The Central Board of Secondary Education has shortened the syllabus for this academic session. Corresponding to that, the National Testing Agency has also revised the exam pattern for JEE Main 2021. The exam will be held separately for aspirants appearing for B.Tech and B.Arch/B.Planning. All the new changes which have been accommodated in the JEE Main Exam Pattern 2021 are detailed below. Candidates are advised to go through this page thoroughly to gain insight into the JEE Main question paper and accordingly direct their preparatory efforts, especially considering there are some major changes in the JEE Main 2021 exam pattern as per the official updates by the conducting authority.
The contents of this page include:
- JEE Main Exam Pattern 2021 Highlights
- JEE Main 2021 Marking Scheme
- JEE Main Syllabus
- JEE Main Previous Years’ Question Papers
- Best Preparation Books for JEE Main 2021 Preparation
- Section-wise Analysis of JEE Main 2017 Question Paper
JEE Main 2021 Exam Pattern Highlights
Several changes have been made in the exam pattern for JEE Main 2021. The gist of all the important elements of the exam pattern, revised as well as unrevised, are discussed in this section:
Papers: JEE Main 2021 consists of two papers. Paper-I is for the candidates who seek admission into B.E./B.Tech programs and Paper-II is for the candidates who seek admission into B.Arch./B.Planning programs.
Duration: The time duration for completion of the JEE Main 2021 examination paper is 3 hours, i.e. 180 minutes.
Mode of Paper-I: JEE Main 2021 Paper-I will be conducted in only one mode, i.e. Online mode or Computer-based Test (CBT).
Mode of Paper-II: JEE Main 2021 Paper-II will be conducted in two modes. Part-I: Mathematics and Part-II: Aptitude will be conducted in the Online mode, and Part-III: Drawing Test will be conducted in the Offline mode or Paper-based Test (PBT).
⭐JEE 2021 Main | ⭐JEE Main 2021 Exam Date | ⭐JEE Main 2021 Admit Card |
⭐JEE Main 2021 Syllabus | ⭐JEE Main 2021 Eligibility | ⭐JEE Main 2021 Answer Key |
Alternative Section: A new pattern has been introduced in the JEE Main 2021 exam; there will be no negative marking in the additional 15 alternative questions. All candidates must attempt 75 questions out of 90, which can be further identified as 25 out of the 30 in each section, i.e., Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics.
The courses offered through the JEE Main 2021 papers is given in the table below:
Paper | Course |
Paper-I | All other undergraduate courses (B.E./B.Tech.) |
Paper-II | B.Arch./B.Planning (At Institutions other than the IITs) |
- The entrance exam for B.Planning will be held separately from 2021 onwards.
- Each subject will have 20 Multiple Choice Questions and 10 Numerical Value Based Questions. The candidates will have to attempt any 5 out of the 10 numerical value based questions.
Subject combinations for each JEE Main 2021 paper, types of questions in each paper, and the mode of examination available for each is given in the table below:
Language Options in JEE Main 2021
The candidates can answer the JEE Main 2021 in 13 different languages. However, it must not be assumed that every exam centre will allow candidates to attempt the paper in any language of his/her choice. Given below is a list of all the languages in which the JEE Main 2021 can be attempted, and all the centres where the corresponding language option will be available.
Language Option | State(s) in which the option is available |
English, Hindi and Urdu | All states |
Assamese | Assam |
Bengali | West Bengal, Tripura, Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
Gujarati | Gujarat, Daman and Diu, Dadra and Nagar Haveli |
Kannada | Karnataka |
Malayalam | Kerala and Lakshadweep Islands |
Marathi | Maharashtra |
Odia | Odisha |
Punjabi | Punjab, Chandigarh and Delhi |
Tamil | Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Andaman and Nicobar Islands |
Telugu | Andhra Pradesh and Telangana |
JEE Main Exam Pattern for B.E. and B.Tech
JEE Main 2021 Paper 1 will have a total of 90 MCQs and each subject will have two sections: MCQs and Numerical value answers. The paper is further divided into 3 subject-wise sections where each section carries 100 marks and the candidates can score a maximum of 300 marks in JEE Main 2021 Paper 1.
Mode of Exam | Online |
Subjects Covered | Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics |
Exam Duration | 3 hours | 180 minutes |
No. of Questions Asked | 90 (30 from each subject) |
No. of Questions to be Attempted | 75 (25 from each subject) |
Type of Questions | 60 Multiple Choice Questions30 Numerical Value Questions |
Maximum Marks | 300 |
The name of the subjects in the JEE Main Paper I and the number of questions which will be asked along with the corresponding marks allotted to it is mentioned in the table given below.
S.No. | Subjects | Section A | Section b | Marks |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Mathematics | 20* | 10* | 100 |
2 | Physics | 20* | 10* | 100 |
3 | Chemistry | 20* | 10* | 100 |
Total | 90 | 300 |
*NOTE: Each Subject will have two sections. Section A will be of Multiple-Choice Questions (MCQs) and Section B will contain Questions whose answers are to be filled in as a numerical value. In Section B, candidates have to attempt any five questions out of 10. There will be no negative marking for Section B.
