JEE Advanced 2026 Application Starts April 23: Eligibility Criteria and Application Checklist Explained

The Final Lap: IIT Roorkee Opens JEE Advanced 2026 Portal Tomorrow

For the top 2,50,000 candidates who cleared the high hurdles of JEE Main 2026, the final gate is about to open. Registration for the JEE Advanced 2026 officially begins tomorrow, April 23, at 10:00 IST. Conducted this year by IIT Roorkee, the exam is scheduled for Sunday, May 17, 2026.

Unlike previous years, the board has emphasized that there is "no correction window" available after the final submission on May 2. This means your first attempt at the form must be flawless. Candidates are advised to keep their JEE Main 2026 application numbers and passwords ready for a smooth login process.

Important Registration Timeline

The 5 Pillars of Eligibility

To sit for the exam, you must satisfy five specific criteria simultaneously. Failing even one will lead to immediate disqualification during the counseling stage.

• Rank: You must be among the top 2,50,000 successful candidates (across all categories) in the BE/BTech paper of JEE Main 2026.
• Age: General/OBC candidates should have been born on or after October 1, 2001. SC, ST, and PwD candidates get a 5-year relaxation (born on or after October 1, 1996).
• Number of Attempts: You can attempt JEE Advanced a maximum of two times in two consecutive years.
• Academic History: You must have appeared for your Class 12 exams for the first time in either 2025 or 2026. Those who first appeared in 2024 or earlier are not eligible.
• IIT Admission Status: If you have already been admitted to an IIT (regardless of whether you stayed or withdrew), you are generally ineligible.

Essential Application Checklist

Before the portal opens tomorrow, ensure you have scanned copies of the following documents ready. Note that certificates for reserved categories (OBC-NCL, GEN-EWS) must be issued "on or after April 1, 2026".

The "75% Rule" Returns: Students must secure at least 75% aggregate marks in Class 12 (65% for SC, ST, and PwD) or be in the top 20 percentile of their respective boards to be considered for IIT admission.

Application Fee Structure

Payment can be made via Credit/Debit card, Net Banking, or UPI until May 4.

• Female, SC, ST, and PwD Candidates: ₹1,600
• All Other Candidates (General/OBC): ₹3,200
• Foreign Nationals (SAARC Countries): USD 200

Conclusion

Preparation is not just about Physics, Chemistry, and Math; it's also about administrative precision. With registration closing in just 10 days, students should avoid the last-minute rush that often crashes the server. Double-check your name on the Class 10 certificate—it must match your JEE Main records exactly to avoid rejection. Good luck to the aspirants; the road to the IITs starts tomorrow!