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Competitive Exams 13 min read28 October 2026

JEE Backup Plan 2027 — 10 Engineering Entrance Exams to Know

JEE backup plan for 2027: ten engineering entrance exams in one deadline table, how their patterns differ, source conflicts flagged, and how to choose.

In short: JEE Main 2027 Session 1 registration closes on November 22, 2026, which is 25 days from October 28, so that deadline comes first. Ten other exams are worth a look as a backup: BITSAT, VITEEE, SRMJEEE, MET, KCET, COMEDK, AP EAPCET, TS EAPCET, WBJEE and MHT CET. Of these, only VITEEE is confirmed open today. MET is reported open, SRMJEEE was expected to open in October, and the rest have no 2027 dates yet. I put every date I could find into one table, flagged where sources disagree, and added a way to choose. One rule runs through all of it: apply only where you could actually take the seat, because every form costs money and exam days can clash.

Last updated: October 28, 2026. Dates will be updated as each body publishes its 2027 notice.

The Short List

ExamWho it is forStatus on October 28, 2026
JEE Main Session 1Everyone aiming at NITs, IIITs and othersRegistration open until November 22
BITSATBITS Pilani, Goa, HyderabadNot announced. Registration expected around December
VITEEEVIT campusesRegistration open until March 31, 2027
SRMJEEESRM campusesForm expected in October. Dates not published
METManipal campusesReported open. Deadline March 15 or March 31 (sources differ)
KCETKarnataka government seatsNotification expected January 2027
COMEDKKarnataka private collegesNotification expected February 2027
AP and TS EAPCETAndhra Pradesh and TelanganaExpected February 2027
WBJEEWest BengalRegistration expected from March 2027
MHT CET PCMMaharashtraRegistration expected in October. Attempts reported for March and May

I count AP EAPCET and TS EAPCET as two exams, which makes ten backups. I did not research KLEEE (KL University), UPTAC, KEAM, TNEA or other state routes, so they are outside this list.

Beware of fraud

Every exam above has one official site, and none sells seats or ranks. Pay only on the official portal. Be wary of anyone who offers direct admission, rank changes or "management" seats through a phone call or social media message.

Deadlines in One Table

The table is in order of the earliest dated item. "Reported" means a news or coaching site gave the date, not an official notice I could open.

WhenWhatStatus
November 22, 2026, 11:50 pmJEE Main Session 1 last date to apply and payReported by Careers360
November 23 to 26JEE Main Session 1 form with late feeReported
November 27 to 29JEE Main Session 1 correction windowReported
December 2, 2026KLEEE application endCareers360's exam sidebar only. I did not open the KLEEE page
About DecemberBITSAT registrationExpected, per our BITSAT guide
January 5 to February 3, 2027JEE Main Session 2 registrationReported in one Careers360 entry
January 20 to 24 and 28JEE Main Session 1 examReported (see the conflict below)
January 2027KCET notificationExpected
February 2027COMEDK, AP EAPCET and TS EAPCET notificationsExpected
March 2027WBJEE registration, MHT CET first attemptExpected and reported respectively
March 15 or 31, 2027MET Phase 1 application deadlineSources differ
March 31, 2027VITEEE last dateReported
April 2 to 7JEE Main Session 2 examReported
April 2027SRMJEEE Phase 1, MET Phase 1, KCETExpected
April 27 to May 2VITEEE examTentative
May 2027MHT CET second attempt, COMEDK, AP and TS EAPCET, WBJEEExpected
April to June 2027BITSAT Session 1 and Session 2Sources differ: April and May, or May and June (see our BITSAT guide)

JEE Main 2027 dates: the page contradicts itself

All of this comes from Careers360's live page, updated October 29.

