JEE Main 2026 Physics Syllabus: Complete Unit-Wise Guide & Study Tips

JEE Main 2026 Physics Syllabus

Table of Contents

The JEE Main Physics syllabus for 2026 has not been officially released yet. In the last syllabus revision, some topics in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics were removed. Specifically in Physics, the Kinematics chapter saw changes, and important concepts like Scalars and Vectors were cut from the syllabus. Aspirants should keep these updates in mind while preparing. 

For Physics, around 50–55% of the questions typically come from Class 11 subjects. These mainly focus on Mechanics and Waves. The remaining 45–50% of questions are based on Class 12 subjects. There is a strong emphasis on Electrodynamics and Modern Physics for these questions.

JEE Main Physics Syllabus 2026: Overview

The JEE Main 2026 Physics syllabus has yet to be declared by the National Testing Agency (NTA). The physics syllabus is based on the NCERT curriculum for Classes 11 and 12. It is divided into two sections. 

  • Section A is the theory section and holds 80% weightage of the exam. 
  • Section B covers practical elements or experimental techniques, accounting for 20% of the weightage.

Candidates are recommended to study according to the 2025 syllabus until the new 2026 syllabus is officially released.

JEE Main Physics Syllabus 2026 for  Section A

Section A of the JEE Main Physics Syllabus for 2026 includes the important topics. Candidates need to learn the basics of Physics Concepts. Important topics to study include:

