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JEE Maths Syllabus: Class 11 vs Class 12, Mapped to CBSE and ISC
By the Ajay Vatsyayan Classes Home Tutors Team. Reviewed by Ajay Vatsyayan (B.Tech; Maths and Physics tutor). Last reviewed: 28 September 2026.
The JEE maths syllabus is a single list of 14 units published by the National Testing Agency (NTA), and almost every unit is built on chapters your child already studies in Class 11 and Class 12 of CBSE or ISC. Roughly speaking, algebra, coordinate geometry, trigonometric functions and statistics come from Class 11, while matrices, most of calculus, vectors and three-dimensional geometry come from Class 12. The catch is that JEE asks for more depth in several places than the board exam does, and a few board topics are not in JEE at all.
This guide maps the official JEE Main 2026 maths syllabus, the latest one NTA had published when we checked in September 2026, to the CBSE 2026–27 and ISC chapters, unit by unit. It then shows exactly where JEE goes beyond the boards and what the JEE Advanced 2026 syllabus adds on top. It is part of our JEE maths tutor in Gurgaon guide, which covers how we teach the whole course one-to-one.
What the official JEE Main 2026 maths syllabus contains
The JEE Main maths syllabus 2026 for Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech.) has 14 units. NTA publishes it as a PDF on the official JEE Main website, alongside the Physics and Chemistry syllabi.
These are the 14 units, in NTA's own order, with the details that matter most:
- Sets, relations and functions, including power set, equivalence relations and composition of functions.
- Complex numbers and quadratic equations, including modulus and argument, and relations between roots and coefficients.
- Matrices and determinants, up to order three, including inverse and the consistency of linear equations.
- Permutations and combinations.
- Binomial theorem for a positive integral index, with general and middle terms.
- Sequence and series: AP, GP, inserting means, and A.M.–G.M.
- Limit, continuity and differentiability, including graphs of functions, inverse functions and applications of derivatives.
- Integral calculus, including integration using trigonometric identities, definite integrals and areas.
- Differential equations: separation of variables, homogeneous and linear first-order equations.
- Coordinate geometry: locus, straight lines, circles in standard and general form, and conic sections in standard form.
- Three-dimensional geometry: direction ratios and cosines, lines, skew lines and shortest distance.
- Vector algebra: scalar and vector products.
- Statistics and probability, including Bayes' theorem and the probability distribution of a random variable.
- Trigonometry: identities, functions, and inverse trigonometric functions and their properties.
The JEE Main 2026 Information Bulletin sets the maths section of Paper 1 at 25 questions for 100 marks: 20 multiple-choice questions in Section A and 5 numerical-value questions in Section B. A correct answer earns +4 and a wrong answer costs 1 mark in both sections. The syllabus and pattern can change from year to year, so check the current bulletin on the NTA site before you plan around these numbers. For how often each unit has actually been asked, see our JEE Main maths chapter-wise weightage guide.
JEE maths syllabus mapped to Class 11 and Class 12 chapters
The table below takes each JEE Main 2026 unit and shows where it is taught in the CBSE 2026–27 Mathematics (041) syllabus from cbseacademic.nic.in and in the ISC Mathematics (860) syllabus from cisce.org. We checked the ISC documents for Examination Year 2027 (this year's Class 12) and Examination Year 2028 (this year's Class 11), and the topics used here are the same in both.
