Which Exam is First: JEE Main or JEE Advanced?

Lakhs of aspirants appear in JEE Main and Advanced to get admission in top IITs, NITs, and other prestigious engineering colleges in India. Many students get confused about which exam they have to appear for first, JEE Main or JEE Advanced. Mostly, the students appearing for the JEE for the first time face this confusion.

To clear this confusion, students must know that JEE Main is the first stage where students need to appear and qualify to move to JEE Advanced. Both the exams come under the Joint Entrance Examination but have different purposes, structures, and patterns. 

In this article, we will discuss which exam is held first and provide more related details.

Which Exam Is First: JEE Main or JEE Advanced?

Joint Entrance Examination or JEE is a national-level engineering entrance exam in India. It is conducted in 2 stages - JEE Main and JEE Advanced. If you clear both exams, you will be able to get admission to top engineering colleges in the country. 

JEE Main 

JEE Main is the first exam, and students need to appear in it first. It is a screening and eligibility exam for engineering aspirants. If you clear JEE Main, you can secure admission in NITs, IITs, and other famous engineering institutes. Your scores in JEE Main decide your eligibility for JEE Advanced. 

JEE Advanced 

JEE Advanced is held after JEE Main. It is more challenging, and only the top scorers in JEE Main are eligible to appear in JEE Advanced. It is held for admission in the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). You are not allowed to appear in JEE Advanced directly without clearing JEE Main. 

Why Is JEE Main Conducted First?

JEE Main is conducted first to filter the eligible candidates for JEE Advanced. As millions of students apply for JEE Mains every year, it is impractical to directly allow everyone to appear for JEE Advanced. Also, there are various other purposes for conducting JEE Main first, as mentioned below: 

1. Screening Examination 

JEE Main scores are used for shortlisting the deserving candidates from a crowd of millions of aspirants. The candidates are evaluated for core concepts of physics, chemistry, and mathematics. You need to prepare the syllabus for classes 11th and 12th for JEE Main. If you have strong basics, then only you will be able to qualify for JEE Main and appear in JEE Advanced. 

2. All India Rank 

JEE Main scores help in creating the All India Rank. It plays a vital role in securing admission in colleges and maintaining transparency in the admission process. 

3. Eligibility for JEE Advanced

The JEE exam is the basis for deciding eligibility for JEE Advanced. Only the students who have cleared JEE Main will be eligible to appear in JEE Advanced. 

4. Admissions to top Engineering colleges 

If you qualify for JEE Main, you will be eligible to get admission in NITs, IITs, and other technical institutes. 

Conducting Authorities of JEE Main and JEE Advanced

JEE Main and JEE Advanced are conducted by different bodies; here are the details below:

When Are JEE Main and JEE Advanced Held?

JEE Main is conducted twice a year, while JEE Advanced is held only once. 

Stepwise JEE exam sequence

Let's have a look at the JEE exam sequence: 

1. Register for JEE Main 

At the very first step, you must register for JEE Main through an online portal. Enter all the required personal details, academic information, and documents, and pay the application fees. Your exam slot will be confirmed. 

2. Appear in JEE Main 

The JEE Main is conducted twice a year in January and April; you can appear in any session. The question paper will contain MCAs and objective-type questions from physics, chemistry, and mathematics. 

3. Check JEE Main result

NTA releases the stores and AIR on the official website. You can check your scores online using your application number or enrollment number.

4. Qualify JEE Main cutoff 

If you meet the cutoff scores, you will be able to register for JEE Advanced. 

5. Register for JEE Advanced 

Now, register for JEE Advanced and submit all the required details and documents. Pay the JEE Advanced registration fees to book your seat. 

6. Appear in JEE Advanced 

Reach the exam center on exam day and attempt the JEE Advanced. It is more challenging and contains questions from physics, chemistry, and mathematics. It changes the students' conceptual knowledge, problem-solving, and analytical thinking. 

7. Participate in JoSAA counselling

Once the JEE result is declared and you have qualified, you have to participate in JoSAA counseling. Here, you need to choose your preferred institute based on your rank and available seats. 

Difference Between JEE Main and JEE Advanced

The main differences between JEE Main and JEE Advanced are mentioned below:

Eligibility Criteria for JEE Main vs JEE Advanced

The eligibility details for JEE Main and JEE Advanced are mentioned below: 

JEE Main Eligibility

To appear in JEE Main, you need to fulfill the following JEE Main eligibility criteria:

1. You must have qualified in class 12th from any recognized board in India.
2. There is no minimum percentage required. 
3. There is no age limit to appear in JEE Main.
4. Your class 12th result must have subjects including physics, mathematics, and chemistry. 

JEE Advanced Eligibility

To appear in JEE Advanced, you need to fulfill the following JEE Advanced eligibility criteria:

1. You must have cleared class 12th within the last 2 years. 
2. You get a maximum of 2 attempts in 2 consecutive years for JEE Advanced.
3. You must have qualified for the JEE Main,
4. There are some reservations for age that apply to JEE Advanced. 

Can You Appear for JEE Advanced Without JEE Main?

Many students wonder if they can appear in JEE Advanced directly without qualifying for JEE Main. The answer is - No, you cannot appear in JEE Advanced without qualifying JEE Main. It is important to qualify for JEE Main before Advanced. If you meet the required cutoff in JEE Main, then only you will be able to register for JEE Advanced. 

There is no separate or direct application available for JEE Advanced. You have to follow the proper JEE exam sequence. 

Exam Pattern Difference - JEE Main vs JEE Advanced

The JEE Main and JEE Advanced Exam Patterns are different. Here are the major differences: 

Which Exam Is Tougher: JEE Main or JEE Advanced?

JEE Advanced is more difficult than JEE Main. JEE mainly focuses on testing students' knowledge for the class 11th and 12th syllabi. On the other hand, JEE Advanced questions are much deeper. The questions are based on concepts rather than direct formulas. You need to answer the questions with multiple steps or creative problem-solving skills. 

JEE mainly evaluates the students for speed, accuracy, and basic application skills. JEE Advanced evaluates the students for analytical thinking, problem-solving skills, and intelligence. You need to approach the question from multiple angles.

JEE Main is conducted before the advance. You are required to follow the proper JEE exam sequence. JEE Main scores are the eligibility criteria for JEE Advanced. The students who qualify for JEE Main will be eligible to appear in JEE Advanced. You will be able to get direct admission to NITs, IITs, and CFTIs. JEE advanced tests the students against concept clarity, analytical thinking, and problem-solving. It is important to understand the JEE exam sequence for effective preparation and eligibility. While you prepare for JEE, you need to study for JEE Main before the advanced.