JEE Advanced 2026 Eligibility Criteria

IIT Roorkee, the organizing institute for JEE Advanced 2026, has officially released the eligibility criteria on the official website jeeadv.ac.in. Candidates must fulfill all five criteria (A1 to A5) simultaneously to appear for the examination. Failure to meet any one criterion will result in disqualification at any stage of the admission process.

JEE Advanced 2026 – The Five Eligibility Criteria

CRITICAL: Candidates must meet ALL FIVE CRITERIA to be eligible for JEE Advanced 2026.

Criterion A1 – Performance in JEE Main 2026

Candidates must rank among the top 2,50,000 successful candidates (including all categories) in the B.E./B.Tech. Paper (Paper 1) of JEE Main 2026. The shortlisting is based on the following category-wise distribution:

Important Notes:

• A 5% horizontal reservation is provided for Persons with Disabilities (PwD) within each of the above five categories.
• Due to “tied” ranks/scores, the total number of shortlisted candidates may slightly exceed 2,50,000.
• OCI/PIO (I) candidates (Indian nationals category) are eligible only under OPEN / OPEN-PwD categories. Reservations for GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, and ST are NOT applicable to OCI/PIO candidates.

Criterion A2 – Age Limit

The date of birth recorded in the Class X certificate / Secondary Education Board certificate / Birth Certificate issued by a government authority will be considered final. No subsequent requests for age relaxation will be entertained.

Criterion A3 – Number of Attempts

• A candidate can appear for JEE (Advanced) a maximum of two times in two consecutive years.
• Candidates who appeared in JEE Advanced 2025 are eligible for their second and final attempt in 2026.
• Gap years are NOT permitted. Attempts must be in consecutive years.

Criterion A4 – Class XII (or Equivalent) Examination

Year of Appearance – Mandatory Requirement

• Eligible: Candidates who appeared for their Class XII (or equivalent) examination for the first time in 2025 OR 2026.
• NOT ELIGIBLE: Candidates who appeared for Class XII (or equivalent) for the first time in 2024 or earlier.

Exception – 2024 Appearances

Candidates who appeared for Class XII in 2024 are eligible ONLY IF their Board declared the results for the academic year 2023-24 on or after June 18, 2024.

Mandatory Subjects

Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics must be compulsory subjects in the qualifying examination.

Minimum Marks in Class XII – 75% / Top 20 Percentile – MANDATORY

CRITICAL UPDATE: Despite some sources incorrectly claiming these criteria are “removed,” the official JEE Advanced 2026 bulletin confirms they remain MANDATORY for admission after qualifying JEE Advanced.

Candidates must satisfy ONE of the following two conditions:

Subjects Considered for Percentage / Percentile Calculation

1. Physics
2. Chemistry
3. Mathematics
4. A language (if multiple languages, the one with higher marks is considered)
5. Any subject other than the above four (the subject with the highest marks is considered)

Improvement / Reappearance Rules

• For 75% aggregate: Candidates can reappear in any number of subjects to improve marks. The better of the two attempts (2025 or 2026) will be considered.
• For Top 20 percentile: Candidates must reappear in ALL subjects in 2026. The 2026 percentile will be considered.
• Single Board Requirement: Marksheets from separate boards are NOT permitted. All subjects must be from the same examination board.

Criterion A5 – Prior Admission to IITs

NOT ELIGIBLE – Candidates Who:

• Have ever been admitted to any IIT (irrespective of whether they continued or withdrew).
• Have accepted an IIT seat by reporting online or at a reporting centre.
• Had their admission cancelled after joining any IIT for any reason.

ELIGIBLE – Candidates Who:

• Were enrolled in a preparatory course at any IIT for the first time in 2025.
• Were allocated an IIT seat through JoSAA 2025 but:
  • Did NOT report (online or at any reporting centre), OR
  • Withdrew before the last round of seat allotment, OR
  • Had their seat cancelled before the final round of seat allotment for IITs.

Note: Candidates falling under the “ELIGIBLE” category must still meet all other four criteria (A1, A2, A3, A4).