| JEE Main 2026 unit | Class 11 chapters (CBSE / ISC) | Class 12 chapters (CBSE / ISC) | What JEE needs beyond the board list |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. Sets, relations and functions | Sets; Relations and Functions | Relations and Functions | Power set (in ISC, not in the CBSE list); composition of functions is formative-only in CBSE Class 11 |
| 2. Complex numbers and quadratic equations | Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations (ISC treats quadratics separately and in depth) | None | Modulus and argument, relations between roots and coefficients, and nature of roots. CBSE Class 11 lists only algebraic properties and the Argand plane for board marks |
| 3. Matrices and determinants | None | Matrices; Determinants | Consistency tests in two or three variables at problem-solving speed |
| 4. Permutations and combinations | Permutations and Combinations | None | Harder counting problems; the content list itself matches |
| 5. Binomial theorem | Binomial Theorem | None | General and middle terms, which CBSE 2026–27 assesses only formatively in Class 11 |
| 6. Sequence and series | Sequence and Series | None | Inserting means and A.M.–G.M. problems |
| 7. Limit, continuity and differentiability | Limits and Derivatives; function graphs from Relations and Functions | Continuity and Differentiability; Application of Derivatives | Inverse functions and graphs of functions used as tools, not just as definitions |
| 8. Integral calculus | None | Integrals; Application of Integrals | Integration using trigonometric identities; faster use of definite-integral properties |
| 9. Differential equations | None | Differential Equations | The content list matches; JEE questions mix it with other calculus |
| 10. Coordinate geometry | Straight Lines; Conic Sections (ISC also has a separate Circles chapter) | None | Locus, concurrency, centroid, orthocentre and circumcentre, and the general form of a circle, all beyond the CBSE board list |
| 11. Three-dimensional geometry | Introduction to Three-dimensional Geometry | Three-dimensional Geometry | Section formula in 3D, which is formative-only in CBSE Class 11 |
| 12. Vector algebra | None | Vector Algebra | The content list matches |
| 13. Statistics and probability | Statistics; Probability | Probability | Mean, median and mode of grouped data (Class 10 material), and the probability distribution of a random variable, which is in ISC Class 12 but not in the CBSE 2026–27 list |
| 14. Trigonometry | Trigonometric Functions | Inverse Trigonometric Functions | Properties of inverse trigonometric functions (listed in ISC, not in the CBSE list) |
If you count the units by where their content is taught, five come mainly from Class 11 (units 2, 4, 5, 6 and 10), four mainly from Class 12 (units 3, 8, 9 and 12), and five are split across both years (units 1, 7, 11, 13 and 14). This says nothing about marks, but it shows neither year is the "lighter" one.
Not sure which of these gaps your child actually has? Book a free demo class and a JEE maths tutor will check their current chapter against this map and tell you honestly what needs work.
Book a Free JEE Maths Demo +91 92204 75088JEE maths syllabus for Class 11: what to master
The Class 11 part of the JEE maths syllabus is the foundation for everything else. Algebra, coordinate geometry and trigonometric functions are taught almost entirely in Class 11, and Class 12 calculus assumes that functions, graphs, limits and identities are already secure.
CBSE Class 11 (2026–27): read the "formative only" list carefully
The CBSE 2026–27 syllabus lists Class 11 topics that stay in the syllabus but are assessed only formatively, so they do not count in the year-end exam. They include:
- composition of functions;
- the general solution of trigonometric equations of the type sin θ = sin α, cos θ = cos α and tan θ = tan α;
- the principle of mathematical induction;
- the polar representation of complex numbers and solving quadratics in the complex number system;
- graphical solution of linear inequalities in two variables;
- the general and middle terms in a binomial expansion;
- the special sums Σn, Σn² and Σn³;
- the normal form and general equation of a straight line;
- the section formula in three dimensions;
- the chain rule for derivatives of composite functions;
- random experiments, outcomes and sample spaces.
Several of these are named directly in the JEE Main 2026 syllabus, including composition of functions, the general and middle terms, the section formula and the derivatives of composite functions. Others, such as trigonometric equations and the special sums, appear in the JEE Advanced 2026 syllabus. Skipping them means skipping JEE content.
From our tutors: one pattern we see every year is a Class 11 CBSE student who is scoring well in school tests but has never practised the general term of a binomial expansion or trigonometric equations, because school did not assess them. We now treat the formative-only list as compulsory JEE material and teach it in the same week as the related board chapter, not at the end of the year.
ISC Class 11: more depth, same destination
The ISC Class 11 syllabus (Examination Years 2027 and 2028) goes further than CBSE in several JEE-relevant places. It includes the power set, polar form, cube roots of unity, a full treatment of quadratic equations, the special sums, shifting of origin, families of lines, and a separate Circles section with standard, diameter, general and parametric forms. ISC students meet more JEE content in school, but still need JEE-style practice and speed.
