JEE Advanced 2026 May 17 Exam Date Reconfirmed in Official Timeline

IIT Roorkee has officially reconfirmed that the JEE Advanced 2026 will be held on Sunday, May 17, 2026.The examination features two mandatory shifts for Paper 1 and Paper 2, conducted in a computer-based format. Registration for the top 2.5 lakh JEE Main qualifiers begins on April 23, with the final results slated for June 1.This article details the comprehensive timeline, including admit card release dates and the specific eligibility criteria for Indian and foreign nationals. The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has formally reconfirmed the examination timeline for the upcoming JEE Advanced 2026. As of today, February 7, the organizing body has finalized the schedule, ensuring that all logistical preparations are aligned with the national academic calendar. This high-stakes examination, which serves as the exclusive gateway for admission to the premier Indian Institutes of Technology and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru, remains set for its traditional mid-May slot, providing a clear roadmap for the top 2,50,000 qualifiers from the JEE Main rounds.

Official Examination Schedule

The JEE Advanced 2026 examination is officially scheduled to take place on Sunday, May 17, 2026. The test will be conducted in a strictly Computer Based Test (CBT) format across various centers nationwide. To ensure a comprehensive evaluation of the candidates' analytical and problem-solving skills, the exam is divided into two mandatory sessions.

As per the JEE Advanced Important Dates documentation, the specific session timings for the exam day are provided in the table below:

It is a non-negotiable requirement that candidates appear for both papers; failure to attend either session will result in the candidate being marked absent for the entire examination process.

Registration and Eligibility Windows

While the exam date is reconfirmed, the actual Online Registration Process for Indian nationals will only commence after the declaration of the JEE Main Session 2 results. The registration window is slated to open on April 23, 2026, at 10:00 AM and will remain active until May 2, 2026. Candidates must complete their fee payments by May 4 to finalize their candidacy.

For international applicants and those under the OCI/PIO category, the foreign registration portal will open earlier, on April 6, 2026. The organizing institute, IIT Roorkee, has also released the JEE Advanced 2026 Information Brochure, which details the specific eligibility criteria, including the age limit (born on or after October 1, 2001, with relaxations for reserved categories).

Post-Exam Timeline and Results

The intensity of the JEE Advanced 2026 cycle continues well after the May 17 test date. IIT Roorkee has outlined a rapid evaluation phase to facilitate timely counseling through JoSAA. The following table summarizes the post-examination milestones:

Aspiring candidates are encouraged to verify their category-specific Online Registration Process requirements early to avoid last-minute documentation hurdles by checking the official eligibility documents

Conclusion

The reconfirmation of the May 17 exam date by IIT Roorkee provides much-needed certainty for thousands of aspirants navigating the JEE Advanced 2026 cycle. With the Computer Based Test (CBT) environment ready and the Online Registration Process set to begin in late April, students can now synchronize their revision strategies with the official timeline. This consistency in the national schedule ensures that the transition from the JEE Main qualifiers to the advanced stage remains seamless for the next generation of engineers and scientists.

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