JEE Main 2027 Exam Pattern: Marks, Marking Scheme and Duration

JEE Main Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech) has 75 questions across Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, worth 300 marks in total, in a single 3-hour computer-based test. NTA has not released the JEE Main 2027 pattern yet, so every figure on this page is the confirmed JEE Main 2026 pattern, used as your working reference until NTA publishes the 2027 Information Bulletin.

JEE Main Paper 1 has 75 questions worth 300 marks, in a single 3-hour sitting, with no separate time limit per subject.

What is the overall JEE Main Paper 1 exam pattern?

Paper 1 covers three subjects — Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry — with 25 questions from each subject, in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode.

Is the JEE Main exam pattern the same for every candidate?

No. Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech) has its own pattern, and Paper 2A (B.Arch) and Paper 2B (B.Planning) each have a different pattern, since they lead to different programmes. Which paper's pattern applies to you depends on which paper you register for.

What is the exam pattern for each JEE Main paper?

Paper 1 tests Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics for engineering admission. Paper 2A adds an Aptitude Test and a pen-and-paper Drawing Test for B.Arch. Paper 2B adds an Aptitude Test and a Planning section for B.Planning. During JEE Main registration, candidates must select the appropriate paper based on their preferred course and admission requirements.

Does Paper 2A really need you to draw on paper, not on the computer?

Yes. The Drawing Test in Paper 2A is answered on paper, using a drawing sheet given at the exam centre, even though Mathematics and the Aptitude Test in the same paper are on the computer. Carry your own geometry box, pencils, erasers and colour pencils or crayons for this part, following the instructions in that year's admit card.

How are questions and marks split across subjects in Paper 1?

Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry each carry 25 questions and 100 marks in Paper 1, so no single subject is weighted more than another.

Do you have to attempt all 5 numerical-value questions in each subject?

Yes. Since the JEE Main 2025 pattern, all 5 numerical-value questions in Section B of every subject are compulsory. There is no longer an option to pick which numerical questions to attempt, unlike the format used between 2021 and 2024. You can refer to JEE Main question papers to understand the revised pattern and practise numerical-value questions.

Is there a fixed time limit for each subject in JEE Main?

No. JEE Main Paper 1 gives you the full 3 hours to use across Mathematics, Physics and Chemistry however you choose. NTA does not lock you into a fixed number of minutes per subject, so you can spend more time on your weaker subject if you need to.

How much extra time do PwD and PwBD candidates get?

PwD/PwBD candidates who are eligible for a scribe get 20 minutes of compensatory time for every hour of the exam, as stated in NTA's own Information Bulletin. For the 3-hour Paper 1 exam, that works out to a full extra hour, making the total duration 4 hours for eligible candidates.

What is the JEE Main marking scheme?

A correct answer gets +4 marks, an incorrect answer gets −1 mark, and an unattempted question gets 0 marks, for both Section A and Section B, in every subject and every paper.

Is there negative marking on numerical-value questions too?

Yes. Since the JEE Main 2025 pattern removed the optional-question format in Section B, all 5 numerical-value questions per subject now carry the same +4/−1/0 marking as Section A. There is no exemption from negative marking for Section B any more.

How do you calculate your expected JEE Main score?

Multiply your correct answers by 4, multiply your incorrect answers by 1, and subtract the second figure from the first. Unattempted questions do not add or subtract anything.

Score = (Correct answers × 4) − (Incorrect answers × 1)

For example, a candidate who gets 55 questions correct and 10 incorrect, leaving 10 unattempted, scores (55 × 4) − (10 × 1) = 220 − 10 = 210 out of 300.

Which topics does each JEE Main subject cover?

Mathematics covers algebra, calculus, coordinate geometry, vectors, statistics and trigonometry. Physics covers mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity and magnetism, optics and modern physics. Chemistry covers physical, inorganic and organic chemistry.

NTA does not publish an official chapter-wise weightage for any subject, so treat any weightage figure you see, including on this page, as a previous-year pattern, not a guarantee for 2027.

The full chapter-wise syllabus, section by section, is on the JEE Main 2027 syllabus page, which this exam pattern page works alongside.

How has the JEE Main exam pattern changed over the years?

JEE Main has changed in a few specific ways since NTA took over conducting it. Nothing about the current 3-hour, 300-mark Paper 1 structure is new for 2027. It has been stable since 2025.

Is the JEE Main 2027 pattern expected to change from 2026?

NTA has not announced any change for JEE Main 2027 as of September 2026. Since the pattern has held steady since the 2025 cycle, treat the current 75-question, 300-mark, 3-hour structure as your working assumption, but confirm it against the official 2027 Information Bulletin once NTA releases it.