JEE Main Application Form 2026: Registration, Fee, Dates and Documents

JEE Main 2026 ran across two separate sessions, January and April, each with its own registration window and its own set of exam dates. NTA opened the first registration on October 31, 2025 and the second on February 1, 2026, with JEE Main results for both sessions now declared. This page walks through the full application process as it actually happened: the session-wise dates, the fee split by category and gender, the live photo requirement NTA introduced this cycle, and the correction facility that followed each registration window.

JEE Main 2026 Application Highlights

JEE Main 2026's basic shape sits in the table below. Each row gets its own fuller section further down.

JEE Main Registration Dates, Session 1 and Session 2

JEE Main's two-session structure means two separate registration windows rather than one. A candidate who registered for Session 1 still needed to log back in and pay separately for Session 2 if they wanted to appear in both.

Both sessions for this cycle are over, and NTA has declared final results combining the best of Session 1 and Session 2 scores. A candidate who appeared in both sessions had their higher NTA score counted automatically, with no extra step needed to merge them.

JEE Main 2026 Application Fee by Category and Gender

JEE Main 2026's fee structure is more layered than most entrance exams, since it splits by category, gender, exam-centre location (India or abroad), and the number of papers chosen. The table below covers single-paper fees at Indian centres, which is what the majority of candidates pay.

Choosing two papers (for example Paper 1 plus Paper 2A) doubles these figures. Candidates at centres outside India pay Rs 5,000 (General male) or Rs 4,000 (General female), scaling down proportionally for other categories. GST and processing charges sit on top of the base fee, applied by the payment gateway at the time of the transaction.

How to Fill JEE Main 2026 Application Form Online

JEE Main's application form followed the same three-stage sequence NTA has used for the last several cycles: register, fill and upload, then pay. The process below covers Session 1 as the primary walkthrough, since Session 2 used the same portal and the same stages.

• Go to jeemain.nta.nic.in and select new candidate registration.
• Enter your name, date of birth, email address, mobile number, and create a password.
• Verify using the OTP sent to your mobile and email.
• Log back in with the system-generated application number and your password.
• Choose your paper (Paper 1, Paper 2A, Paper 2B, or a combination) and whether to register for one session or both.
• Fill in personal details, category, gender, parent or guardian information, and address.
• Enter your academic details, including qualifying exam board, year of passing, and roll number.
• Select preferred exam cities, in order of preference.
• Upload your photograph, signature, and category or PwD certificate if applicable.
• Capture a live photo through your device's webcam when the portal prompts it.
• Pay the application fee online through credit card, debit card, net banking, or UPI.
• Download and save the confirmation page once the fee is confirmed.

JEE Main 2026 Live Photo Capture Requirement

JEE Main 2026 introduced a live photo step that did not exist in older cycles. The portal activates your webcam during the form-filling stage and captures a photo on the spot, separate from the passport-size photograph you upload as a file.

This live image is matched against the uploaded photograph and later verified at the exam centre. A candidate whose live capture and uploaded photograph do not look like the same person can face a verification hold that delays the admit card. Make sure lighting is good, your face is clearly visible, and nothing obstructs the webcam frame during the capture.

Documents Required for JEE Main 2026 Registration

JEE Main required a short list of documents for 2026 registration, but each item had its own format requirement, and a scan outside the specification could stop the form from moving to the next step.

Unlike some state-level exams, JEE Main does not require uploading Class 10 or Class 12 mark sheets at the application stage. Academic details are entered as text fields and verified later during counselling and admission.

JEE Main Application Form Correction Window 2026

JEE Main 2026's correction facility opened after each session's registration closed. The scope of what could be changed was limited, but it was also the only point where a registered candidate could add Session 2 to an existing Session 1 application, or add a second paper.

Adding a session or paper during the correction window meant paying the extra fee for that addition at the time of correction. NTA did not refund the fee for a paper or session a candidate chose to drop during this window.

JEE Main 2026 Two-Session Registration and Score Merging

JEE Main's two-session model is the feature that shapes most practical decisions a candidate makes at the application stage, and it works differently from how many first-time applicants expect.

Registering for both sessions at the time of the Session 1 form meant paying the full fee for both upfront. Registering for Session 1 alone and adding Session 2 later, during the correction window or the Session 2 registration window, was also allowed, but required a separate payment. Once both sessions were complete, NTA automatically picked the higher of the two NTA scores, per paper, for the final ranking. No candidate needed to request a merge or choose one score over the other; the system did it by default.

Common JEE Main Application Form Errors 2026

Most issues that held up a JEE Main 2026 application came from one of a small set of mistakes that repeat each cycle.

• Selecting the wrong paper (Paper 1 instead of Paper 2A, or the reverse) and not realising until after payment, when the correction window's scope may not cover it fully.
• Entering academic details that do not match the Class 12 board records, which gets flagged only later during counselling verification.
• Skipping the live photo capture step by closing the webcam prompt, then being unable to submit the form.
• Registering for Session 1 only and assuming Session 2 would be added automatically, when it requires a separate action and a separate fee.
• Paying twice after a failed transaction without checking the fee payment status page first, then needing to wait for a refund of the duplicate amount.

JEE Main 2026's full cycle is over, but the process described above is unlikely to change much for the 2027 cycle. Candidates planning ahead can use this as a reference for what to expect when NTA opens registration later this year, while confirming every date and fee against the new notification once it lands.

JEE Main Application Form 2026 FAQs

Ques: If I registered for Session 1 only, did I need to fill a completely new form for Session 2?

Ques: Does NTA refund the fee if I drop a paper or session during the correction window?

Ques: Can I change my registered email address or mobile number after submitting the form?

Ques: What happens if the live photo and the uploaded photograph do not match?

Ques: Is there a limit on how many consecutive years I can appear for JEE Main?