National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts the IIT JEE exam to allow admission in undergraduate engineering, architecture, and planning programs. Qualifying candidates can seek admission to the National Institutes of Technology (NITs), Indian Institutes of Information technology (IIITs), and other reputed technical institutes. JEE Main is the stepping-stone for JEE Advanced exam that is conducted to grant admission to the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).
This year the JEE Main will be conducted in four sessions. Four of its three-session have already been conducted. The last session that was set to take place in May has been postponed to 26, 27, 31 August, and 1, 2 September 2021.
NTA JEE Main 2021 Latest Update
The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Main 4 times, starting in 2021.
- Round 1: February 23–February 26
- Round 2: March 15–March 18
- Round 3: April 27–April 30
- Round 4: 26, 27, 31 August, and 1, 2 September 2021
This multiple-round approach gives candidates multiple opportunities to improve their scores. If a candidate misses any round due to board exams, due to the fear of Coronavirus, health conditions, or any other personal reasons, they will have the chance to appear for another one without waiting for an entire year.
Following the 30% reduction of class 12 syllabus by CBSE and state boards, NTA has also brought in a change in the JEE exam pattern 2021. In JEE 2021, all 3 subjects, that is, Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics will have 2 sections each.
Section A: 20 MCQs
Section B: 10 Numerical value-based questions (Candidates are required to attempt any 5 questions out of 10 in Section B).
That is, the total number of questions to be attempted by candidates in each subject is 25.
As per the latest JEE Main update, JEE Main 2021 will be conducted in 13 languages, namely, English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Odia, Marathi, Tamil, Telugu, Malayalam, Punjabi, and Urdu.
This variety of languages allows candidates from all over the nation to attempt the exam in their mother tongue or the language they are the most comfortable in. Thereby, removing cultural and language barriers and providing everyone with an equal opportunity to take the exam.
JEE Exam Dates
JEE Exam 2021 February session
Registration date: December 16, 2020
Last date of application: January 23, 2021
Last date of fee payment: January 24, 2021
Admit card availability: February 11, 2021
Exam dates: February 23- February 26
Result announcement: March 2021
JEE Exam 2021 March session
Registration date: March first week
Admit card availability: March second week
Exam dates: March 15- March 18
Result announcement: March last week
JEE Exam 2021 April session
Registration date: March last week
Admit card availability: April third week
Exam dates: April 27- April 30
Result announcement: May first week
JEE Exam 2021 August, September session
Registration date: 20th July 2021
Admit card availability: To be declared
Exam dates: 26, 27, 31 August, and 1, 2 September 2021
Result announcement: To be notified
IIT JEE Main exam timings
Shift 1: 9 am to 12 pm
Shift 2: 3 pm to 6 pm
Entry into the examination hall:
Shift 1: 7.30 am to 8.30 am
Shift 2: 2 pm to 2.30 pm
Instructions by the invigilator:
Shift 1: 8.30 am to 8.50 pm
Shift 2: 2.30 pm to 2.50 pm
Candidate login:
Shift 1: 8.50 am
Shift 2: 2.50 pm
Commencement of the exam
Shift 1: 9 am
Shift 2: 3 pm
JEE Main 2021 Eligibility Criteria
To fill the application form and appear for the JEE exam, the following criteria need to be fulfilled by the candidates.
Age
There is no age limit for candidates appearing in the IIT JEE Exam
Educational qualification
- Candidates who have passed their Class 12 or equivalent qualifying examination
- Candidates appearing in Class 12 or any other equivalent qualifying examination
Mandatory subjects
Candidates are required to take at least 5 subjects in class 12th or equivalent examination. English, Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics are mandatory subjects among these 5 and the last one is optional.
Number of attempts
Before 2020, each candidate was allowed a maximum of 3 attempts for the IIT JEE exam. From the year 2021, the maximum number of attempts is made 4. Hence, a candidate can appear for the JEE exam for four consecutive years.
Reservation criteria
Scheduled Caste (SC) – 15%
Scheduled Tribe (ST) – 7.5%
Other Backward Classes (OBC) – 27%
Persons with Disability (PwD) – 3%
How to apply for IIT JEE Mains 2021 Exam
- Visit the official NTA JEE Main website: jeemain.nta.nic.in
- Enter all the required details like name, mobile number, and email
- Fill the application form with the required personal and educational details
- Upload scanned passport size image and scanned signature image
- Pay the JEE Main fees
- Download the receipt
Documents required for IIT JEE Mains 2021 Application Form
Candidates require the following documents to complete the application process for JEE main 2021:
- Scanned images of passport size photograph and signature
- Category certificate (in case the candidate belongs to a reserved category like SC/ST/OBC)
- Online payment or debit/credit card details to complete the payment process
- Government-mandated ID proof like Aadhaar Card, Passport, Driving License, etc
Mandatory Image Size for Application Form
- Photograph (3.5cm X 3.5 cm) – 10 KB to 200 KB
- Signature (3.5 cm X 1.5 cm) – 4 KB to 30 KB
JEE Main fees 2021
- Rs. 650 for male candidates (Unreserved/General Category)
- Rs. 325 for female candidates (Unreserved/General Category)
- Rs. 326 for SC/ST/PwD/Transgender category candidates
Admit Card
The Admit Card is released approximately 1 month before the exam date. The candidates who have filled the application form and paid the fee can directly download their admit card from the official NTA JEE Main website. This admits card acts as an identity card and is crucial to enter the examination hall on the day of the JEE exam.
Candidates can download their admit card by following these steps:
- Visit the official JEE website
- Enter application number and date of birth
- Download, save and print out the admit card
Things to carry on IIT JEE Exam day
Admit card
Admit card is a crucial document without which candidates are not allowed entry in the examination hall on the exam day.
Transparent water bottle
Candidates are advised to carry their own water bottle on the exam day to avoid sharing or disturbance during the exam. However, the bottle needs to be completely transparent and see-through.
Sanitizer, gloves, and mask
Following the COVID-19 safety protocol, the latest JEE Mains update is for every candidate to carry their own sanitizer, gloves, and mask for protection. Every candidate will be checked for COVID symptoms and high temperature at the entrance of the examination hall. If in case, any of the symptoms are observed by the security, the candidate will not be allowed to appear for the examination on that day.
Ballpoint pen
Candidates are required to carry their own ball pen for the examination. The pen is thoroughly checked at the entry point to the examination hall.
Photograph
All candidates are required to bring a photo that is similar to the one used in the application form. The candidate can be prohibited from entering the examination hall in case of any deviance.
Photo ID
A government-mandated photo ID is required to seek entry into the examination hall to avoid any malpractices.
Certificate (if applicable)
In case of claiming relaxation under the PwD category, a relevant certificate is mandatory for entry into the examination hall.
Final Thoughts
Qualifying NTA JEE Main 2021 allows candidates to seek admission in reputed technical institutes across the nation and opens the gates to JEE Advanced exam to seek admission in IITs.
This year came as a blessing for the students. As per NTA, the students could have appeared in all four sessions. As aspirants come close to the last session, they need to gear up their preparation. The last session to be held in the August-September session is their last chance to appear for the NTA JEE Main 2021.
