Everything you need to crack JEE Main 2026 — from exam pattern to the best books at the best prices
JEE Main is India's largest engineering entrance exam, conducted by NTA in two sessions each year. In 2026, Session 1 was held January 21-30 and Session 2 is scheduled for April 2-9. This guide covers everything — from the official exam pattern to the best books and where to get them at half price.
H.C. Verma, Cengage, Arihant — all the JEE books you need at half price on BookBazaar!Shop Now
JEE Main 2026 — Key Facts
- Conducting Body: NTA (National Testing Agency)
- Purpose: Admission to NITs, IIITs, GFTIs + eligibility for JEE Advanced (IITs)
- Sessions: Two sessions per year (best score considered)
- Session 1: January 21-30, 2026
- Session 2: April 2-9, 2026
- Registration (Session 2): February 1-25, 2026
- Mode: Computer-Based Test (CBT) — except Drawing section
- Age Limit: No age limit
- Attempts: No limit on number of attempts
- Official Website: jeemain.nta.nic.in
Source: NTA JEE Main Official Website
JEE Main 2026 Exam Pattern
Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech) — Most Popular
- Subjects: Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics
- Questions per subject: 25 (20 MCQs + 5 Numerical Answer Type)
- Total Questions: 75
- Total Marks: 300
- Duration: 3 hours
- Marking: +4 for correct, -1 for wrong (MCQs only), no negative marking for numerical answers
- Important: In numerical answer type, attempt only those you're sure about — out of 5, you only need to answer any 5 (all compulsory now)
Paper 2A (B.Arch)
- Subjects: Mathematics (25 Qs), General Aptitude (50 Qs), Drawing (2 Qs)
- Total: 77 Questions, 400 Marks
- Drawing: Pen-and-paper mode
Paper 2B (B.Planning)
- Subjects: Mathematics (25 Qs), General Aptitude (50 Qs), Planning (25 Qs)
- Total: 100 Questions, 400 Marks
Best Books for JEE Main 2026 — Complete List
Physics
- NCERT Physics (Class 11 & 12) — Foundation. Read every line. Free PDF at ncert.nic.in
- Concepts of Physics — H.C. Verma (Vol 1 & 2) — The gold standard for JEE Physics. Covers concepts + solved examples + exercises. New: ₹800 | Used: ₹300-400 on BookBazaar
- Problems in General Physics — I.E. Irodov — For JEE Advanced level. Challenging problems. New: ₹500 | Used: ₹200-250
- Understanding Physics — D.C. Pandey (5 books) — New: ₹2,400 | Used: ₹800-1,200
- Cengage Physics — B.M. Sharma (5 books) — New: ₹3,000 | Used: ₹1,000-1,500
Chemistry
- NCERT Chemistry (Class 11 & 12) — 60%+ JEE Chemistry questions are NCERT-based
- Organic Chemistry — O.P. Tandon — New: ₹600 | Used: ₹250-350
- Organic Chemistry — Morrison & Boyd — Advanced reference. New: ₹1,200 | Used: ₹400-600
- Physical Chemistry — O.P. Tandon — New: ₹600 | Used: ₹250-350
- Inorganic Chemistry — J.D. Lee (Concise) — New: ₹900 | Used: ₹350-450
- Cengage Chemistry (5 books) — New: ₹2,500 | Used: ₹900-1,200
Mathematics
- NCERT Maths (Class 11 & 12) — Start here. Solve every exercise problem.
- Objective Mathematics — R.D. Sharma — New: ₹900 | Used: ₹350-450 on BookBazaar
- Skills in Mathematics — Arihant (6 books) — By S.K. Goyal, Amit M. Agarwal. Topic-wise. New: ₹2,000 | Used: ₹700-1,000
- Cengage Mathematics (5 books) — New: ₹2,800 | Used: ₹1,000-1,400
- Problems in Calculus of One Variable — I.A. Maron — For advanced practice. New: ₹400 | Used: ₹150-200
H.C. Verma Solutions — Where to Find Free
H.C. Verma's "Concepts of Physics" is the most searched JEE book. Free solutions are available at:
- Vedantu — Chapter-wise video solutions + PDF
- BYJU'S — Detailed step-by-step solutions
- MathonGo — Free PDF solutions for all chapters
- Doubtnut — Video solutions by IITians
- YouTube — Physics Wallah, Unacademy channels
JEE Main Preparation Strategy
- Months 1-6: Build Foundation — Complete NCERT (Class 11-12) thoroughly. Solve NCERT exercises.
- Months 7-12: Deepen Understanding — Work through H.C. Verma, O.P. Tandon, R.D. Sharma Objective.
- Months 13-18: Problem Solving — Solve Cengage/Arihant topic-wise. Take chapter tests.
- Last 3 Months: Revision + Mock Tests — Take full-length mock tests. Solve 10+ years PYQs.
Save ₹10,000+ on JEE Books
The full JEE book set costs ₹18,000+ at new prices. Buy used on BookBazaar and save 50-70%:
- Full JEE Physics set (used): ₹1,500-2,500 (vs ₹6,700 new)
- Full JEE Chemistry set (used): ₹1,500-2,500 (vs ₹5,800 new)
- Full JEE Maths set (used): ₹1,500-2,500 (vs ₹5,700 new)
Read our detailed guide: Used JEE & NEET Books at 50-70% Off
JEE Main is tough but beatable with the right strategy and resources. Start with NCERT, graduate to H.C. Verma and Cengage, practice with mock tests, and keep revising. And don't overspend on books — the same H.C. Verma that a topper used is available on BookBazaar at 50-70% off. Smart preparation is about strategy, not spending.