Eligibility for Foreign Nationals & OCI/PIO Candidates

OCI/PIO Status – Critical Distinction (Supreme Court Order, Feb 3, 2023)

Foreign Nationals – Key Provisions

• JEE Main Exemption: Foreign Nationals are NOT required to appear for JEE Main 2026. They can directly register for JEE Advanced 2026 through the separate foreign national registration window.
• Top 2,50,000 Rule: Foreign Nationals are not included in the top 2,50,000 count. They are considered in addition to this limit.
• Seat Quota: Approximately 10% supernumerary seats in each IIT course are reserved for Foreign Nationals.
• Age Limit: Born on or after October 1, 2001. Relaxation provided for candidates from countries with mandatory military service (certificate required).
• Number of Attempts: Maximum two attempts in two consecutive years.
• Class XII: Must have appeared for Class XII for the first time in 2025 or 2026 with Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics.

⚠️ IMPORTANT: INTERNATIONAL EXAM CENTRES FOR JEE ADVANCED 2026

JEE Advanced 2026 will be conducted at 223 cities – 221 centres in India, and TWO international centres: Dubai (UAE) and Kathmandu (Nepal).

JEE Advanced 2026 – Qualifying Cut-off (Minimum Marks in JEE Advanced)

To be included in the rank list, candidates must score above the following minimum qualifying marks in JEE Advanced 2026:

Note: These are the minimum qualifying marks to appear in the rank list. Actual cut-offs for admission to specific IITs and branches are significantly higher and vary each year.

Summary Table – JEE Advanced 2026 Eligibility at a Glance

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) – JEE Advanced 2026 Eligibility

1. Which IIT is conducting JEE Advanced 2026?
IIT Roorkee is the organizing institute for JEE Advanced 2026.

2. What is the age limit for General category candidates?
General, EWS, and OBC-NCL candidates must be born on or after October 1, 2001.

3. Is there age relaxation for SC/ST/PwD candidates?
Yes. SC, ST, and PwD candidates get 5 years relaxation. They must be born on or after October 1, 1996.

4. How many times can I attempt JEE Advanced?
You can attempt JEE Advanced a maximum of two times in two consecutive years.

5. I passed Class XII in 2024. Am I eligible for JEE Advanced 2026?
Only if your Board declared the results for the academic year 2023-24 on or after June 18, 2024. Otherwise, you are NOT eligible.

6. Is the 75% marks criteria in Class XII removed?
NO. This is a critical correction. The official JEE Advanced 2026 bulletin confirms that candidates must still secure 75% aggregate (65% for SC/ST/PwD) OR be in the top 20 percentile of their board to be eligible for admission after qualifying JEE Advanced.

7. Do Foreign Nationals need to appear for JEE Main 2026?
No. Foreign Nationals are exempted from JEE Main 2026 and can directly register for JEE Advanced 2026.

8. Are OCI/PIO candidates eligible for reservation benefits?
No. OCI/PIO candidates (Indian nationals category) are eligible only under OPEN / OPEN-PwD categories. Reservations for GEN-EWS, OBC-NCL, SC, and ST are NOT applicable.

9. Will JEE Advanced 2026 be conducted outside India?
JEE Advanced 2026 will be conducted at 223 cities – 221 centres in India, and TWO international centres: Dubai (UAE) and Kathmandu (Nepal).

10. I was admitted to an IIT in 2025 but withdrew. Can I appear for JEE Advanced 2026?
No. Candidates who have ever been admitted to any IIT (irrespective of whether they continued or withdrew) are NOT eligible.

11. What is the minimum marks required in JEE Advanced to qualify?
General category candidates must score at least 10% in each subject and 35% aggregate. SC/ST/PwD candidates require 5% in each subject and 17.5% aggregate.

12. Can diploma holders apply for JEE Advanced 2026?
No. Diploma holders are NOT eligible for JEE Advanced unless they also meet the Class XII criteria (first time in 2025/2026 with PCM).

Important Notes and Disclaimers

• This page is updated for JEE Advanced 2026 based on official notifications from IIT Roorkee and jeeadv.ac.in.
• The organizing institute for JEE Advanced 2026 is Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee).
• The 75% aggregate / Top 20 percentile criteria are MANDATORY and have NOT been removed. Candidates must satisfy one of these conditions for admission after qualifying JEE Advanced.
• All dates, eligibility criteria, and cut-offs are subject to change. Candidates must regularly visit the official JEE Advanced website (https://jeeadv.ac.in/) for the latest updates, corrigenda, and announcements.
• For specific queries related to eligibility, candidates may contact the JEE Advanced 2026 helpdesk through the official portal.

This page is for informational purposes only. ALLEN Overseas has verified the information from official government sources (jeeadv.ac.in, IIT Roorkee). However, candidates must refer to official notifications from IIT Roorkee and JEE Advanced for final confirmation and decision-making.