The National Testing Agency (NTA) is gearing up to release a crucial document for over a million engineering aspirants. The city intimation slips for the first session of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026 are slated for release in the first week of January. This slip is the first major step for candidates before they receive their actual hall ticket.
What is the JEE Main 2026 City Intimation Slip?
The city intimation slip is a preliminary document that informs candidates about the city where their examination centre has been allotted. It is not the admit card, but it plays a vital role in allowing students and their families to plan travel and arrange accommodation well in advance of the exam dates. Candidates will be able to download this slip exclusively from the official JEE Main website at jeemain.nta.nic.in once it is activated by the NTA.
This early intimation is particularly important given the vast scale of the JEE Main, which sees candidates appearing from across India and abroad. Knowing the city of examination reduces last-minute hassles and logistical nightmares.
Examination Schedule and Key Dates
The JEE Main 2026 January session is scheduled to be held over a ten-day period. According to the NTA calendar, Paper 1 for BE/BTech courses will commence on January 21, 2026, and conclude on January 30, 2026. Papers 2A and 2B for BArch and BPlanning aspirants will also be conducted within this window.
Following the examination, the NTA has announced that the results for the January session will be declared on February 12, 2026. The actual admit cards, containing the precise centre address, roll number, and other exam-day instructions, are expected to be released three to four days before the candidate's specific exam date.
City Allotment Process and Candidate Preferences
During the application process, candidates were given the option to select up to four preferred exam cities. These choices were to be made from the cities available in the states matching their present and permanent addresses. The NTA has stated that it will make all reasonable efforts to assign a city from the candidate's preference list.
However, the agency has also clarified that due to administrative or logistical limitations, such as a low number of candidates from a particular city, it reserves the right to merge cities or allot a different centre. The decision of the NTA regarding city and centre allotment will be final, and no requests for changes will be entertained after the release.
The NTA further emphasised its commitment to ensuring the comfort and convenience of all candidates, including Persons with Disabilities (PwD/PwBD), during the centre allotment process. For candidates applying from foreign countries, the choice of examination city will be determined based on their provided present and permanent addresses.
With the release of the city intimation slip imminent, candidates are advised to keep their application numbers and passwords handy and to regularly check the official NTA website for the latest updates and direct links to download their slips.
