IIT JAM 2026 registration extended to October 20: Check exam date, fees, eligibility and application process

The Indian Institute of Technology ( IIT) Bombay has extended the registration deadline for the Joint Admission Test for Masters ( JAM) 2026 to October 20, 2025. The entrance examination enables candidates to apply for admission to MSc, MS, and integrated PhD programs offered by 22 IITs. Previously, the last date for application was October 12.

JAM 2026 will be held on February 15, 2026, across two sessions, covering seven subject papers. Approximately 3,000 seats are available across 89 postgraduate programs through this examination.

Registration guidelines and key instructions

Interested candidates must register online via the official portal: joaps.iitb.ac.in. The registration process includes account creation, filling in personal and academic details, uploading scanned documents, selecting preferred test papers and exam cities, fee payment, and form submission. The deadline for application is October 20, 2025, 11:59 PM IST.

Candidates are permitted to appear for up to two test papers. However, they must submit only one application form. Multiple applications from the same candidate are liable for rejection.

Applicants are advised to regularly check the JAM portal and monitor emails and SMS messages sent to their registered contact details for updates on the status of their application.

Application fee structure


The application fee for JAM 2026 is non-refundable. The detailed structure is as follows:


Note: A fee of ₹300 will be charged for changes to exam city, test paper, category, gender, or date of birth, in addition to any applicable difference in application fee.

Exam schedule and available subjects


The JAM 2026 exam will be conducted on February 15, 2026, in two sessions — forenoon and afternoon. Candidates can choose from the following seven subjects:

• Biotechnology (BT)
  
  
• Chemistry (CY)
  
  
• Economics (EN)
  
  
• Geology (GG)
  
  
• Mathematics (MA)
  
  
• Mathematical Statistics (MS)
  
  
• Physics (PH)
  
  

Up to two test papers can be chosen by a candidate, depending on the permitted combinations.

Seat availability and new programs offered


A total of 3,000 seats will be filled across 22 participating IITs. Seat allocation will be based on the candidate’s JAM score, course preferences, and seat availability during the counselling process.

IIT Kanpur has also introduced three new academic programs through JAM 2026:

• Integrated PhD in Sustainable Energy Engineering
  
  
• MSc in Economics
  
  
• MSc-PhD dual degree in Chemistry
  
  

Eligibility verification


The responsibility of verifying Minimum Educational Qualifications (MEQs) and Eligibility Requirements (ERs) lies solely with the admitting institutes. The Organising Institute will not respond to queries related to eligibility. Candidates are advised to refer to the specific requirements of each institute and program before applying.


(With inputs from TOI)