Difference between JEE Main & JEE Advanced- Candidates preparing for B.E./B.Tech admissions in India often question the difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced. Although closely connected with each other, there are a number of differences between the two national-level entrances offering admission to top engineering colleges in India. JEE Main is conducted for admission to NITs, IIITs and GFTIs. JEE Main is also the qualifying exam for JEE Advanced. On the other hand, JEE Advanced is conducted for admission to IITs.
- JEE Main is conducted by NTA (National Testing Agency). The exam is conducted twice a year.
- JEE Advanced is conducted by one of seven participating IITs (Roorkee, Kharagpur, Delhi, Kanpur, Bombay, Hyderabad, and Guwahati) on a rotational basis. The exam is conducted once a year.
- JEE Main 2025 first session is to be held in January and the second session in April 2024 while JEE Advanced will be conducted in June.
Also Read
Difference Between JEE Main and JEE Advanced Highlights
The major difference between JEE Main and Advance are shared below. The table showing the JEE Main and JEE Advanced difference will help you understand how both exams differ.
| Particulars | JEE Main 2025 | JEE Advanced 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Number of Attempts | 3 (Attempting two sessions of the same year is counted as 1) | 2 |
| Candidates Appeared (2025) | 1,475,103 | 180,422 |
| Mode of Language | 13 languages (English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu) | 2 languages (English and Hindi) |
| Eligibility | Qualified class 12th from a recognized boards | Ranked among top 2,50,000 JEE Main rank holders |
| Number of Papers | 3 | 2 |
| Topics Covered | Physics: Electronic Devices, EM Waves and Communication Systems; Chemistry: Biomolecules and Chemistry in Everyday Life; Mathematics: Sets, Relations and Functions, Statistics and Probability, Trigonometry and Mathematical Reasoning | Physics: Blackbody radiation, Kirchoff’s law, Newton’s law of cooling, Absorptive and Emissive powers, Wien's Displacement Law, Stefan’s Law; Chemistry: Biomolecules and Chemistry in Everyday Life; Mathematics: Algebra, Vectors, Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus, |
| Official Website | jeemain.nta.nic.in | jeeadv.ac.in |
Also Read
Still have Doubts on JEE Main Vs JEE Advanced?
If you still have doubts on which exam you must take or which one is the correct for you, you must check the video. The video explains the difference between JEE Main & JEE Advanced. The video talks about:
- Number of students apperaing for both exams
- Colleges accepting JEE Main and JEE Advanced
- Who are allowed to take the test
Difference Between JEE Main and JEE Advanced Eligibility Criteria
Anyone who qualifies the eligibility criteria can apply for JEE Main exam. However, only the top 2,50,000 JEE Main candidates are eligible to apply for JEE Advanced. Read more on JEE Main vs JEE Advanced Eligibility Criteria in the section below-
JEE Main Eligibility Criteria
- JEE Main is the basic examination that has to be given by the students to seek admission in top engineering colleges- NITs, IIITs, GFTIs.
- The students need to clear the following JEE Main 2025 Eligibility Criteria to apply for the exam-
| Particulars | JEE Main Eligibility |
|---|---|
| Qualifying exam | Passed class 12 or qualifying exam in 2023, 2024 or 2025 |
| Number of attempts | Students can participate in the JEE Main examination for 3 consecutive years |
| Mandatory Subjects | Should have passed the qualifying examination with
|
| Age Limit | No age limit |
JEE Advanced Eligibility Criteria
- To appear for JEE Advanced, the candidates have to clear JEE Main.
- Authorities have also relaxed JEE Advanced 2025 eligibility criteria as one-time measures due to COVID-19. Candidates can check the details listed below-
| Eligibility Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Qualifying exam | Passed class 12 examination in 2023, 2024 or 2025 |
| Number of attempts | Students can participate in the JEE Main examination for only 2 consecutive years |
| Age Limit | The students of the General category should be born on or after October 1, 1997. Relaxation is provided to candidates of SC/ST/PwD of 5 years |
JEE Main vs JEE Advanced Number of Attempts
- The maximum number of attempts each student can make for JEE Main and JEE Advanced is different.
- Candidates can appear for JEE Main thrice. Attempting the two sessions of the same year is counted as one. Check JEE Main 2025 Attempts
- On the other hand, candidates can appear for JEE Advanced only twice in consecutive years.
