JEE Main and JEE Advanced are national-level entrance exams that open the gates to India's top engineering institutions for aspirants. IIT JEE is one of the most important exams for engineering students, which they take to get admission to the program of their choice. JEE Main is the primary test required to get admission to government-sponsored technical colleges like NITs and IIITs, whereas JEE Advanced is primarily required for the IITs.
A candidate must pass JEE Main exam to appear for JEE Advanced. Despite their similarities and interconnections, JEE Main and JEE Advanced differ in several ways, all of which will be discussed here.
Also Read: How to Prepare for JEE Using Vedantu’s Study Materials?
JEE Main vs JEE Advanced: Key Highlights
Total Number of Attempts
JEE Main - 3 (Attempting all two sessions of the same year is counted as 1)
JEE Advanced - 2
Language
JEE Main - English, Hindi, and Gujarati
JEE Advanced - English and Hindi
Eligibility Criteria
JEE Main - 12th class from a recognised government school
JEE Advanced - Ranked among the top 2,50,000 JEE Main rank holders
Conducting Authority
JEE Main - National Testing Agency (NTA)
JEE Advanced - Different IITs for different years
Total Number of Papers
JEE Main - 3
JEE Advanced - 2
Exam Mode
JEE Main - CBT (Computer-based Test)
JEE Advanced - CBT (Computer-based Test)
Types of Questions
JEE Main - MCQs, Drawing, Numerical Type Questions
JEE Advanced - MCQs and Numerical Type Questions
Language of Exam
JEE Main - English, Hindi, Gujarati
JEE Advanced - English and Hindi Gujarati
Duration of Exam
JEE Main - 3 Hours
JEE Advanced - 3 Hours
Total Number of Attempts
JEE Main - Students can participate in the JEE Main examination for 3 consecutive years. The exam is conducted twice a year in 2022.
JEE Advanced - The candidates are only allowed to attempt the examination two times in two consecutive years.
Differences in the Exam Pattern
The JEE Main exam is divided into three parts. Students should review the official website for exam pattern, and double-check the curriculum during their preparation. Candidates must evaluate the length of the examination, the language used, and the number of questions on the paper.
The JEE Advanced exam, on the other hand, is divided into two halves. Since the exam pattern hasn't changed considerably over the years, students should review the previous year's exams.
Subjects
JEE Main - Paper 1 - Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics
Paper 2 - Aptitude test, Mathematics, and Drawing
Paper 3 - Mathematics, Aptitude Test, and Planning-Based Objective Type
JEE Advanced - Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics
Difference in Eligibility Criteria
JEE Main is a baseline examination that candidates must take to be considered for admission to top engineering institutes.
The JEE Advanced eligibility criteria require the candidate to pass JEE Main.
Topics Covered
JEE Main - Physics: Electronic Devices, EM Waves and Communication Systems;
Chemistry: Biomolecules and Chemistry in Everyday Life;
Mathematics: Sets, Relations and Functions, Statistics and Probability, Trigonometry and Mathematical Reasoning.
JEE Advanced - Physics: Blackbody radiation, Kirchoff’s law, Newton’s law of cooling, Absorptive and Emissive powers, Wien's Displacement Law, Stefan’s Law;
Chemistry: Biomolecules and Chemistry in Everyday Life;
Mathematics: Algebra, Vectors, Differential Calculus, Integral Calculus.
Qualification Criteria
JEE Main - The applicants should have passed class 12, should be currently appearing in class 12 or should have cleared the equivalent exam last year can apply for JEE Main.
JEE Advanced - The candidates must have cleared the class 12 examination last year or who are appearing for the exam in the current year are also eligible for JEE Advanced.
Age Limit
JEE Main - The candidates do not have any age limit to appear for JEE Main 2022. Any applicant who cleared class 12th or its equivalent in the current years like 2020, 2021, or appearing in 2022 can apply for JEE Main 2022.
JEE Advanced - The General category students should be born on or after October 1, 1996. Relaxation is provided to candidates of SC/ST/PwD of 5 years
Difference in Syllabus
Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics subjects from CBSE classes 11 and 12 are included in the JEE Main syllabus. Electronic Devices, Electromagnetic Waves, and Communication Systems are all covered in JEE Main but not in JEE Advanced. For example, JEE Main covers Sets, Relations, and Functions, Statistics and Probability, Trigonometry, and Mathematical Reasoning but not JEE Advanced.
Unlike JEE Main, it includes a few extra courses in addition to the Class 11th and Class 12th syllabus. For example, some of the topics covered in JEE Advanced are not taught in JEE Main, such as Thermal Physics, which is covered in JEE Advanced but not in JEE Main. In the same way, electrochemistry is covered in JEE Advanced but not in JEE Main.
FAQs on JEE Main and JEE Advanced: Difference Explained
1. What are the minimum eligibility criteria to apply for top engineering colleges?
To apply for top engineering colleges aspirants must have obtained a minimum of 75% (65% for the SC/ST category).
2. How many times can a candidate appear in the JEE Main examination?
Candidates can take the JEE Main exam for three years in a row. The JEE Main examination will be held twice a year, which means students have a total of six attempts.
3. Which syllabus should the candidate focus on JEE Mains or JEE Advanced?
JEE Main is a prerequisite for JEE Advanced, thus, the candidate should be aware of that. There are minor differences in each course but no substantial modifications. After completing the mains, the candidate should focus on the JEE Main syllabus and then prepare for the Advanced and go over the syllabus.
