Quick Summary: The blog explains how many students are expected to appear for JEE Main 2026 and why the competition is very high this year. With record registrations of more than 14.5 lakh candidates for Session 1 of JEE Main 2026, each shift may have over one lakh candidates, making every mark important. The blog also discusses previous year trends, number of students per shift, effects of competition, and advice to remain calm and ready to take (take with a grain of salt idiom synonym) the exam.
The JEE Main 2026 exam is expected to be one of the most competitive exams ever, with very high registrations and strong attendance expected. Already, more than 14.5 lakh candidates have signed up for Session 1 of JEE Main 2026, which is the highest number ever seen in a January exam, crossing the 13.1 lakh registrations recorded in JEE Main 2025.
Since Session 2 registrations are still ongoing, the total unique registrations for JEE Main 2026 are expected to go beyond 15–17 lakh, setting a new record for this national engineering entrance exam. It is also expected that the exam will be conducted in 10 shifts over five consecutive days, with two shifts every day.
In this article, we explain how many students will appear for JEE Main 2026, compare previous year trends, and share details about competition, attendance, and important points students should know.
Read More:
JEE Main 2026 Registration: The Highest Number Ever
This year, registrations for JEE Main January 2026 have broken all past records. Around 14.5 lakh registration numbers have been generated so far. However, every year some students fill the form but do not pay the fees. The number of such dummy or fake registrations usually stays between 30,000 and 35,000. Session 2 registrations (expected in January–February 2026) are likely to increase the total by another 1–2.5 lakh or even more.
According to this, it is estimated that approximately 14.10 lakh students have actually paid and registered themselves in JEE Main 2026. Projected number of total registered JEE Main 2026 (both batches): 15-17 Lakh distinct candidates.
Number of Students Appearing for the JEE Main Exam
Trends from past years show that nearly 95 percent of students who fill the form finally appear for the exam. While official attendance data for both sessions will be released after Session 2 ends, past data gives a clear idea:
In JEE Main 2025, the attendance rate was around 95–96 percent in both sessions.
- Total appeared (2025): 14,75,103 candidates
- This indicates that a majority of registered students attend the exam.
If the same trend continues in 2026, then with about 15–17 lakh registrations, nearly 14.2–16.3 lakh students are expected to appear in both sessions.
Read More: JEE Main Admit Card 2026 Session 1 Released
JEE Main 2026: How many students will compete in each shift
If the test is held in 10 shifts across five days, the total number of candidates will be shared almost evenly between all shifts. In this case:
- Students per shift: Approximately 1.33 to 1.34 lakh.
- Per day (two shifts combined): Approximately 2.65 to 2.70 lakh students.
This shows that in every shift, you must compete for your rank with over 1.25 lakh students, showing how many students will appear for JEE Main 2026.
JEE Main Registrations and Attendance Trends (Past Years)
Checking earlier years helps understand how registrations turn into real exam attendance, especially in the January session of JEE Main 2026.
| Session | Year | Candidates Registered | Candidates Appeared | Unique Registered Candidates | Unique Appeared Candidates |
| January | 2026* | 14,50,000 | — | — | — |
| January | 2025 | 13,11,544 | 12,58,136 | 15,39,848 | 14,75,103 |
| April | 2025 | 10,61,840 | 9,92,350 | — | — |
| January | 2024 | 12,21,624 | 11,70,048 | 14,76,557 | 14,15,110 |
| April | 2024 | 11,79,569 | 10,67,959 | — | — |
| January | 2023 | 8,60,064 | 8,23,967 | 11,62,398 | 11,13,325 |
| April | 2023 | 9,31,334 | 8,83,367 | — | — |
Check Out: How Many Attempts for JEE Mains 2026?
Key Insights From Previous Year Data
- Attendance stays high at 95–96 per cent
- Most registered candidates really appear for the exam
- Unique candidate counts have grown every year
- 2025 saw over 14.75 lakh students appear across both sessions
- The rise in 2026 registrations shows tougher competition for new aspirants.
