific dates change every year. Always confirm on jeeadv.ac.in.
The JEE Advanced pathway
- Qualify JEE Main and register for Advanced — Registration opens on jeeadv.ac.in after the JEE Main final result. In 2026 registration opened 23 April and closed 5 May. Do not miss the window — there is no late registration.
- Download the admit card and sit both papers — Both Paper 1 and Paper 2 are mandatory. Missing either disqualifies the entire attempt. The admit card is available on the official portal before the exam.
- Check the answer key and raise challenges — The provisional answer key is released after the exam. You can challenge specific answers by paying the challenge fee online. The final answer key is binding.
- Access your result and rank — The JEE Advanced rank list is published on the official portal. IIT seats flow through JoSAA counselling. Candidates seeking B.Arch at IITs must additionally qualify AAT.
AAT is separate from JEE Advanced: The Architecture Aptitude Test (AAT) is conducted after JEE Advanced results for candidates seeking B.Arch admission at IITs. Qualifying JEE Advanced is a prerequisite; AAT requires a separate test. Official past AAT papers (2016–2025) are available at jeeadv.ac.in/archive.html. Always confirm on the official portal.
Official sources
Free JEE exam-help guides
- JEE Main 2027: Notification, Registration & Application Guide
- JEE Main Two-Session System: Should You Attempt Session 2?
- JEE Main Eligibility, 75% Criterion & Number of Attempts
- JEE Main Exam Pattern & Marking Scheme: MCQ, Numerical, Negative Marks
- JEE Main Admit Card: How to Download & What to Check
- JEE Main Answer Key: Provisional, Challenge & Final