Must Read at Collegedunia-
JEE Advanced and Main Difference in Exam Pattern
JEE Main Exam Pattern is fixed. NTA releases the latest exam pattern each year along with the official notification. Meanwhile, JEE Advanced Exam Pattern is not fixed. The conducted IIT changes the type of questions asked each year. Read more on difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced Exam Pattern below.
JEE Main Exam Pattern
- JEE Main is held in 3 different papers for B.E./B.Tech, B.Arch and B.Planning. Candidates appear for
- Paper 1 for B.E./B.Tech,
- Paper 2A for B.Arch admission or
- Paper 2 B for B.Planning admission.
- JEE Main Exam Pattern had been revised last year with the introduction of internal choice among numerical-type questions.
| Specifications | JEE Main Exam Pattern for Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech) | JEE Main Exam Pattern for Paper 2A (B.Arch) | JEE Main Exam Pattern for Paper 2B (B. Planning) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam Mode | CBT | Mathematics and Aptitude- CBT Mode, Drawing- Pen and paper mode | CBT |
| Subjects | Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics | Aptitude Test, Mathematics and Drawing | Mathematics, Aptitude Test, and Planning Based Objective Type |
| Total Questions Asked | 30 Questions (20 MCQs + 10 NAT) in each section | 82 (Mathematics- 30; Aptitude- 50; Drawing- 2) | 105 (Mathematics- 30; Aptitude- 50; Planning- 25) |
| Total Questions to be Answered | 25 Questions (20 MCQs + 5 NAT) in each section | 77 (Mathematics- 25; Aptitude- 50; Drawing- 2) | 100 (Mathematics- 25; Aptitude- 50; Planning- 25) |
| Type of Questions | Mathematics- 20 MCQs + 10 NAT; Physics- 20 MCQs + 10 NAT Chemistry- 20 MCQs + 10 NAT | Mathematics- 20 MCQs + 10 NAT; Aptitude- 50 MCQs; Drawing- 2 questions | Mathematics- 20 MCQs + 10 NAT; Aptitude- 50 MCQs; Planning-based questions- MCQs |
| Medium of Exam | English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu | English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu | English, Hindi, Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Odia, Punjabi, Tamil, Telugu, Urdu |
| Duration of Exam | 3 Hours | 3.5 Hours | 3.5 Hours |
| Total Marks | 300 | 400 | 400 |
| Marking Scheme | For MCQs: +4 for each correct response; -1 for each incorrect response; Unattempted questions will not be marked. For Non-MCQs: +4 for each correct response, no negative marking for incorrect answers or unattempted questions. | For MCQs: +4 for each correct response; -1 for each incorrect response; Unattempted questions will not be marked. For Non-MCQs: +4 for each correct response, no negative marking for incorrect answers or unattempted questions. For Drawing Test: 2 questions of 100 marks | For MCQs: +4 for each correct response; -1 for each incorrect response; Unattempted questions will not be marked. For Non-MCQs: +4 for each correct response, no negative marking for incorrect answers or unattempted questions. |
| Details | JEE Main B.E./B.Tech Pattern- Check Here | JEE Main B.Arch Pattern- Check Here | JEE Main B.Planning Pattern- Check Here |
JEE Advanced Exam Pattern
- JEE Advanced is held in two different papers- Paper 1 and Paper 2. Candidates must qualify both papers to qualify JEE Advanced.
- For B.Arch admission at IITs, candidates must also qualify AAT paper after JEE Advanced.
| Specifications | JEE Advanced Pattern for Paper 1 | JEE Advanced Pattern for Paper 2 | JEE Advanced Pattern for AAT |
|---|---|---|---|
| Exam Mode | CBT | CBT | Offline |
| Subjects | Physics; Chemistry; Mathematics | Physics; Chemistry; Mathematics | Freehand Drawing; Geometrical Drawing; Three Dimensional Perception; Imagination and Aesthetic Sensitivity; Architectural Awareness |
| Type of Questions | MCQ (Multiple Choice Questions) | Numerical type Questions | MCQs, Numerical type, Sketching and Drawing, etc. |
| Medium of Exam | English and Hindi | English and Hindi | English |
| Duration of Exam | 3 Hours | 3 Hours | 3 hours |
| Details | JEE Advanced Pattern- Check Here | JEE Advanced AAT Pattern- Check Here | |
JEE Main and JEE Advanced Difference in Syllabus
Although both exams are conducted for B.E./B.Tech admission, there are difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced syllabus. JEE Main Syllabus is based on Class 11th and 12th syllabus however candidates are required to study a few more topic for JEE Advanced. Read more on JEE Main vs JEE Advanced Syllabus in the section below.
