JEE Main 2027 Exam Dates — Reported Session 1 and Session 2 Schedule
A tentative January 2027 schedule has been reported. Here is what it says, how it compares with earlier cycles and how to plan around it.
What Has Been Reported So Far
Education news sites report that NTA published a public notice dated 16 September 2026 with a tentative schedule of its examinations from December 2026 to March 2027, and that it places JEE Main Session 1 on 22, 23, 24, 28, 29 and 30 January 2027, with 31 January 2027 kept as a buffer date. The same reports say the calendar is tentative and subject to change for administrative or unforeseen reasons. The calendar is reported to cover exams only up to March 2027, so Session 2 has no published date; an April 2027 slot is our expectation from earlier cycles.
We could not open the NTA notice itself, and we have not been able to check these dates against the Information Bulletin, because as of mid-October 2026 NTA has not released it or opened registration. That is why this page calls them reported and tentative. Make your plans around them, keep a few days of slack, and verify at jeemain.nta.nic.in. The wider registration picture is in the JEE Main 2027 registration guide.
Reported 2027 Schedule vs Past Cycles
| Session | 2025 cycle | 2026 cycle | 2027 (reported, tentative) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Session 1 | 22-31 Jan 2025 (reported window) | 21-30 Jan 2026 (official bulletin window) | 22, 23, 24, 28, 29, 30 Jan 2027; 31 Jan buffer (reported, tentative) |
| Session 2 | 1-8 Apr 2025 (reported window) | 2-9 Apr 2026 (official bulletin window; media reported actual papers on 2, 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 Apr) | Not announced; April 2027 is an expectation only |
| Session 1 registration opened | 28 Oct 2024 | 31 Oct 2025 | Not announced |
The 2026 windows are quoted from the official Information Bulletin 2026; the bulletin said exact date and shift appear on the admit card. Individual exam days for 2025 and 2026 come from media reports. The 2027 column is not from a bulletin.
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What the Date Pattern Tells You
The January session has recently been spread over about nine or ten days, with a gap in the middle of the schedule. The reported 2027 plan has six exam days in two blocks, 22 to 24 January and 28 to 30 January, with a buffer day at the end. A break of three days between blocks is useful to know about: if your admit card gives you a day in the first block, you have little time to react to a change of city or centre.
The 2026 bulletin (note 1.3) explained that the two-session structure is meant to ensure JEE Main does not interfere with Board examinations, which are held at different times across States and UTs, and that a candidate who misses an exam for reasons beyond control, such as a Board exam, does not have to wait a full year. If you are new to the two-attempt structure, read our Session 1 vs Session 2 comparison and the registration-focused version, Session 1 registration versus Session 2.
Shift Timings: The Pattern
The exam is computer-based, held in two shifts a day. The table below is taken from the JEE (Main) 2026 Information Bulletin, para 5.3 (Schedule of Examination) and is the 2026 cycle. The 2027 bulletin and your admit card are the final word.
| Item | Shift 1 | Shift 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Exam time, 3-hour papers (2026 bulletin) | 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon | 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM |
| Exam time, 3 hr 30 min paper (both B.Arch and B.Planning) | 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM | 3:00 PM to 6:30 PM |
| Entry, frisking, biometric and document check | 7:00 AM to 8:30 AM | 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM |
| Invigilator instructions | 8:30 AM to 8:50 AM | 2:30 PM to 2:50 PM |
| Candidates log in to read instructions | 8:50 AM | 2:50 PM |
| Test commences | 9:00 AM | 3:00 PM |
| Duration for scribe-eligible PwD/PwBD | 4 hours (4 hr 10 min for both-paper candidates) | 4 hours (4 hr 10 min for both-paper candidates) |
Per the 2026 bulletin, Paper 1, Paper 2A (B.Arch) and Paper 2B (B.Planning) each take 3 hours, and candidates who take both B.Arch and B.Planning get 3 hours 30 minutes. This is covered further on the Paper 2 registration page. Your actual shift is allotted by NTA and printed on the admit card; you cannot choose it.
How Date, Shift and Centre Are Allotted
The 2026 FAQ published by NTA is explicit on several points that decide how much flexibility you have once the schedule is out. These are 2026-cycle answers and should be rechecked against the 2027 bulletin.
| Question | 2026 official position |
|---|---|
| Who picks my date and shift? | The date, shift and slot are allotted randomly by computer (FAQ 28). |
| What if it clashes with another exam? | NTA will not change the allotted date or shift (FAQ 27). |
| Can the city or centre change after allotment? | No; the allotted examination centre cannot be changed in any case (FAQ 32). |
| Can I get a re-test if I miss the shift? | No; the bulletin (para 5.4, item 9) says no re-test is provided under any circumstances. |
| Can I appear on a different date or shift? | No; only the date and shift on the admit card are valid (para 5.2). Appearing in more than one shift by giving false information is treated as unfair means, with possible debarment for up to 3 years (para 5.4, item 8). |
| Can I leave early if I finish? | No; candidates cannot leave the centre before the test concludes (FAQ 34). |
| When is the admit card available? | 3-4 days before the exam date, after a public notice; it is not sent by post (bulletin dates table and FAQ 31). |
The practical consequence is that you cannot plan around a preferred day. Treat the whole announced window, including any buffer day, as unavailable for other commitments. The 2026 bulletin also said the language of the question paper chosen in the form cannot be changed later (note 2.2).