  • Mechanics
  • Rotations
  • Work and Energy
  • Laws of Motion
  • Gravitation
  • Thermodynamics
JEE Main Physics Syllabus 2026 for  Section A
UnitsTopics
Units and MeasurementsUnits of measurement, System of units, SI Units, fundamental and derived units, least count, significant figures, Errors in measurements. Dimensions of Physics quantities, dimensional analysis and its applications.
KinematicsThe frame of reference, motion in a straight line, speed and velocity, uniform and non-uniform motion, average speed and instantaneous velocity, uniformly accelerated motion, velocity-time, position-time graph, relations for uniformly accelerated motion, relative velocity. Motion in a plane, projectile motion, uniform circular motion
Laws of MotionForce and inertia, Newton’s first law of motion, momentum, Newton’s second law of motion, impulse, Newton’s third Law of motion. Law of conservation of linear momentum and its applications, equilibrium of concurrent forces. Static and Kinetic friction, laws of friction, rolling friction. Dynamics of uniform circular motion, centripetal force and its applications: vehicle on a level circular road, vehicle on a banked road.
Work, Energy and PowerWork done by a constant force and a variable force, kinetic and potential energies, work-energy theorem, and power. The potential energy of a spring, conservation of mechanical energy, conservative and non-conservative forces, and motion in a vertical circle. Elastic and inelastic collisions in one and two dimensions.
Rotational MotionCentre of mass of a two-particle system, centre of mass of a rigid body. Basic concepts of rotational motion, moment of a force, torque, angular momentum, conservation of angular momentum and its applications. The moment of inertia, the radius of gyration, values of moments of inertia for simple geometrical objects, parallel and perpendicular axes theorems and their applications. Equilibrium of rigid bodies, rigid body rotation and equations of rotational motion, comparison of linear and rotational motions.
GravitationThe universal law of gravitation. Acceleration due to gravity and its variation with altitude and depth. Kepler’s law of planetary motion. Gravitational potential energy, gravitational potential. Escape velocity, motion of a satellite, orbital velocity, time period and energy of satellite
Properties of Solids and LiquidsElastic behaviour, stress-strain relationship, Hooke’s Law, Young’s modulus, bulk modulus and modulus of rigidity. Pressure due to a fluid column, Pascal’s Law and its applications, the effect of gravity on fluid pressure, viscosity, Stokes’ Law, terminal velocity, streamline and turbulent flow, critical velocity, Bernoulli’s Principle and its applications. Surface energy and surface tension, angle of contact, excess of pressure across a curved surface, application of surface tension: drops, bubbles and capillary rise. Heat, temperature, thermal expansion, specific heat capacity, calorimetry, phase change, latent heat. Heat transfer: conduction, convection and radiation.
ThermodynamicsThermal equilibrium and the concept of temperature, the zeroth law of thermodynamics, heat, work and internal energy. The first law of thermodynamics applies to isothermal and adiabatic processes. The second law of thermodynamics: reversible and irreversible processes. 
Kinetic Theory of GasesEquation of state of a perfect gas, work done on compressing a gas, kinetic theory of gases: assumptions, the concept of pressure, kinetic interpretation of temperature, RMS speed of gas molecules, degrees of freedom, law of equipartition of energy and applications to specific heat capacities of gases, mean free path, Avogadro’s number. 
Oscillations and WavesOscillations and periodic motion: time period, frequency, displacement as a function of time, periodic functions. Simple harmonic motion (S.H.M.) and its equation, phase, oscillations of a spring: restoring force and force constant, energy in S.H.M.: kinetic and potential energies, simple pendulum: derivation of expression for its time period. Wave motion, longitudinal and transverse waves, speed of the travelling wave, displacement relation for a progressive wave, principle of superposition of waves, reflection of waves, standing waves in strings and organ pipes, fundamental mode and harmonics, beats
ElectrostaticsElectric charges: conservation of charge, Coulomb’s law forces between two point charges, forces between multiple charges, superposition principle and continuous charge distribution. Electric field: electric field due to a point charge, electric field lines, electric dipole, electric field due to a dipole, and torque on a dipole in a uniform electric field. Electric flux, Gauss’s law and its applications to find fields due to an infinitely long, uniformly charged straight wire, a uniformly charged infinite plane sheet, and a uniformly charged thin spherical shell. Electric potential and its calculation for a point charge, an electric dipole and a system of charges, potential difference, equipotential surfaces, electrical potential energy of a system of two point charges and of an electric dipole in an electrostatic field. Conductors and insulators, dielectrics and electric polarization, capacitors and capacitance, the combination of capacitors in series and parallel and capacitance of a parallel plate capacitor with and without a dielectric medium between the plates, energy stored in a capacitor.
Current ElectricityElectric current: drift velocity, mobility and their relation with electric current, Ohm’s law, electrical resistance, I-V characteristics of Ohmic and non-Ohmic conductors, electrical energy and power, electrical resistivity and conductivity, series and parallel combinations of resistors, temperature dependence of resistance. Internal resistance, potential difference and emf of a cell, a combination of cells in series and parallel. Kirchhoff’s laws and their applications, Wheatstone bridge, Metre Bridge
Magnetic Effects of Current and MagnetismBiot-Savart law and its application to a current-carrying circular loop, as well as Ampere’s law and its applications to an infinitely long current-carrying straight wire and a solenoid. Force on a moving charge in uniform magnetic and electric fields, force on a current-carrying conductor in a uniform magnetic field, the force between two parallel currents carrying conductors, definition of ampere, torque experienced by a current loop in a uniform magnetic field: Moving coil galvanometer, its sensitivity and conversion to ammeter and voltmeter. Current loop as a magnetic dipole and its magnetic dipole moment, bar magnet as an equivalent solenoid, magnetic field lines, magnetic field due to a magnetic dipole (bar magnet) along its axis and perpendicular to its axis, torque on a magnetic dipole in a uniform magnetic field, para-, dia- and ferromagnetic substances with examples, the effect of temperature on magnetic properties
Electromagnetic Induction and Alternating CurrentsElectromagnetic induction: Faraday’s law, induced emf and current, Lenz’s law, eddy currents, self and mutual inductance. Alternating currents, peak and RMS value of alternating current/voltage, reactance and impedance, LCR series circuit, resonance, power in AC circuits, wattless current, AC generator and transformer.
Electromagnetic WavesDisplacement current, electromagnetic waves and their characteristics, transverse nature of electromagnetic waves, electromagnetic spectrum(radio waves, microwaves, infrared, visible, ultraviolet, X-rays, Gamma rays), applications of electromagnetic waves.
OpticsReflection of light, spherical mirrors, and the mirror formula. Refraction of light at plane and spherical surfaces, thin lens formula and lens maker formula, total internal reflection and its applications, magnification, power of a lens, combination of thin lenses in contact, refraction of light through a prism, microscope and astronomical telescope (reflecting and refracting ) and their magnifying powers. Wave optics: wavefront and Huygens ‘Principle, laws of reflection and refraction using Huygens’ principle. Interference: Young’s double-slit experiment and expression for fringe width, coherent sources and sustained interference of light. Diffraction due to a single slit, width of the central maximum. Polarization: plane-polarized light, Brewster’s law, uses of plane-polarized light and Polaroid.
Dual Nature of Matter and RadiationDual nature of radiation, Photoelectric effect, Hertz and Lenard’s observations, Einstein’s photoelectric equation, particle nature of light. Matter waves: wave nature of a particle, de Broglie relation. 
Atoms and NucleiAlpha-particle scattering experiment, Rutherford’s model of the atom, Bohr model, energy levels, and hydrogen spectrum. Composition and size of nucleus, atomic masses, mass-energy relation, mass defect, binding energy per nucleon and its variation with mass number, nuclear fission and fusion.
Electronic DevicesSemiconductors, semiconductor diode: I-V characteristics in forward and reverse bias, diode as a rectifier; I-V characteristics of LED, the photodiode, solar cell, Zener diode, Zener diode as a voltage regulator. Logic gates (OR, AND, NOT, NAND and NOR).