ItemEntry AEntry B
Session 1 exam daysJanuary 20, 21, 22, 23, 24 and 28, 2027January 22, 23, 24, 28, 29 and 30, 2027, with January 31 as a buffer
CauseAn entry on October 26 at 12:31 pm says NTA revised its calendar and removed January 31 as a buffer date. It points to a separate NTA calendar reportOlder entries repeat the earlier dates
Session 2 tableLabels the April row "Session 1 exam"A typing error, since April 2 to 7 is Session 2
Registration startOctober 24, 2026One line says "from January 24", which looks like a typo

The revised dates (January 20 to 24 and 28) are the latest entries, and they match the October 24 notification dates. I used them. Confirm on jeemain.nta.nic.in.

The same page says Session 2 is a separate application using the same application number, with a separate NTA notification for April. You can sit one or both sessions. Our JEE Main form guide covers the steps.

What the first deadline means in days

GapDays
October 28 to the JEE Main Session 1 deadline (November 22)25
October 28 to the end of the late-fee window (November 26)29
October 28 to the end of corrections (November 29)32
October 28 to the January 20 exam84
October 28 to the VITEEE deadline (March 31)154

These are my day counts. The JEE form uses the new MeriPehchaan sign-in, per Careers360, so create that account before you start.

How the Ten Exams Differ

This table compares patterns. Each number comes from the exam's own guide, linked above, and some are expected rather than confirmed.

ExamQuestions and timeMarkingMode
JEE Main75 (60 MCQs and 15 numerical), 3 sections of 100 marks, 300 total+4, -1Computer
BITSAT130 in 3 hours+3, -1Computer
VITEEE100 in 2 hours, 400 marks+4, -1Computer
SRMJEEE130 in 2.5 hours+1, no negativeOnline, remote proctored
METAbout 60 in 2 hours, 240 marksMCQ +4, -1. Numerical +4, noneComputer
KCETExpected 180 (60 per subject)Expected +1, noneExpected offline
COMEDK180 in 3 hours+1, noneComputer
AP and TS EAPCET160 in 3 hours+1, noneComputer
WBJEE155 across two papers, 200 marksCategory basedOffline OMR
MHT CET PCM150 in 3 hours, 200 marks+1 (Physics, Chemistry), +2 (Maths), none negativeComputer

JEE Main's 75 questions follow Careers360's table of 20 MCQs and 5 numerical in each subject. Five of the ten rows have no negative marking in the sources I read (SRMJEEE, KCET, COMEDK, EAPCET, MHT CET), and KCET's is expected, not confirmed. The negative-marking ones need a different habit.

Guessing: where it pays

ExamBreak-even chance of being right (calculated)
JEE Main (+4, -1)20%
VITEEE and MET MCQs (+4, -1)20%
BITSAT (+3, -1)25%
WBJEE Category 1 and 2 (assuming the 1/4 and 1/2 deductions)20%
SRMJEEE, COMEDK, EAPCET, MHT CETAny guess has a positive expected value

The break-even is the penalty divided by the sum of reward and penalty. A student switching between tests should change guess rules per test.

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Which Ones Apply to You

I cannot tell you which seat you are eligible for, since the state-quota and domicile rules sit in each brochure. Use this as a screening step, then read the official eligibility clause.

If you areLook first at
In KarnatakaKCET and COMEDK
In Andhra Pradesh or TelanganaThe EAPCET for your state
In West BengalWBJEE
In MaharashtraMHT CET
Studying anywhere and open to private universitiesVITEEE, SRMJEEE, MET and BITSAT
Writing JEE MainThe rows above that match your location, plus one private route as a fallback

Our guides on state-board students bridging to JEE Main and on which branch to choose help with the next step.

Cost: A Small Illustration

The following adds the reported single-attempt fees for four exams. It is an illustration, not advice to apply to all four.

