Exam Pattern
JEE Main Exam Pattern
Joint Entrance Examination Main: Paper 1 for B.E. and B.Tech.
One deduction, two very different risks. Each subject sets 20 multiple-choice questions and 5 numerical-value questions, so 15 of the 75 take a typed integer with no options at all, and NTA applies the same 1-mark deduction in both parts. On a four-option question that deduction still leaves a blind guess marginally ahead. On an integer entry there is nothing to guess between, and a wrong value costs exactly what a wrong option does, which makes Section B the place where an unconsidered attempt is genuinely expensive.
Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech.)
Official 2026 pattern| Questions | 75 |
| Total marks | 300 |
| Duration | 180 minutes |
| Negative marking | 1 per wrong answer |
| Sections | Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry |
Timing: Single 180-minute timer for all three subjects; no sectional lock.
Each subject has 20 multiple-choice questions and 5 numerical-value questions. Section B answers use integer entry, and NTA applies +4 for a correct answer and -1 for an incorrect answer in both sections.
Official source · checked 9 August 2026The JEE Main Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech.) exam pattern is 75 questions carrying 300 marks, to be answered in 180 minutes. That works out to about 144 seconds per question on average, before any time spent reading instructions or revisiting marked answers. The 3 sections are Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry. All sections share one composite timer, so you are free to move between them and spend your time where it earns most.
JEE Main Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech.) marking scheme
- Each correct answer is worth 4 marks.
- A wrong answer deducts 1 mark; an unattempted question scores zero.
- A guess therefore breaks even at 20% accuracy: above that it gains you marks on average, below it loses them. A blind guess between four options is right 25% of the time, which is already above that line, so an educated guess is worth making rather than leaving the question blank. 30 of the 150 questions built here are answered by typing a value rather than by choosing an option, and there is nothing to guess between on those.
- Worked example: attempt 60 of the 75 questions and get 45 right and 15 wrong, and you score 165 out of 300.
Practising against the same clock is the point of a mock test: at 144 seconds a question, the difference between a good score and an average one is usually pacing rather than knowledge. Attempt a free JEE Main mock test to see where your time actually goes.
JEE Main exam pattern: frequently asked questions
Is there negative marking in JEE Main?
JEE Main deducts 1 mark for a wrong answer. An unattempted question always scores zero, so the choice is only ever between guessing and leaving it blank.
How many questions are there in JEE Main?
JEE Main has 75 questions. That leaves about 144 seconds per question in JEE Main.
What are the total marks in JEE Main?
JEE Main is out of 300 marks, which works out at 4 marks a question.
How long is the JEE Main exam?
JEE Main runs for 180 minutes.
Does JEE Main have a sectional time limit?
No. JEE Main runs every section on one composite timer of 180 minutes, so you can move between sections freely and give the slower ones more of your time.