JEE Main Exam Pattern for B.Arch (Paper: II-A)
The table below provides all the necessary insights about the exam patterns of the JEE Main 2021 Paper-II (A) like the type of questions that will be asked in the exam, the subjects involved, and the medium of the question paper. JEE Main 2021 Paper-II (A) will have a total of 82 questions and it will be divided into 3 sections. Section One will have 20 MCQ's and 10 questions will have an answer to be filled as a numerical value and Section Two will have 50 MCQ's and 2 Drawing Questions where each question carries 50 marks. The candidates can score a maximum of 400 marks in JEE Main 2021 Paper 2.
Mode of Exam | For Mathematics: OnlineFor Drawing: Pen and Paper Based Test |
Subjects Covered | Mathematics, Aptitude Test, Drawing |
Exam Duration | 3 hours | 180 minutes |
No. of Questions Asked | Mathematics: 30Aptitude Test: 50Drawing: 2 |
No. of Questions to be Attempted | Mathematics: 25Aptitude Test: 50Drawing: 2 |
Type of Questions | Mathematics: Multiple Choice Questions (20) and Numerical Value Questions (10)Aptitude Test: Multiple Choice Questions |
Maximum Marks | 400 |
*NOTE: 20 questions will be MCQs and 5 questions will have answers to be filled as a numerical value out of 10. There will be no negative marking for the numerical value based questions.
JEE Main Exam Pattern for Paper-II(B)
Conducted for | B.Arch. Admissions |
Mode | Online (CBT) & Offline (PBT) for Drawing Paper |
Exam Duration | 3 Hours |
Subjects | Mathematics, Aptitude, Drawing |
Type of Questions | 105 Multiple Choice Questions with a single correct response, 10 Questions will have the answer to be filled as a numeric value, and 25 PlanningBased Objective Type MCQs |
Paper Medium | English, Bengali, Assamese, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Odiya, Punjabi, Telugu, Tamil, and Urdu. The choice must be filled in the Application form. |
The number of questions for each subject and the total marks allotted to that subject is provided in the table given below.
S.No. | Subjects | Questions | Marks | |
---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Part-I: Mathematics | 20* | 10* | 100 |
2 | Part-II: Aptitude Test | 50 | 200 | |
3 | Part-III: Drawing | 25 | 100 | |
Total | 105 | 400 |
*NOTE: 20 questions will be MCQs and 5 questions will have answers to be filled as a numerical value out of 10. There will be no negative marking for the numerical value based questions.
JEE Main Exam Pattern 2021 for B.Plan
The important facts related to the exam pattern for JEE Main 2021 for admission to B.Plan course are given below:
Mode of Exam |
Computer Based Test |
Subjects Covered |
Mathematics, Aptitude Test, Planning |
Exam Duration |
180 minutes or 3 hours |
No. of Questions Asked |
Mathematics: 30 Planning-based: 25 Aptitude: 50 |
No. of Questions to be Attempted |
Mathematics: 25 Planning-Based: 25 Aptitude: 50 |
Type of Questions |
Mathematics: 20 MCQs and 10 Numerical Value Based Planning-Based: 25 MCQs Aptitude: 50 MCQs |
Maximum Marks |
400 |
JEE Main 2021 Marking Scheme
The detailed marking scheme as per the updated JEE Main Exam Pattern 2021 is given below for your reference.
JEE Main 2021 Marking Scheme for B.E./B.Tech
The detailed marking scheme for the entrance exam for BE and B.Tch courses is detailed below:
Total No. of Questions to Answer |
75 (25 from each section) |
Marks per Question |
+4 |
Negative Marking |
-1 (Inapplicable for descriptive/numerical based questions) |
Unattempted Questions |
No addition or deduction |
Sectional Distribution of Marks |
100 Marks per Section |
Total Marks |
300 |
JEE Main 2021 Marking Scheme for B.Arch and B.Planning
The detailed marking scheme for B.Arch and B.Planning under JEE 2021 is discussed in the table below:
Marks per Question |
+4 |
+4 |
Negative Marking |
-1 (Inapplicable for numerical based questions and drawing) |
-1 (Inapplicable for numerical based questions) |
Unattempted Questions |
No addition or deduction |
No addition or deduction |
Sectional Distribution of Marks |
Mathematics: 100 Marks Aptitude: 200 Marks Drawing: 100 Marks (2 Questions of 50 Marks each) |
Mathematics: 100 Marks Aptitude: 200 Marks Planning: 100 Marks |
Total Marks |
400 |
400 |
JEE Main 2021 Syllabus
The candidates must take a print out of the detailed syllabus for JEE Main 2021. The questions asked in the JEE Main 2021 Question Paper will entirely be based on the syllabus of class 11 and 12. The topics from each subject, which the candidates must pay the maximum attention to are listed below for your reference:
JEE Main Syllabus 2021: Important Topics in Physics
The candidates must prepare the below listed topics from JEE Main 2021 syllabus well, as most of the questions are based on them
Current, Electricity and Heat Transfer |
Waves and Sounds |
Dimensional Analysis |
Thermodynamics |
Gravitation and Electro-Statistics |
Kinetic Theory of Gases |
Geometrical Optics |
Rotational Dynamics |
Electromagnetic Induction |
Atoms and Nuclei |
JEE Main Syllabus 2021: Important Topics in Chemistry
Based on our observation of JEE Main 2021 previous year question papers, the important topics from Chemistry, which occupy the maximum weightage are given below:
Mole Concept and the Concept of Equivalents |
Carbonyl Compounds and their Derivatives |
Redox Reactions |
Coordination Chemistry |
Electro-chemistry |
Chemical Bonding & Qualitative Analysis |
Thermodynamics |
Organic Compounds containing Oxygen, Nitrogen and Halogens |
Chemical Equilibrium |
d-and-f Block Elements |
JEE Main Syllabus 2021: Important Topics in Mathematics
The important topics from Mathematics syllabus of JEE Mains 2021 are given below.