ExamFeeSource
JEE Main Session 1 (General, male, one paper, centre in India)Rs 1,000Careers360
VITEEERs 1,450Careers360
SRMJEEE (per phase)Rs 1,400Careers360
METRs 2,000Jagran Josh summary (other sources split it into parts)
TotalRs 5,850My addition

For a female General candidate, JEE Main costs Rs 800, so the total would be Rs 5,650. The state exams and BITSAT fees were not in the sources I used here. Count the travel cost too, since VITEEE assigns your test centre.

Clashes to Check Before You Commit

2027 dates are not final, so I used what is reported and what happened in 2026.

WindowItems that sit there
January 20 to 28JEE Main Session 1
March 2027MHT CET first attempt (reported), and Class 12 board exams in many states
April 2 to 7JEE Main Session 2
April 27 to May 2VITEEE (tentative)
May 2027MHT CET second attempt, COMEDK, EAPCET, WBJEE (all expected)

From the end of JEE Main Session 2 on April 7 to the first VITEEE day on April 27 is 20 days, and from Session 1 on January 28 to April 27 is 89 days (my counts). For exam days in 2026, our guides list WBJEE on May 24, COMEDK on May 9 and KCET on April 23 and 24. The 2027 dates will move, so wait for each notice before you book travel.

A Simple Way to Choose

This is my suggested framework, not an official process.

StepWhat to do
1File JEE Main Session 1 before November 22. Keep the correction window in mind
2Pick the home-state exam if you are eligible
3Add one or two private routes whose pattern suits you. SRMJEEE suits a student who guesses freely
4Write the deadlines on one sheet. The first fixed ones are November 22 and March 31
5Check the four-year fee for each college before you pay for another form
6Drop any exam that clashes with a stronger option

Preparation overlap

The subject core is the same in all ten: Class 11 and 12 Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. Extras differ. VITEEE and MET include English and Aptitude, per Careers360 and Aakash. BITSAT adds English and Logical Reasoning. Karnataka's KCET also counts PUC marks toward your rank, per the sources in our KCET guide. Our JEE Main preparation guide and chapter-wise weightage guide cover the common core.

If JEE Main Session 1 goes badly

Session 2 is the next chance, and our Session 1 low-score recovery guide covers how to use the gap. The backups above still run on their own dates, so keep them alive.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which engineering entrance exams are open now?

JEE Main Session 1 (until November 22) and VITEEE (until March 31, 2027) are confirmed open in the sources I read. MET is reported open, with a deadline of March 15 or 31. SRMJEEE was expected to open in October. The rest have not announced 2027 dates.

What is the JEE Main 2027 Session 1 deadline?

November 22, 2026, up to 11:50 pm, according to Careers360. The late-fee window runs from November 23 to 26 and corrections from November 27 to 29. Do not rely on the late-fee window.

Do I have to take every backup exam?

No. Each exam is a separate application with its own fee and date. Choose by eligibility, location, cost of the college, and whether the exam dates clash with your boards or other tests.

Which backup has no negative marking?

In the sources I read, SRMJEEE, COMEDK, AP and TS EAPCET, MHT CET and KCET (expected) have none. VITEEE, MET (MCQs), BITSAT, WBJEE (some categories) and JEE Main do. Check each brochure.

Are the ranks of different exams comparable?

No. Each exam has its own candidates and difficulty. Compare a closing rank only with ranks from the same exam, and use your own mock scores for that exam.

Which exam should a student from Maharashtra, Karnataka or West Bengal choose?

Start with the home-state exam if you are eligible: MHT CET, KCET and COMEDK, or WBJEE. Then add JEE Main and, if you want, a private route. Domicile and quota rules are in each brochure, so read them before you rely on a state seat.

Where can I check official dates?

On each body's own site: jeemain.nta.nic.in, viteee.vit.ac.in, srmist.edu.in, manipal.edu, comedk.org, cetcell.mahacet.org and wbjeeb.in. The BITSAT site is admissions.bits-pilani.ac.in. The Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh and Telangana bodies publish their own notices. This post is a map, and the notices are the final word.

Related Guides

Sources


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