Group
Group
How Many Students Appeared for JEE Main 2026?
For students preparing for JEE Main, understanding the scale of competition is very important. In 2026, 13.55 lakh students registered for the JEE Main 1st session, and 13.04 lakh students appeared for the JEE Main exam. In the 2nd session, 11.10 lakh students registered, and 10.34 lakh students appeared. Across both sessions, around 16.04 lakh students registered, and 15.38 lakh students appeared in the exam. Resulting in an overall attendance of around 95%. JEE Main 2026 was conducted in two sessions, January and April, allowing students multiple attempts to improve their scores. The best score from these two sessions will be considered. Around 8 lakh students were common in both sessions of the JEE exam.
How Many Unique Students Appeared for JEE Main 2026?
The number of unique students who registered for the JEE exam was 16.04 lakh, and the number of unique students who appeared for JEE Main 2026 was 15.38 lakh. 'Unique students in JEE Main means the number of different students who appeared in JEE Main at least once during the year, counting each student only one time, even if they appeared in both Session 1 and Session 2. This number represents students counted only once, even if they appeared in both January and April sessions. NTA reported 16.04 lakh unique registrations and 15.38 lakh unique students who actually appeared in at least one of the two sessions.
JEE Main 2026: Number of Students Appeared in Both Sessions
As per NTA official data, 15.68 lakhs students appeared in the JEE Main 2026, including both the January and April sessions. A total of 16 lakh students registered for both sessions. Students who appeared in both the sessions, NTA considered the better NTA score from the two sessions while preparing the final Paper 1 result. The two-session system helps students in improving their overall JEE Main performance.
How Many Students Appeared for JEE Main 2026 Session 1?
The first session of JEE Main 2026 was conducted in January 2026. NTA, the exam-conducting body, has published the below-given data.
Particulars | JEE Main 2026 Session 1 |
Candidates Registered | 13,55,293 |
Candidates Appeared | 13,04,653 |
Attendance | 96.26% |
Session | Session 1 (January 2026) |
How Many Students Appeared for JEE Main 2026 Session 2?
The second session of JEE Main 2026 was conducted in April 2026. The best score from both the sessions will be considered for the next JEE round; many students attempt the second session after not getting expected marks in session 1 of the JEE exam. NTA, the exam-conducting body, has published the below-given data.
Particulars | JEE Main 2026 Session 2 |
Candidates Registered | 11,10,904 |
Candidates Appeared | 10,34,330 |
Attendance | 93.11% |
Session | Session 2 (April 2026) |
Also Read: JEE Main 2025 Question Papers, Download Session 1 & 2 PDF
JEE Main 2026: Gender-Wise Number of Candidates
JEE Main 2026 saw participation from both male and female applicants across its two sessions. As per the unique candidate data, 7.08 lakh male students and 3.26 lakh female students across all the categories appeared in JEE Main 2026. The table below shows the gender-wise number of registered and appearing candidates.
Gender | Registered Candidates | Appeared Candidates |
Male | 7,56,976 | 7,08,163 |
Female | 3,53,928 | 3,26,167 |
Total | 11,10,904 | 10,34,330 |
JEE Main 2026: Category-Wise Number of Candidates
JEE Main 2026 included students from different reserved categories. The table below shows the unique students registered and who appeared across both sessions.
Category | Registered Candidates | Appeared Candidates |
General | 3,97,000 | 3,67,885 |
GEN-EWS | 1,34,090 | 1,28,130 |
OBC-NCL | 4,21,447 | 3,94,388 |
SC | 1,17,196 | 1,06,786 |
ST | 41,171 | 37,142 |
Total | 11,10,904 | 10,34,330 |
JEE Main 2026: Number of Students Registered vs. Appeared
Each year, the number of students who register for JEE Main is higher than the number of students who actually appear for the examination. This means that a good number of registered applicants do not reach the examination stage itself. However, students should not assume that the competition becomes easy after this point. Understanding the actual number of students appearing for the exam can help aspirants understand the level of competition they are going to face and plan their preparation accordingly. Students preparing for JEE Main 2027 should focus on building strong concepts, improving accuracy, managing time effectively, and regularly practising mock tests to perform well in a highly competitive examination.
JEE Main 2026 | Registered | Appeared |
Session 1 | 13,55,293 | 13,04,653 |
Session 2 | 11,10,904 | 10,34,330 |
Unique Candidates | 16,04,854 | 15,38,468 |
How Many Students Appeared for JEE Main 2026 Compared to Previous Years?
Every year, the number of students appearing for JEE Main continues to increase, making the competition increasingly significant for engineering aspirants. Students preparing for the upcoming JEE Main exam should be aware of the growing number of applicants and prepare accordingly. Students will have to create a well organised JEE preparation strategy to compete with this high competition. A strong understanding of concepts, regular practice, effective time management, and consistent mock-test preparation can help students perform better in a highly competitive examination.
Year | Unique Students Appeared |
2024 | 14,15,110 |
2025 | 14,75,103 |
2026 | 15,38,468 |
Conclusion
NTA’s final Paper 1 figures show that 15,10,756 unique students appeared for JEE Main 2026, while 15,66,694 unique students registered. Session 1 recorded 13,04,653 appearances, and Session 2 recorded 10,54,177. These session figures should not be added to find the total number of students because many candidates appeared in both sessions.For students preparing for JEE Main 2027, these figures give a clearer picture of the exam’s scale. Focus on strong concepts, regular question practice, accuracy and timed mock tests. Use your mock results to identify weak topics and improve them steadily before the exam.
