JEE Advanced 2026: April Registration & May Exam Schedule

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has finalized the JEE Advanced 2026 schedule, with the nationwide examination set for May 17, 2026. Registration for the top 2.5 lakh JEE Main qualifiers will officially open on April 23 and remain active until May 2. This high-stakes entrance serves as the singular gateway for B.Tech and Integrated Master's admissions across all 23 IITs, following a rigorous two-paper computer-based testing format.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, the organizing body for the current academic session, has confirmed that the registration portal for the Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced) 2026 will officially open in the third week of April. Following the completion of the JEE Main Session 2 exams in early April, the top 2,50,000 qualifiers will be invited to register for the advanced stage. As of today, February 16, the official JEE Advanced 2026 website has been updated with the final information brochure, detailing the specific eligibility and scheduling milestones for the May 17 examination. This advanced level test remains the most competitive hurdle for engineering aspirants seeking a place in the country's premier technical institutes.

Key Registration Dates and Examination Schedule

The timeline for JEE Advanced 2026 is strictly structured to follow the declaration of national-level results by the NTA. According to the IIT Roorkee important dates, the online registration window for Indian nationals will commence on April 23, 2026, and conclude on May 2, 2026. A slightly earlier window for foreign national candidates and OCI/PIO cardholders is scheduled to open on April 6. The examination itself will be conducted in two mandatory three-hour shifts on Sunday, May 17. Candidates must appear for both Paper 1 and Paper 2 to be eligible for the final merit list and subsequent counselling rounds.

• Foreign Registration: April 6 – May 2, 2026.
• Main Registration: April 23 – May 2, 2026 (23:59 IST).
• Fee Payment Deadline: May 4, 2026.
• Admit Card Release: May 11 – May 17, 2026.
• Examination Date: May 17, 2026 (Paper 1: 9 AM; Paper 2: 2:30 PM).

Eligibility Checklist and Qualifying Criteria

The 2026-27 admission cycle maintains the rigorous "Five-Point Eligibility" framework. Candidates must be among the top 2.5 lakh rank holders in the JEE Main 2026 B.E./B.Tech paper. Furthermore, the official eligibility criteria mandate that candidates must have appeared for their Class 12 exams for the first time in either 2025 or 2026. The 75% aggregate marks requirement (65% for SC/ST) in Class 12 or being in the top 20 percentile of the respective board remains a prerequisite for final seat allocation. This ensures that the academic rigor of the advanced phase is matched by a strong foundational performance in school-level boards.

• JEE Main Rank: Top 2,50,000 candidates across categories.
• Age Limit: Born on or after October 1, 2001 (5-year relaxation for SC/ST/PwD).
• Attempts: Maximum of two attempts in two consecutive years.
• Reservation: Standard Central Govt norms apply (EWS 10%, OBC-NCL 27%, SC 15%, ST 7.5%).

Conclusion

As the 2026 counselling and registration milestones approach, IIT Roorkee is emphasizing technical readiness for the computer-based format. The timeline allows for a short correction window and immediate response sheet availability post-exam to maintain the transparency of the admission process. Following the June 1 results, the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) will manage the seat distribution for all IITs, NITs, and IIITs. Aspirants are encouraged to utilize the current mid-February period to strengthen their conceptual understanding, as the advanced level test is known for its dynamic marking scheme and challenging multi-concept problems. Every registration completed by early May brings a candidate one step closer to the prestigious IIT ecosystem.