Physics problem-solving requires a deep understanding of the concepts, regular practice, and an organized approach. A step-by-step methodology can help break down complex problems into simpler steps, leading to better accuracy and time management in exams. To improve your problem-solving skills, regular practice is key, and focusing on improve problem-solving techniques can significantly boost your performance.

JEE Main Physics Syllabus 2026 For Section B

The section contains practical-based topics. Some of them are:

  • Vernier Calipers
  • Screw Gauge
  • Metre Scale
  • Characteristic Curves
  • Measurement of Resistance
JEE Main Physics Syllabus 2026 For Section B
S.No.Topics
1Vernier callipers- they are used to measure the internal and external diameter and depth of a vessel.
2Screw gauge-its use is to determine the thickness/ diameter of a thin sheet/wire
3Simple Pendulum- dissipation of energy by plotting a graph between the square of amplitude and time.
4Metre Scale – the mass of a given object by the principle of moments.
5Young’s modulus of elasticity of the material of a metallic wire.
6Surface tension of water by capillary rise and the effect of detergents,
7Coefficient of Viscosity of a given viscous liquid by measuring the terminal velocity of a given spherical body,
9Speed of sound in air at room temperature using a resonance tube
10Specific heat capacity of a given
(i) solid and
(ii) liquid by the method of mixtures.
11The resistivity of the material of a given wire using a metre bridge.
12The resistance of a given wire is calculated using Ohm’s law.
14Resistance and figure of merit of a galvanometer by the deflection method.
15The focal length of
(i) Convex mirror
(ii) Concave mirror, and
(iii) Convex lens,
Use the parallax method.
16The plot of the angle of deviation vs the angle of incidence for a triangular prism
17The Refractive index of a glass slab using a travelling microscope.
18Characteristic curves of a p-n junction diode in forward and reverse bias.
19Characteristic curves of a Zener diode and finding the reverse breakdown voltage.
20Identification of Diode. LED, Transistor. IC. Resistor. A capacitor from a mixed collection of such items.

JEE Main Physics 2026: Chapter-Wise Weightage

JEE Main 2026 Physics chapter weightage is based on previous year question papers.

  • The first 9 chapters contribute to 50% of the questions in the exam.
  • To maximize your marks, focus on the following topics:
    • Ray Optics
    • Units & Measurements
    • Electrostatics
    • Thermodynamics
    • Fluid Mechanics
Chapter NameNumber of Questions (JEE Main 2025 April session)Number of Questions (JEE Main 2025 January session)
Ray Optics and Optical Instruments1923
Units and Measurements1320
Rotational Motion1314
Electric Charges and Fields1314
Fluid Mechanics1016
Moving Charges and Magnetism1212
Thermodynamics913
Electrostatic Potential and Capacitance129
Wave Optics910
Dual Nature of Radiation and Matter712
Semiconductor Electronics910
Current Electricity89
Work, Power and Energy411
Gravitation68
Electromagnetic Waves59
Thermal Properties of Matter58
Waves103
Alternating Current67
Kinetic Theory of Gases75
Atoms75
Newton’s Laws of Motion83
Motion in a Plane64
Motion in a Straight Line54
Simple Harmonic Motion45
System of Particles and Centre of Mass35
Nuclei53
Mechanical Properties of Solids61
Electromagnetic Induction16
Magnetism and Matter30
Vector and Calculus01

Physics Subdiscipline Question Trends 

In JEE Main 2024 and 2025, Mechanics, Electromagnetism, and Modern Physics account for over 75% of the Physics questions. Candidates should focus on these key subjects to improve their scores.

