JEE Advanced 2026 Eligibility Criteria
JEE Advanced 2026 Eligibility Criteria: Complete Guide by Origin Educare
JEE Advanced is the gateway to the prestigious Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), and it is among the most competitive entrance exams in India. Only the highest achievers in JEE Main will qualify for this second-level exam. JEE Advanced 2026 registration eligibility will depend on certain eligibility conditions laid out by the Joint Admission Board (JAB). In this guide, Origin Educare has explained all of the basic eligibility criteria, documents that are required, and recent changes made in 2026 to prevent you from making mistakes and apply with confidence.
Who is Eligible for JEE Advanced 2026?
To be eligible for JEE Advanced 2026, candidates must qualify by passing JEE Main 2026 first. Only the top 2,50,000 candidates in JEE Main Paper 1, across all categories, will be shortlisted. Additionally, candidates must also satisfy eligibility conditions relating to age, number of attempts in the JEE, educational qualifications, and previously being admitted into an IIT.
Understand the full JEE Advanced 2026 Exam Pattern for better planning.
Minimum Qualification Required for JEE Advanced
A candidate must have passed the Class 12th (or equivalent) examination in 2025 or 2026. The candidate must have studied Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics as compulsory subjects.
Important points:
- You are not eligible to appear for JEE Advanced if you appeared for Class 12th in 2024 or earlier.
- You are eligible if you appeared in 2025 and did not qualify but reappeared in 2026; however, only if you passed the 2026 class 12th exam.
Also, review the JEE Advanced 2026 Syllabus to plan your subject-wise preparation.
Qualifying Marks in JEE Main 2026
JEE Advanced is open to the top 2,50,000 JEE Main Paper 1 scorer, with the distribution of shortlisted candidates in various categories as follows:
Number of Attempts Allowed
In total, Candidates may appear in JEE Advanced two times, in consecutive years. Therefore, if you could take the JEE Advanced in 2025, you may take it again in 2026 if you meet any applicable eligibility.
Age Limit
A candidate must be born on or after October 01, 2000 to qualify for the JEE Advanced 2026 Exam. However, candidates from SC, ST, and PwD categories, are provided with an age relaxation of 5 years. Therefore, for candidates from SC, ST, and PwD categories, born on or after October 1, 1995 are qualified.
Previous Admissions at IITs
Please note that students who have previously accepted admission in any IIT are not eligible to take the JEE Advanced 2026. Previous admissions are defined as:
- Candidates who reported at an IIT (reported in person or online)
- Candidates whse admission is canceled for any reason after accepting admission
Students who were allotted a seat at an IIT through JoSAA 2025 &
- Did not report at the institute or
- Did not pay admission fees
are still eligible to apply for JEE Advanced 2026.
Having Appeared in the Examination for Class 12 or Equivalent
Candidates must have appeared for the first time in the Class 12 (or equivalent) board examination in 2025 or 2026. Candidates do not qualify if they passed their Class 12 exam even if they appeared again later for improvement before 2025.
Eligibility Criteria for Foreign Students or OCI/PIO Candidates
Foreign national or OCI/PIO candidates are eligible to appear for JEE Advanced 2026. The important points are as follows:
- They are not required to take JEE Main 2026
- They need to fulfill the eligibility criteria, to the extent applicable, including age criteria
- They will be eligible as a supernumerary entry, which means that their admissions will not affect the seats available for Indian candidates.
- A foreign national is required to provide proof of citizenship, a valid passport, and all academic documents which should meet Indian Class 12 equivalency.
Can Diploma Holders Apply for JEE Advanced?
No diploma holders have the eligibility criteria to apply to JEE Advanced. Diploma holders can apply to JEE Main and gain admission to NITs, or any centrally funded institutes, however, IITs do not accept diploma holders as qualification for entry.
Documents Required to Prove JEE Advanced Eligibility
Candidates must upload relevant documents for Eligibility Document verification when applying for admission. The relevant documents include:
- Class 12th Marksheet along with 12th Passing Certificate
- JEE Main 2026 Result with Rank Card
- Proof of Date of Birth E.g., Birth Certificate / Class 10 Certificate
- Certificate of Category (if applicable, SC, ST, OBC-NCL, GEN-EWS)
- Certificate of PwD (if applicable from a government approved medical practitioner)
- Foreign Nationals/OCI/PIO – Passport, proof of citizenship, certificate for equivalency of academics, OCI/PIO card
Note: When registering all the documents must be in the specified format, and match what has been filled in the JEE Advanced application form where required.
Changes in JEE Advanced Eligibility Criteria in 2026
The JAB, and IITs have made some changes to JEE Advanced eligibility criteria for 2026 to facilitate a smoother and more inclusive process:
- Removal of 75% and the Top 20 Percentile Criteria: Earlier, the candidates were needed to obtain 75% marks in Class 12 or top 20 percentile of their board. This requirement has been eliminated now, allowing a more relaxed process.
- Foreign Nationals don’t have to appear for JEE Main: The foreign nationals or OCI/PIO can now directly apply for JEE advanced without appearing for JEE Main.
- Age relaxation has been maintained: The 5 year age relaxation for SC/ST/PwD categories is maintained.
- Attempts has not been changed: The maximum of 2 consecutive attempts (A candidate can take 2 consecutive attempts – JEE Advanced 2025 onwards) is still applicable.
- Reservation rules are still the same: Reservations for SC, ST, OBC-NCL, EWS and PwD categories will continue as per as government norms
Final Words from Origin Educare
It is important to understand the eligibility criteria to apply to JEE Advanced 2026 in order to avoid being disqualified at time of application or even after application. At Origin Educare we ensure every aspirant is made aware of the latest modifications and how they too can correctly collect and submit their documentation. Our experienced counselors will provide one-on-one consulting while a candidate embarks on this crucial step in their education.
Let us at Origin Educare be your suitable partner in this journey to the IITs.
Need a study roadmap? Read our JEE Advanced 2026 Preparation Strategy to maximize your efficiency.
FAQs – JEE Advanced 2026 Eligibility Criteria
No. You must have appeared in Class 12 for the first time in 2025 or 2026 to be eligible.
You are still eligible if you did not report to the IIT or pay the admission fee.
No. The 75% and top 20 percentile requirement has been removed for JEE Advanced 2026.
Yes. They do not need to appear for JEE Main. However, they must meet all academic and age requirements.
Yes. Reserved categories (SC/ST/OBC-NCL/EWS/PwD) benefit from relaxed age limits, additional seats, and lower cutoffs.
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