Who is Eligible for JEE Advanced 2026?
IIT Roorkee has released the JEE Advanced 2026 eligibility on its website. Based on the official criteria, to be eligible for JEE Advanced, you must rank among the top 2,50,000 JEE Main qualifiers. Check other details about JEE Advanced eligibility here.
Are you interested in appearing for JEE Advanced 2026? If yes, then there are several factors that you have to keep in mind before applying for the national-level exam. The eligibility criteria for JEE Advanced 2026 include parameters such as marks scored in JEE Main, age limit, year of passing 12th, etc. IIT Roorkee will be conducting the JEE Advanced exam on May 23, 2026. Furthermore, the application for the exam will commence on April 23, 2026. If you are looking forward to sitting in the exam, then you must go through the eligibility criteria before filling out the form. Through this article, we will be looking at the answer to the question, “Who is eligible for JEE Advanced 2026?”
Also Read:Minimum Marks in JEE Main 2026 to Qualify for JEE Advanced
JEE Advanced Eligibility Criteria 2026
The following are the parameters that one has to satisfy to sit in the JEE Advanced 2026 exam:
Performance in JEE Main Exam
Your JEE Main exam will be one of the pivotal deciding factors of your Advanced eligibility. Moreover, to sit in the exam, not only will you have to qualify JEE Main exam, but you will also have to be in the top 2,50,000 candidates. Reason being that NTA shortlists exactly 2,50,000 candidates across different categories to sit for the Advanced stage. In the table below, you can read more about the category-wise quota for the exam decided by the NTA:-
Name of the category | Reservation Percentage | Total Number of Candidates |
OPEN (General) | 40.5% | 1,01,250 |
OBC-NCL | 27% | 67,500 |
SC | 15% | 37,500 |
GEN-EWS | 10% | 25,000 |
ST | 7.5% | 18,750 |
*Note: PwD candidates have a 5% horizontal reservation within each category
Age Limit for JEE Advanced 2026 Exam
Before applying for the exam, you must make sure that you are old enough to sit for the test. Below is the age limit eligibility for JEE Advanced 2026:-
Name of the category | Age Criteria |
General / OBC-NCL / EWS | Must have been born on or after October 1, 2001 |
SC / ST / PwD | Must have been on or after October 1, 1996. |
Total Number of JEE Advanced Attempts
One of the main factors for JEE Advanced eligibility is the number of attempts that the candidate has already made to take the exam. Based on the official eligibility criteria, the candidate can give the JEE Advanced two times in two consecutive years.
12th Passing Year
To appear for the JEE Advanced exam, you must have sat for your class 12th board exam either in 2025 or 2026. However, if your board results for the 2023-2024 academic year were declared on or after June 18, 2024, then you might be eligible for JEE Advanced 2026.
Earlier Admission at IITs
If you have already landed admission to IIT, then you won’t be eligible to appear for the JEE Advanced exam. It must be noted that this condition applies to the candidates irrespective of whether they continued with their admission or withdrew it. However, if your admission was cancelled before the final round of JoSAA, then you might still be eligible for the exam.
JEE Advanced Eligibility for Foreign Students
International candidates, who account for less than 10% of the SNQ, are also eligible to apply. Applicants must have finished their Class 12 exams in the 2025-2026 academic year.
In conclusion, if you plan to appear for JEE Advanced 2026, it’s essential to meet all the eligibility criteria, including performance in JEE Main, age limit, number of attempts, and year of passing Class 12. Additionally, international candidates who fulfill the required conditions can also apply. Be sure to carefully review these requirements and prepare ahead of the application period, which begins on April 23, 2026, to ensure you’re ready for the exam on May 23, 2026.