NTA brings about several changes in its policies, exam notifications, and eligibility conditions for JEE Main from time to time. While there is no upper age limit to appear for the JEE Main 2026 exam, the conducting authority has recently made modifications in age rules for repeaters and certain candidates. If you are preparing to take the national-level engineering entrance exam this year, you must be familiar with what's new in JEE Main 2026 eligibility criteria , particularly related to age rules and its admission policies.

To get a better understanding of the age rules for JEE Main 2026 , read this article.

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What's New in JEE Main Age Rules 2026?

As per the latest eligibility guidelines issues by the NTA, there is no upper age limit set for candidates taking the exam. This means, students regardless of their age can appear for JEE Main, as long as they meet the other conditions and academic requirements. This comes as an advantage for many students who may have taken a break after their 12th Boards due to personal reasons, or were previously pursuing some other academic paths. Age is no bar for JEE aspirants.

However, there's been one significant change made for repeat candidates. The age limit for such candidates has been increased from 20 years to 22 years. This means students who previously appeared for JEE Main in the year 2025 and 2024 can again take the exam in the upcoming 2026 session, even if they are older than 20 years.

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Age Criteria for JEE Main 2026

For JEE Main 2026, the students often get confused about the age criteria. So, we have discussed the age rules below:

• The NTA, which conducts the JEE Main exam, has clarified that there is no upper age limit to appear for JEE Main 2026.

• It is important for the candidates to have passed their 10+2 exam in 2024 or 2025. The students appearing in 2026 are also eligible for JEE Main 2026.

If you have completed (or will complete) your Class 12 in the above-mentioned years, you can appear for JEE Main 2026 regardless of your age.

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Things to Keep in Mind before Appearing for JEE Main 2026

Apart from the age criteria, the test-takers should also be aware of other things before appearing for JEE Main 2026.

• Qualifying exam year: Even though age does not matter for JEE Main 2026, the year in which you pass your Class 12 (or equivalent) is important to become eligible. For JEE Main 2026, you must have passed in 2024 or 2025 or be appearing in 2026.

• Institute-specific age policies: While NTA has removed age rules for the exam, individual engineering institutes (colleges/ universities) may still have their own criteria for admission, where age can also be a factor. It is always advisable to check the requirements for your preferred colleges.

• Number of attempts and consecutive years: Although age is not a factor to appear for JEE Main 2026, the number of attempts and the consecutive years are important. The students will get only three consecutive attempts in the year they became eligible.

• Admission eligibility: Some admissions may require a minimum exam percentage (for example 75% in Class 12 for General candidates and 50% for SC/ ST students) or other restrictions by the institute.

Staying updated with the new age rules and meeting JEE Main eligibility criteria 2026 is mandatory for a smooth and hassle-free exam experience. Only those who fulfil all the conditions shall have the JEE Main application form 2026 accepted by the official NTA authorities. Registration is ongoing till November 27, 2025.

In case you have any doubts or queries, send them to us through the Q&A Zone or call on the toll-free student helpline number - 1800-572-9877. To get any admission-related assistance from our experts for JEE Main 2026, fill out the Common Application Form . Stay tuned to CollegeDekho to know more about the exam!