Potential Impact of Increased Competition on Cutoffs
A rise in the total number of candidates can directly push the JEE Main 2026 cutoff higher. Scoring good percentile often requires more marks when more students are present in each shift and on the days of examination. Due to this, the cutoffs of General, OBC, EWS and others may also shift upwards.
At the same time, the final cutoff will depend on how tough the paper is, how normalization works across shifts, and how students perform overall. The January session of JEE Main 2026 is expected to be one of the most competitive sessions till now. With high registrations and more students sitting in every shift, it is clear that poor preparation this year can be risky. Many students are also searching for how many students will appear for JEE Main 2026, which shows the growing concern about competition.
Check Out: JEE Main 2026 Exam Day Guidelines
Understanding the Real Competition
You should remember one thing. Even if around 1.33 lakh students are in your shift, not all of them are fully serious about the exam. Many candidates take JEE Main just (just in case definition) as a backup option or without proper preparation. Your real competition is with students who studied daily and revised properly.
Still, when the Number of Students Appearing for the JEE Main Exam 2026 is so high, you cannot take anything lightly. Every mark matters, and even a small difference in scores can lead to a big change in rank, especially when people are asking How many students will compete in each shift in JEE Main exam.
What Should You Do Now
Do not get scared after seeing these numbers. Instead, use them to push yourself harder.
Work on your weak chapters. Give more mock tests. Try to improve your speed and accuracy.
These basics become very important when the competition is intense. The good part is that all students are facing the same situation. Those who stay calm, follow their routine, and perform well on exam day will move ahead of others..
Key Takeaways
The JEE Main 2026 January session shows record-level competition. Around 13.40 lakh students may appear, with nearly 1.33 lakh students in each shift, so this is not the time (race against time phrase meaning) to study half-heartedly. An extra 10,000 students per shift compared to last year means the cutoffs may go higher. Your preparation should match this rising competition. These figures are a calculation with reference to the changes in the past and therefore real figures may be marginally different. But one thing is clear: JEE Main 2026 exam will be tough.
Stay focused on your studies. Believe in your hard work. And remember, you cannot control Session 2 registrations or how many students appear, but you can control how well you prepare for the exam.
FAQs on How Many Candidates Registered and Will Compete for JEE Main 2026?
Q: How many students registered for JEE Main 2026 Session 1?
A record of 14.5 lakh students have registered JEE Main 2026, Session 1, which is the highest number, and almost 13.4 lakh are predicted to take the test, demonstrating the higher-level of competition in leading engineering examination.
Q: Will Session 2 registrations add students?
Yes, JEE Main 2026 Session 2 will bring registrations. Even though over 14.5 lakh candidates registered for Session 1, a separate registration window for Session 2 (April 2026) is expected to open in late January 2026, letting new applicants and those who want to retake the exam register, likely adding another 1–2.5 lakh candidates.
Q: Are JEE Main 2026 cut-offs likely to increase?
Yes, JEE Main 2026 cutoffs may rise slightly around 93-95 percentile, mainly for the General category, because of more applicants and better student performance, but exact figures depend on paper difficulty and normalization this year too.
Q: How many students will appear for JEE Main 2026 in total overall sessions?
Approximately 15-16 lakh distinct candidates will turn up to JEE Main 2026 in both sessions put together.
Q: Will JEE Main 2026 be tougher than 2025 for students this year?
Yes, as it is expected that JEE Main 2026 will become more competitive than 2025, due to a record number of registrations (more than 14.5 lakh in first session only), more awareness and easy availability of online coaching, and because of lots of serious aspirants, so good preparations will be important even though paper level will probably remain the same across the board.
Q: Will more students affect NITs and IIITs seat allocation too?
Yes, an increased number of students taking the JEE Main 2026 is most likely to make competition higher, pushing cutoffs in the NIT and IIIT higher and getting good seats will be harder as more students might take the same test, aiming on fixed number of seats, which also will need a higher percentile to get admission.
