How to Prepare for the JEE (Main)

The JEE (Main) is a rigorous entrance exam given to students interested in applying to undergraduate engineering programmes in India. Scoring highly on this exam can expand your opportunities while helping to prepare you for your next set of advanced courses. Use this guide to learn the JEE (Main) exam, the steps to JEE (Main) exam preparation, and what you can do afterwards.

What is the JEE (Main)?

The JEE (Main) is the first Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA) for the Ministry of Education in India. If you want to study engineering in India, the JEE (Main) is the first step of your entrance examination journey. Your scores are used for entrance into:

• Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIITs)

• National Institutes of Technology (NITs)

• Other Centrally Funded Technical Institutes (CFTIs)

These are some of India's most prestigious universities for engineering studies, and they require scores from students on the JEE exams. The joint exam has two parts: Main and Advanced. 

The JEE (Main) is conducted twice yearly and is a computer-delivered exam. The JEE (Main) takes a total of three hours and is appropriate for students interested in pursuing a Bachelor of Engineering (BE), Bachelor of Technology (BTech), Bachelor of Architecture (BArch), or Bachelor of Planning (BPlanning) degree. Depending on your intended degree course, you can choose three test types (Papers). In general, the questions on this exam test your critical thinking and analytical skills, assessing your preparedness for higher-level study in quantitative fields. 

Why is it important to prepare for JEE (Main)?

It’s important to prepare for the JEE (Main) to help you score the highest you can on the exam, helping you secure a place in a prestigious engineering programme and build foundational knowledge required for future engineering or architectural endeavours. Many students consider the JEE (Main) a difficult exam, and proper preparation can ensure you feel confident in your understanding of important topics without wasting time on subject matter outside of the exam scope. 

Spending time preparing for the exam can also help you manage your question timing, as you will know how many questions you have for each section, how to organise your time, and common mistakes to avoid.  

How long does it take to prepare for JEE (Main)?

The time it takes to prepare for JEE (Main) varies from learner to learner, depending on your starting level, learning speed, and the depth of understanding you aim for. Generally, learners take between two months and two years to prepare for topics covered in the syllabus.

How to prepare for JEE (Main) 

Successfully navigating the JEE (Main) preparation period brings a sense of achievement and helps you achieve your highest possible score. Here’s a closer look at an example pathway of how you might organise your studies.

Step 1: Examine the syllabus and exam pattern.

The NTA develops the JEE (Main) syllabus and exam pattern yearly. Knowing the exam patterns, including the subjects, number of sections, mode of examination, and timing, can ensure you study appropriately for the test you will take. For example, knowing your time per question can help you practice. 

Step 2: Examine past JEE (Main) exam papers.

Analysing past exam papers gives further insight into the marking scheme and question design. It helps identify important topics and trends in the examination over the years. Depending on whether you take the exam meant for BE and BTech, BArch, or BPlanning programmes, you will have a different number of questions and different scoring guidelines.

Step 3: Create a study timetable.

Learning to manage your time effectively is an important step in preparing for the JEE (Main). Learners often have responsibilities outside of preparing for this exam, so it’s important to look at your schedule and consider when you might have uninterrupted time to cover key topics. This can also help you balance your activities and study timeline, helping to deepen your comprehension of topics over time rather than trying to master topics within a short time frame. 

If you can, divide the topics in order of importance, allocating longer times for concepts likely to appear more often on the exam or that you know you may need more time to learn.

Step 4: Consult relevant textbooks and resources.

When beginning your studying, start with National Council of Educational Research and Training (NCERT) books rather than jumping straight to practice questions. NCERT books cover foundational topics related to topics on the JEE (Main), helping you build a deep understanding of the concept that you can translate to answer several types of questions. NCERT books that are considered helpful for JEE (Main) exam preparation include class 11th and 12th maths, physics, and chemistry textbooks

Depending on your knowledge level, you might also look for specific textbooks on topics you want to spend more time on. Textbooks related to fundamental physics, maths, and chemistry concepts and practice problem workbooks can help you extend your competencies and subject comprehension.

For students taking BArch and BPlanning versions of the exam, source-specific textbooks with verbal and non-verbal reasoning and study guides designed for these JEE (Main) papers.

Step 5: Revise.

Regular revision is key to retaining information. When studying, make summary notes of important formulas and concepts so you can review them easily. In addition to this, setting aside time for periodic revision sessions can help reinforce the material you learn.

Step 6: Complete practice tests.

Once you develop your subject-matter knowledge, answering mock test questions and previous year exam questions can help you become familiar with the style of questions and topic areas commonly covered and ease anxiety related to what you might see on the exam. 

After completing practice questions, make sure you take time to review what you missed. This can provide insights into topics you might need to review and show you mistakes you are more prone to making. 

Options after JEE (Main)

After taking the JEE (Main), you will generally either proceed to begin your application to engineering university degree programmes or take the JEE (Advanced) examination. Depending on your intended program, admissions might require the JEE (Advanced) exam.

Applying to engineering institutions

A good JEE (Main) score allows you to apply to various engineering programmes across India. Admission to these institutions is often based on the rank achieved in the JEE (Main), with each institution having its own cut-off scores. Several state and private universities also accept JEE (Main) scores for their engineering programme admissions, expanding your options to different types of programmes.

Taking the JEE (Advanced)

If you score among the top 2,50,000 students on the JEE (Main), you can take the JEE (Advanced). This exam is the second phase of the JEE and is offered by several IITs, with the exact location changing yearly. Students taking this exam typically seek admission to a top BE or BTech programme. When taking this exam, you can expect to spend three hours taking a computer-based test on advanced maths, physics, and chemistry topics.

Getting started with Coursera

On the Coursera learning platform, you can take structured courses to build your knowledge in diverse topics. For candidates studying for the JEE (Main), physics, chemistry, and mat

These topics can help you prepare for questions you might encounter on the exam.