JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Attendance Hits 96%, Over 7.7 Lakh Candidates Appear

The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 examination has seen an impressive turnout, with official figures showing over 7.7 lakh candidates appearing for the exam and an attendance rate of around 96 percent so far. This high participation rate reflects the continued popularity and competitiveness of the national-level engineering entrance test conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).

According to the NTA’s update, 8,01,326 candidates were scheduled to appear in Session 1 of JEE Main 2026 between January 21 and January 23, and 7,70,441 candidates actually took the exam across designated centres nationwide. This translates to an overall attendance rate of 96.15 percent, indicating strong engagement from aspirants.

A key feature of this year’s exam was the mandatory Aadhaar-based biometric verification system, introduced to enhance the accuracy and integrity of candidate identity checks at exam centres. Out of the total appeared candidates, 7,40,412 were successfully Aadhaar-verified, accounting for about 96.10 percent of those who sat for the test. This streamlined verification process is part of NTA’s broader effort to ensure transparent and fair conduct of the examination.

The data also highlights the inclusion of 2,563 candidates from the Persons with Disabilities (PwD) category, for whom appropriate facilities were arranged at various examination centres.

JEE Main 2026 Session 1 is being held in computer-based test (CBT) mode across multiple shifts through January 29, 2026, with Paper 1 (BE/BTech) on several days and Paper 2 (BArch/BPlanning) scheduled on January 29. The strong attendance figures suggest effective coordination between the NTA and state authorities, as well as disciplined participation by candidates.

As the first session progresses, this high turnout and smooth conduct will be encouraging for students, parents, and educators alike, reinforcing confidence ahead of remaining exam dates.