Inverse Trigonometric Functions |
Parabola and Hyperbola- Coordinate Geometry |
Circles and Family of Circles |
Limits |
Sequence & Series |
Functions |
Vectors |
Continuity and Differentiability |
Probability |
Application of Derivatives |
Complex Numbers |
Definite Integral in Calculus |
Quadratic Equations |
Matrices |
JEE Main Syllabus 2021 for Drawing
The questions asked in the exam may be based on the following topics:
- Scenes: Markets, Festivals, Landmarks, Roads, Wilderness, Plants or Trees, Rural Life, Recreational Spaces
- Drawing of Geometric or Abstract shapes/patterns
- 2D or 3D views of objects
The candidates must go through the detailed syllabus for JEE Main 2021 and analyse which areas they need to put maximum in.
JEE Main 2021 Previous Years’ Question Papers
About 9 lakh students appear for the JEE Main exam every year. As per the data released by the National Testing Agency, 9.34 lakh students gave the exam in 2020. A candidate’s preparation for JEE Main 2021 shall be considered inadequate if he/she doesn’t solve the previous years’ question papers and mock tests. Some of the reasons why solving the JEE Main 2021 Previous Years’ Question Papers is an absolute must for all the aspirants are given below:
- It would help you enhance your speed.
- The candidates will be able to analyse their weak areas.
- The candidates will learn about the questions which are asked repeatedly in the exam.
Best Preparation Books for JEE Main 2021
It is often said that mastering the content given in NCERT textbooks is sufficient to ace any examination. However, several important topics are only discussed briefly in these books. The preparation books for JEE Main 2021 would surely explain each and every concept in detail, in easily understandable language. In addition to that, these reference books also have practice questions and mock tests which are beneficial for good exam preparation. Some of the best reference books recommended by the toppers of JEE Main exam are given below.
Subject |
Recommended Reference Books |
Physics |
● Problems in General Physics- IE Irodov ● Advanced Level Physics- Nelson and Parker ● D.C. Pandey |
Mathematics |
● RD Sharma for class XI and XII ● Differential Calculus- Arihant ● Integral Calculus- Arihant |
Chemistry |
● Modern Approach to Chemical Calculations- RC Mukherjee ● Robert Thornton Morrison- Organic Chemistry ● Numerical Chemistry by P. Bahadur ● Sanjay Sharma’s Master Resource Chemistry Book |
Section-wise Analysis of JEE Main Question Paper 2017
JEE Main Exam Pattern 2017 was easy compared to JEE Main 2016 question paper. Questions were moderate in terms of difficulty and length. There were more calculative and formula-based questions than theoretical.
Analysis of JEE Main 2017 Physics section
The Physics section in JEE Main 2017 was easy as compared to JEE Mains 2016. Questions were moderate in terms of difficulty and length. There were more formula-based and calculative questions than theoretical.
Topic | Questions |
Mechanics | 11 |
Electrodynamics | 8 |
Thermodynamics and Kinetic Theory | 3 |
Optics and Wave Optics | 2 |
Modern and Nuclear Physics | 6 |
Analysis of JEE Main 2017 Mathematics section
JEE Main 2017 Mathematics Question Paper was easier Compared to JEE Main 2016. However, the questions were difficult in comparison to Physics and Chemistry and it was mainly due to its length. The questions were directly based on formulas and a lot of them required a lot of calculations.
Topic | Questions |
Algebra | 15 |
Calculus | 6 |
Trigonometry | 3 |
Conics | 3 |
Vector Algebra | 3 |
Analysis of JEE Main 2017 Chemistry section
In Chemistry, the difficulty curve of JEE Mains 2016 & 2017 is almost similar and chemistry was rated as the easiest one among the other two sections. The questions were more theoretical than calculative, making it the quickest subject to solve.
Topic | Questions |
Organic Chemistry | 8 |
Inorganic Chemistry | 11 |
Physical Chemistry | 11 |