JEE Advanced 2026: Official Timeline Reaffirms May 17 Examination Date

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee, the organizing body for the 2026-27 cycle, has officially confirmed that the JEE Advanced 2026 examination will be conducted on May 17, 2026. This prestigious national-level test follows the established rotation system and serves as the primary gateway for admission into the 23 IITs. Aspiring candidates who qualify through the JEE Main 2026 benchmarks must adhere to the strict registration timeline beginning April 23 to secure their participation in this high-stakes engineering entrance.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee has officially released the detailed Timeline for the Joint Entrance Examination (Advanced) 2026, solidifying May 17, 2026, as the national examination date. As the organizing institute for the current academic cycle, IIT Roorkee is overseeing the administrative Procedures for the 2026-27 admissions into the Bachelor’s, Integrated Master’s, and Dual Degree programs across all IITs. According to the Official JEE Advanced 2026 Portal, the examination will be conducted in a fully computer-based test (CBT) mode, consisting of two mandatory three-hour papers.

Registration Schedule and Eligibility Benchmarks

The Timeline for the 2026 cycle is strictly structured to follow the declaration of the JEE Main Session 2 results. For Indian nationals, the online Registration portal is scheduled to open at 10:00 IST on April 23, 2026, and will remain active until May 2, 2026. Only the top 2,50,000 candidates from the JEE Main 2026 Paper 1 are permitted to apply, provided they meet the specific category-wise Procedures and age limits. Interestingly, foreign nationals and OCI/PIO candidates who obtained their status after March 4, 2021, are granted an earlier Registration window starting April 6, 2026, and are not required to appear for the preliminary JEE Main rounds.

• Fee Payment: The final date for the successful transaction of the application fee is set for May 4, 2026.
• Admit Card Issuance: Hall tickets will be available for download from the Candidate Portal starting May 11, 2026.
• Exam Day Structure: Paper 1 will be held from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, followed by Paper 2 from 2:30 PM to 5:30 PM on Sunday, May 17.

Academic Criteria and Inclusion of IISc Bengaluru

A significant update in the 2026 Timeline involves the formal inclusion of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru in the Joint Seat Allocation Authority (JoSAA) 2026 framework. Admission to IISc's B.Tech programs for the 2026-27 session will now be processed using the JEE Advanced 2026 ranks. According to the Admission Criteria Document, the mandatory "75% aggregate marks" in Class 12 remains the standard Procedures for admission, though candidates only need to be among the top 2,50,000 in JEE Main to be eligible for the exam itself. This dual-verification ensures that candidates possess both the analytical depth for the Advanced paper and a consistent academic record.

Post-Exam Evaluation and Result Trajectory

The post-exam Procedures are designed for maximum transparency. IIT Roorkee will upload the scanned images of the candidates' response sheets by May 21, followed by the provisional answer keys on May 25. Candidates will have a 48-hour window to submit feedback. The final Declaration of the results and the All India Ranks (AIR) is officially slated for June 1, 2026. This rapid Timeline facilitates the early commencement of JoSAA counselling, ensuring that the 2026-27 academic session remains on schedule. The IIT Roorkee Helpdesk remains the primary point of contact for technical queries regarding the digital evaluation and feedback system.

Conclusion

As of February 7, the reaffirmation of the May 17 examination date provides much-needed clarity for over 2.5 lakh potential aspirants. With IIT Roorkee leading the Procedures, the 2026 Timeline reflects a robust and transparent approach to one of the world's toughest entrance tests. The upcoming Registration phase in April will be the first major hurdle for domestic candidates, while the inclusion of IISc Bengaluru adds a new layer of opportunity for top-ranking students. As the Declaration of results is set for June 1, the focus for students must now shift toward the specialized problem-solving required for the JEE Advanced level. By adhering to the official Information Brochure guidelines, candidates can ensure their eligibility and documentation are perfectly aligned for this critical milestone in their engineering careers.

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