YearMechanicsElectromagnetismModern PhysicsHeat & ThermodynamicsOpticsOscillation & Waves
2025252 (35.0%)194 (26.9%)123 (17.1%)50 (6.9%)63 (8.8%)38 (5.3%)
2024218 (36.3%)186 (31.0%)88 (14.7%)42 (7.0%)42 (7.0%)24 (4.0%)

JEE Main Physics 2026: Class-wise Distribution of Questions

Understanding the distribution of questions between Class XI and Class XII can help guide your preparation strategy. In both years, Class XII questions had a slightly higher presence in the paper. However, Class XI holds significant weight in the year 2024.

YearSessionClass XIClass XII
2024January141159
April143157
2025January121129
April109116

JEE Main Physics Preparation Tips 2026

Clear concepts and effective preparation are key to scoring well in Physics for the JEE Main. Here are some tips to improve your performance in Physics for the JEE.

1. Learn the Basics First: Fundamental concepts form the basis of Physics. Mechanics, thermodynamics, electricity, and optics are key subjects for starting vital topics. Understanding these fundamentals will simplify future complex problems.

2. Focus on Important Topics: Some topics in the JEE Main class poll are very high-paying. Important subjects to focus on include Mechanics, Electrostatics, Current Electricity, and Optics. These topics are rarely asked but are very scoring.

3. Solve Practice Questions: Physics is about applying what you learn to solve questions. Focus on attempting as many questions as possible from the NCERT and previous year JEE Main question papers. You will improve with more practice.

4. Learning Over Memorising: Instead of just learning how formulas work, focus on understanding why your formula works. If you grasp the reasoning behind it, you’ll be able to apply it correctly to any question that arises.

5. Practice Time Management: JEE Mains are time-bound. Practicing to solve questions quickly and accurately is key. Give yourself the drill of practicing with mock tests. This will help you learn how to manage your time during the actual exam.

6. Keep Revising: Don’t forget to refresh what you went over so far. Revising will help you remember the basic topics and formulas.

7. Be Optimistic: Stick to a regular study routine, don’t overthink things, and be confident. The Key is to have the right mentality and put effort into your work.

Choosing the right coaching institute plays a vital role in preparing for competitive exams like JEE and NEET. Expert guidance, proper study materials, and effective teaching methods can make a huge difference in your preparation. For personalized coaching, it’s essential to choose the best coaching institute that offers comprehensive programs and structured learning.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. Where can I obtain the official Physics syllabus for JEE Main 2026?

The original Physics syllabus for JEE Main 2026 is likely to be updated on the NTA website (jeemain.nta.nic.in). 

2. Is the Physics syllabus the same for JEE Main Paper 1 & Paper 2?

The syllabus for Physics will be considered only from JEE Main Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech), whereas for Paper 2A (B.Arch) and Paper 2B (B.Planning), no physics appears, but Mathematics/Aptitude/ Drawing/Planning.

3. What will the syllabus and exam pattern for JEE Main 2026 be?

So far, the JEE Main 2026 syllabus is expected to be the same as the 2025 syllabus. Any change or update will be officially announced by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on its portal. Candidates should periodically check the portal to stay informed.

4. Where can I download the official syllabus PDF and check chapter-wise weightage?

Soon, the PDF of the JEE Main 2026 syllabus will be available on the NTA Main Portal: jeemain.nta.nic.in

5. Where can I download question papers of JEE Main Physics for previous years?

Several coaching centers and educational websites offer free downloadable PDFs of chapter-wise questions from past years to help students practice for the JEE Main. You can also check our website, SPM & Lalan’s Coaching, for the same.

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