Two days after announcing that candidates will get access to onscreen virtual calculators during the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026, the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Sunday issued a clarification saying no calculators will be available during the exam, which is used to select candidates seeking admission to undergraduate courses in engineering and architecture.
In a notice issued on Sunday night, the NTA said the earlier mention of the onscreen standard calculator in the information bulletin was due to a “typographic error”. It clarified that though the calculator feature is present on the common testing platform of the agency, its use is not allowed in JEE (Main).
“In Appendix-VIII of the Information Bulletin for JEE (Main) – 2026 on “Computer-Based Test (CBT)” uploaded on the official website of NTA, it is mentioned that an onscreen standard calculator will be available during the Computer-Based Test (CBT). However, this feature is part of the common test conducting platform and is not applicable to JEE (Main) conducted by NTA, as use of calculator in any form is not permitted. in this examination,” NTA said in its notice.
NTA started the online application process for JEE Main 2026 on October 31, which will remain open till November 27. The first session of the examination will be conducted from January 21 to 30, 2026 and the results will be declared on February 26.
In its information bulletin for JEE Main 2026 released on Friday night, the NTA said, “An onscreen standard calculator will be available during the Computer-Based Test (CBT). Use this basic calculator online for mathematics with addition, subtraction, division and multiplication. The calculator includes functions of square root, percentage, etc.”
However, NTA has regretted the typographical error and removed the section on onscreen standard calculator in its revised bulletin issued on Sunday night.
“The revised Information Bulletin for JEE (Main) 2026 has been uploaded and candidates are advised to download it. NTA regrets the typographical error in the Information Bulletin of JEE (Main) 2026 and the inconvenience caused to the candidates,” NTA said.
JEE Main is conducted twice a year in January and April. Paper 1 (BE/B.Tech) is a completely computer based examination consisting of 75 questions and total 300 marks. Paper 2A (B.Arch) combines CBT and pen-and-paper drawing sections for 400 marks, and Paper 2B (B.Plan) is entirely CBT with around 100 questions. There are 4 marks for each correct answer, and 1 mark is deducted for each wrong MCQ. PwD candidates get compensatory time of 20 minutes per hour of examination duration.
Around 14.15 lakh students appeared for JEE Main 2024, and around 14.75 lakh students appeared for 2025.
