IIT Roorkee has released the eligibility criteria for JEE Advanced 2026, and if you're planning to take the exam, you need to know these details inside out. The exam is scheduled for May 17, 2026, with Paper 1 from 9 am to 12 pm and Paper 2 from 2:30 pm to 5:30 pm. Both papers will be conducted in computer-based test format.
Getting into an IIT is a dream for thousands of students across India. But before you start planning which IIT campus you'll call home, you need to clear JEE Advanced. And to appear for JEE Advanced, you must meet specific eligibility criteria. Let's break down what IIT Roorkee expects from candidates.
Your JEE Main 2026 Rank Matters
First things first. You need to be among the top 2,50,000 candidates in the BE/BTech paper of JEE Main 2026. This sounds simple, but there's more to it.
The seats are divided across different categories. The OPEN category gets 40.5% of seats (that's about 96,187 to 1,01,250 candidates). GEN-EWS candidates get 10% (23,750 to 25,000 seats), OBC-NCL gets 27% (64,125 to 67,500 seats), SC gets 15% (35,625 to 37,500 seats), and ST gets 7.5% (17,812 to 18,750 seats).
Within each category, 5% horizontal reservation exists for PwD candidates. So if you're a PwD candidate, you have additional opportunities across all categories.
One quick note for OCI/PIO candidates: you can only compete in the OPEN or OPEN-PwD categories. Other reservations don't apply to you.
Age Limit You Should Know
You should have been born on or after October 1, 2001. That's the cut-off for general category candidates.
If you belong to SC, ST, or PwD categories, you get five years of relaxation. This means you're eligible if you were born on or after October 1, 1996.
How Many Times Can You Attempt?
You get two shots at JEE Advanced, and they must be in consecutive years. Use them wisely.
This rule exists to keep the competition fair and give everyone equal opportunities. Once you've exhausted your two attempts, you cannot appear for the exam again.
Class 12 Examination Rules
This section is a bit detailed, so pay attention.
You should have appeared for your Class 12 (or equivalent) examination for the first time in either 2025 or 2026. Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics must be compulsory subjects.
If you appeared for Class 12 in 2024 or earlier, you're not eligible. This applies regardless of which subjects you took or how many attempts you made.
Here's an interesting exception: if your examination board declared Class 12 results for 2023-24 on or after June 18, 2024, you can still appear for JEE Advanced 2026. You must meet all other eligibility criteria, though.
What counts as an appearance? If your board declared the result for that year, it counts as an appearance. It doesn't matter whether they actually conducted an exam or not. Even if your result was withheld, it still counts as an appearance.
However, if your board declared results before June 18, 2024, but your specific result was withheld, you won't be eligible for JEE Advanced 2026.
Previous IIT Admission Rules
This part can be tricky, so read carefully.
If you've been admitted to an IIT before under any academic program listed in JoSAA Business Rules of 2025, you cannot appear for JEE Advanced 2026. This applies even if you didn't continue the program or just accepted a seat by reporting online or at a reporting centre.
If your admission was cancelled after joining an IIT (for any reason), you're also not eligible.
But there are some exceptions. If you were admitted to a preparatory course in any IIT for the first time in 2025, you can appear for JEE Advanced 2026.
You're also eligible if you were allocated a seat through JoSAA 2025 but didn't report online or at any reporting centre, withdrew before the last round, or had your seat cancelled before the last round.
In all these cases, you still need to meet all other eligibility criteria from performance in JEE Main to age limits.
What You Need to Do Next
IIT Roorkee will soon release the exam centre list and detailed schedule. Keep checking the official website at jeeadv.ac.in for updates.
Make sure you understand each eligibility criterion. The last thing you want is to prepare for months only to discover you weren't eligible in the first place.
If you're confused about any criterion, reach out to IIT Roorkee or your school counsellor. Getting clarity now will save you trouble later.
The total number of candidates might be slightly more than 2,50,000 because of tied ranks or scores in any category. This means competition will be fierce, but if you meet all the eligibility criteria and prepare well, you have a fair shot at your IIT dream.
Keep your documents ready. You'll need proof of your JEE Main rank, age, category certificate (if applicable), and Class 12 mark sheets when the time comes.
Stay updated with official announcements, focus on your preparation, and make sure you tick all the eligibility boxes. Your journey to IIT starts with understanding these rules and following them to the letter.
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