Exam Pattern That Fixes the Timings (2026 Bulletin)
The durations above follow from the paper structure in chapter 2 of the 2026 bulletin. If the 2027 pattern is unchanged, the same arithmetic will apply.
| Paper | Structure | Questions and marks | Mode |
|---|---|---|---|
| Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech) | Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry; Section A MCQ (20 each) and Section B numerical (5 each) | 75 questions, 300 marks; +4 correct, -1 incorrect, 0 unanswered | CBT only |
| Paper 2A (B.Arch) | Mathematics (20 MCQ + 5 numerical), Aptitude Test (50), Drawing Test (2) | 77 questions, 400 marks; drawing is 100 marks | Maths and Aptitude in CBT; Drawing on A4 sheet, pen and paper |
| Paper 2B (B.Planning) | Mathematics (20 MCQ + 5 numerical), Aptitude Test (50), Planning-based (25) | 100 questions, 400 marks | CBT only |
Source: JEE (Main) 2026 Information Bulletin, paras 2.3 to 2.5. The bulletin lists thirteen languages for the question paper, with English available at all centres in India and abroad.
Carry List for the Exam Day (2026 Rules)
- Report two hours before the commencement of the examination; latecomers after gate closing are not allowed in (para 5.4, items 1 and 2).
- A clear A4 printout of the admit card along with the self-declaration (undertaking), duly filled in.
- One passport-size photograph, the same as uploaded in the application form, for the attendance sheet.
- One original, valid, non-expired photo ID from the bulletin list: school ID, PAN card, voter ID, passport, Aadhaar (with photograph) or e-Aadhaar, Class XII board admit card with photograph, or bank passbook with photograph.
- PwD/PwBD certificate if you claim the relaxation, and a simple transparent ball point pen.
- Do not carry geometry or pencil box, handbag, paper or textual material, eatables or water, phone, earphones, calculator, electronic watch, camera or any metallic or electronic item. Sikh candidates may wear the kara and kirpan.
- Rough work is done only on the sheets supplied at the centre, with name and application number written on each, and returned to the invigilator.
Calculators are not permitted in any form (FAQ 7). For how the application feeds into these documents, see the step-by-step application guide and the photo and signature guide, because the photograph you carry must match the uploaded one.
What to Do Now
- Mark 22 to 31 January 2027 as a tentative exam window in your calendar, and keep early April free as well.
- Do not book travel or accommodation until the exam city slip and admit card are out.
- Work backwards: if registration closes around late November, aim to submit in the first week of the window. See the registration last date guide.
- Read the Information Bulletin on the day it is released and compare its schedule with this page.
- Plan your city preferences in advance. A centre close to home matters more when exam days come in two blocks.
- If you are a repeater, check how your plans fit the January block. The droppers and repeaters guide covers this.
- Schedule full-length mock tests in the same morning and afternoon slots as the real shifts.
Useful pages: registration last date, Information Bulletin, exam city choice and droppers and repeaters. For the long-run view of dates across years, see the general JEE Main exam dates page.
After the Exam Dates: Slip and Admit Card
The usual sequence is an exam city intimation slip first, then the admit card a few days before your exam. The 2026 bulletin projected the city slip for the first week of January 2026 (Session 1) and the second week of March 2026 (Session 2), tentatively, and the admit card 3 to 4 days before the exam date. Media reports put the actual Session 2 city slip release at about 21 March 2026. See our pages on when the city slip is released and the admit card guide for what to check on each document.
Related Pages
JEE Main 2027: complete guide
Dates, eligibility, pattern, syllabus, result and counselling in one place.
JEE Main 2027 Exam Dates – FAQs
Questions about the reported Session 1 and Session 2 schedule
1What are the JEE Main 2027 Session 1 exam dates?
2When is JEE Main 2027 Session 2?
3Are the January 2027 dates official?
4What are the JEE Main shift timings?
5How is this different from your general JEE Main exam dates page?
6Will I know my exam date and city before the exam?
7If I miss Session 1, can I still appear in April 2027?
8When should droppers and Class 12 students plan their registration?
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Disclaimer
The 2027 dates are reported by education news sites from an NTA calendar and are tentative. As of mid-October 2026 the Information Bulletin is not out. Verify every date at jeemain.nta.nic.in.