Exam guide · JEE Main & Advanced

JEE Main and Advanced: the plan, month by month and hour by hour

JEE Main opens the NITs and IIITs; the top 2.5 lakh then sit JEE Advanced for the IITs. Both reward the same habit: solving problems daily, then studying your mistakes.

By Anuj Arora · Last verified: 10 Nov 2026

The paper at a glance

JEE Main 2027 paper 1: three equal subjectsJEE Main paper 1 has 75 questions in 3 hours for 300 marks: Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, 25 questions and 100 marks each, with 20 multiple-choice and 5 numerical questions per subject. Physics 25 questions · 100 marks Chemistry 25 questions · 100 marks Mathematics 25 questions · 100 marks Each subject: 20 multiple-choice + 5 numerical questions, all compulsory.
JEE Main paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech): 75 questions, 300 marks, 3 hours, on a computer.
Conducted byJEE Main: National Testing Agency · JEE Advanced 2027: IIT Delhi
2027 datesMain: 20–28 Jan and 2–7 Apr 2027 (best score counts) · Advanced: May 2027, date awaited. Exam calendar
Marking (Main)+4 for a right answer, −1 for a wrong one, numerical questions included; 0 if left blank
AdvancedTwo compulsory papers of 3 hours each; only the top 2,50,000 in JEE Main can sit; two attempts at most, in consecutive years
Official syllabusjeemain.nta.nic.in (in the information bulletin) · jeeadv.ac.in

The 12-month plan

Count back from your JEE Main session 1. Start in Class 11 or early Class 12; a later start uses the six-month version.

JEE study plan in phasesTwelve-month plan: months 1 to 4 Class 11 core, months 5 to 8 Class 12 syllabus, months 9 to 10 revision with a weekly mock, months 11 to 12 mocks and past papers. Six-month plan: months 1 to 3 remaining chapters with past questions, months 4 to 5 two mocks a week, month 6 full mocks and revision. 12 months M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 M7 M8 M9 M10 M11 M12 Class 11 core Class 12 syllabus Revision Mocks 6 months M1 M2 M3 M4 M5 M6 Gaps + past questions 2 mocks a week Mocks
Green: learning. Amber: testing. Stop starting new chapters three weeks before the exam.
MonthsFocusDone when
1–4Class 11 core: mechanics, physical chemistry basics, algebra and functionsYou can solve the NCERT exercises without help, plus 30 problems a day
5–8Class 12 chapters alongside school: calculus, electricity, organic chemistryEvery chapter ends with a timed test of 25 questions
9–10Revision of all chapters; one full mock test a weekYou keep an error notebook and re-solve every wrong question
11–12Two or three mocks a week; past JEE Main papers on a screenYour mock score has stopped dropping on any one subject

The six-month version

MonthsFocusDone when
1–3Finish missing chapters; past JEE Main questions for eachNo chapter left untouched
4–5Two full mocks a week; analyse each for as long as it tookScore stable within 20 marks
6Mock every other day; formula sheets onlyCalm, fixed exam-day routine

A day that works

Two timetables, one for a Class 12 student in school and one for a drop year. Hardest subject first, when your mind is fresh.

Daily routine for JEE Main & AdvancedClass 12 student: school 7:30 am to 2 pm, study 6 to 7 am, 4 to 6:30 pm and 7:30 to 9:30 pm. Drop year: study 6:30 to 9:30 am, 10 am to 1 pm, practice 2:30 to 5:30 pm, revision 6:30 to 8:30 pm. Self-study Tests and practice papers School, meals, rest 5:00 7:00 9:00 11:00 13:00 15:00 17:00 19:00 21:00 23:00 Class 12 student School Lunch New topic Play Problems Drop year Subject 1 Subject 2 Lunch Timed practice Subject 3 Bars run from 5:00 am to 11:00 pm. Exact times are in the tables below.
Class 12 student: about 6 hours of self-study. Drop year: about 11.5 hours. Both keep 7 to 8 hours of sleep.

Class 12 student

TimeWhat to do
5:30 am – 6:00 amWake up, water, quick walk
6:00 am – 7:00 amRevise formulas and one short topic
7:30 am – 2:00 pmSchool; listen for board-exam topics
2:00 pm – 4:00 pmLunch, 30-minute nap, get ready
4:00 pm – 6:30 pmNew topic or coaching class
6:30 pm – 7:30 pmExercise or outdoor play
7:30 pm – 9:30 pmProblem practice: 30 questions on today's topic
9:30 pm – 10:00 pmError notebook and tomorrow's plan
10:00 pm – 11:00 pmScreens off; sleep by 10:30 pm

Drop year

TimeWhat to do
6:00 am – 6:30 amWake up, water, short walk
6:30 am – 9:30 amHardest subject: theory, then solved examples
9:30 am – 10:00 amBreakfast
10:00 am – 1:00 pmSecond subject: theory and problems
1:00 pm – 2:30 pmLunch and rest
2:30 pm – 5:30 pmTimed practice or a full mock (Sunday)
5:30 pm – 6:30 pmExercise outdoors
6:30 pm – 8:30 pmThird subject, or analysing today's test
8:30 pm – 9:30 pmDinner with family
9:30 pm – 10:00 pmError notebook and tomorrow's plan
10:00 pm – 11:00 pmSleep by 10:30 pm

Sundays: one full mock test in the exam's time slot, then the rest of the day off. Log the week on the free Self Tracker.

Boards still matter

IITs, NITs and IIITs need 75% in Class 12 (65% for SC and ST) or a place in your board's top 20 percentile. Plan board revision from January; JEE problem practice already covers most of it.

Three habits that move rank the most

  • Re-solve every wrong question a week later, without looking at the solution.
  • In each mock, skip a question after two minutes; return only if time is left.
  • Practise on a screen. JEE Main is computer-based, and scrolling costs time.

Where JEE takes you

See the top 100 engineering colleges with yearly fee and entrance exam, or compare branches before you choose.

College finderBranches compared

Sources

  1. JEE Main 2027 paper pattern and marking (Physics Wallah)
  2. JEE Advanced 2027: IIT Delhi, top 2,50,000, two attempts (Careers360)
  3. JEE Main 2027 session dates (Careers360)
  4. Official: jeemain.nta.nic.in, jeeadv.ac.in, josaa.nic.in (75% Class 12 rule)