JEE Main Syllabus
- JEE Main Syllabus comprises the syllabus of CBSE class 11 and 12.
- JEE Main Syllabus for Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech) covers topics from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.
- JEE Main Syllabus for Paper 2A (B.Arch) covers topics from Aptitude, Drawing, and Mathematics.
- JEE Main Syllabus for Paper 2B (B.Plan) covers topics of Mathematics, Aptitude and Planning.
- Topics like Electronic Devices, Electromagnetic Waves and Communication Systems are included in JEE Main Physics but are not asked in JEE Advanced.
JEE Advanced Syllabus
- JEE Advanced Syllabus is usually lesser as compared to the syllabus for JEE Main. However, there are a few extra topics apart from the class 11th and 12th syllabus in JEE Advanced.
- For e.g. JEE main does not include some of the topics of JEE Advanced like Thermal Physics, Electrochemistry, etc. Check JEE Advanced 2025 Syllabus
- However, authorities have released a revised JEE Advanced 2024 Syllabus. The new syllabus includes topics from JEE Main that were not earlier included. Check JEE Advanced 2025 Syllabus
JEE Main vs JEE Advanced Difficulty
JEE Main and JEE Advanced are two national-level engineering entrance exams. Although the level of difficulty of any paper depends on each students’ preparation, when comparing the two, JEE Advanced is considered tougher than JEE Main. Read more on difference between JEE Main and JEE Advanced to actually understand the details.
JEE Main Difficulty Level
- JEE Main is considered to be easier than JEE Advanced as it only examines the candidates based on class 11th and 12th syllabus.
- The questions asked in JEE Main are usually direct formula-based and easier in nature when compared to JEE Advanced.
- JEE Main usually tests only the speed of the candidate with 75 questions asked in the exam.
JEE Advanced Difficulty Level
- JEE Advanced is considered to be more difficult than JEE Main because it included other topics than the ones from class 11th and 12th.
- JEE Advanced questions are concept-based, requiring in-dept knowledge of the topic.
- The questions are also framed using two or three concepts in one.
- JEE Advanced tests the speed as well as the problem-solving skills of the applicants.
Quick Links:
| JEE Main 2025 Exam Dates | JEE Main 2025 Cut off | JEE Main 2025 Chapter-wise Weightage |
| JEE Main 2025 Reservation | JEE Main 2025 Attempts | JEE Main 2025 Books |
JEE Main vs JEE Advanced FAQs
Ques. How many times can a candidate appear in JEE Main examination?
Ans. Candidates can appear for JEE Main for 3 consecutive years. As per the revised pattern, JEE Main is conducted two times a year and appearing in both the session in the same year is considered as one attempt.
Ques. Which syllabus should the candidate focus on JEE Mains or JEE Advanced?
Ans. The candidate must know that JEE Main is the qualifying examination for JEE Advanced. And only top 250000 rank holders are eligible to participate in JEE Advanced. Therefore, there a candidate is required to focus on both JEE Main and JEE Advanced Syllabus.
Ques. Is JEE Main easier than JEE Advanced?
Ans. Although the difficulty level of the exam differs on basis of the candidates’ preparation, however, while comparing the two, JEE Main is considered easier as the exam tests the candidate only on the basis of class 11th and 12th syllabus. JEE Advanced on the other hand also includes topics that are not a part of JEE Main. The questions in JEE Advanced are also are more complex with two or more concepts used in a single question increasing the difficulty level.
Ques. Is JEE Main necessary for JEE Advanced?
Ans. Yes. To be eligible to appear for JEE Advanced, it is mandatory for a candidate to appear for JEE Main exam first. Only the top 250000 rank holders in JEE Main are eligible for JEE Advanced.
Ques. Which is first JEE Main or JEE Advanced?
Ans. JEE Main is conducted first followed by JEE Advanced. Candidates must qualify JEE Main first to be eligible to apply for JEE Advanced.
Ques. How many candidates take JEE Advanced?
Ans. Top 250000 rank holders in JEE Main are eligible to apply for JEE Advanced. In 2021, 141699 candidates had appeared for JEE Advanced Paper 1 and 2 while 41862 had qualified the exam for B.Tech admission to IITs.
*The article might have information for the previous academic years, which will be updated soon subject to the notification issued by the University/College.
Comments