JEE maths Class 12 syllabus: the calculus year
The Class 12 part of the JEE maths syllabus is dominated by calculus. Continuity and differentiability, applications of derivatives, integrals, applications of integrals and differential equations together cover JEE Main units 7 (in part), 8 and 9. CBSE 2026–27 gives Calculus 35 of the 80 theory marks in Class 12, and ISC Examination Year 2027 also gives it 35 of 80. So calculus is the biggest unit for both boards and a large part of JEE preparation.
The other Class 12 chapters are Matrices and Determinants (JEE Main unit 3), Vector Algebra and Three-dimensional Geometry (units 12 and 11), Probability (part of unit 13), Inverse Trigonometric Functions (part of unit 14) and Relations and Functions (part of unit 1). Linear Programming is also a Class 12 board chapter, but it does not appear in the JEE Main 2026 syllabus.
How the two boards differ in Class 12
ISC Class 12 includes some JEE-relevant material that the CBSE 2026–27 list does not. ISC includes the equation of a plane and angles between lines and planes, the probability distribution and mean of a random variable, composite and inverse functions, elementary properties of inverse trigonometric functions, and the properties of determinants. The random variable and the properties of inverse trigonometric functions are named in the JEE Main 2026 syllabus. The plane is not in the JEE Main 2026 list, but it is in the JEE Advanced 2026 syllabus.
From our tutors: in Class 12 the most common reason a student gets stuck in integration is not integration itself. It is usually a trigonometric identity from Class 11 that they cannot recall quickly, such as writing sin²x as (1 − cos 2x)/2. Before we start the Integrals chapter, we spend one or two sessions revising Class 11 identities, and the integration lessons then go noticeably faster.
Where JEE Main goes beyond CBSE and ISC
JEE Main goes beyond the boards in content (topics the board lists do not assess) and in depth (harder, multi-step questions even where the lists match).
| Topic named in JEE Main 2026 | CBSE 2026–27 | ISC (2027/2028) |
|---|---|---|
| Power set | Not in the list | Class 11 |
| Composition of functions | Class 11, formative only | Class 12 (composite and inverse functions) |
| Modulus and argument of a complex number | Polar form formative only in Class 11 | Class 11 |
| Relations between roots and coefficients; nature of roots | Class 10 background; not in the Class 11 list | Class 11 (Quadratic Equations) |
| General term and middle term of a binomial expansion | Class 11, formative only | Class 11 |
| Locus; concurrency of lines; centroid, orthocentre and circumcentre | Not in the list | Partly in Class 11 (locus, family of lines, incentre) |
| General form of a circle; diameter form; line–circle intersection | Only the standard equation of a circle | Class 11 (Circles) |
| Section formula in 3D | Class 11, formative only | Class 11 |
| Mean, median and mode of grouped data | Class 10 background | Earlier classes; Class 11 covers dispersion |
| Probability distribution of a random variable | Not in the Class 12 list | Class 12 |
| Properties of inverse trigonometric functions | Not in the list (definition, domain, range, principal value, graphs only) | Class 12 |
A worked example: the general form of a circle
CBSE Class 11 asks for the standard equation of a circle, (x − h)² + (y − k)² = r². JEE Main 2026 also names the general form. A typical first step in a JEE question looks like this:
Question: Find the centre and radius of x² + y² − 4x + 6y − 12 = 0.
Method: Compare with x² + y² + 2gx + 2fy + c = 0. Here 2g = −4, so g = −2, and 2f = 6, so f = 3, with c = −12. The centre is (−g, −f) = (2, −3). The radius is √(g² + f² − c) = √(4 + 9 + 12) = √25 = 5.
Completing the square also works, but it is slower in a timed paper, and JEE then builds on this step, so it needs to be automatic.
Depth: the gap that no table shows
Where the topic lists match, the difference is in the questions. A board question usually tests one idea; a JEE question often joins two or three, such as a probability question that needs a counting argument first. That is why NCERT alone is not enough for JEE. Our guide to the best books for JEE maths explains which books build this depth and in what order.
Board topics the JEE Main 2026 syllabus does not list
These board chapters are not named in the JEE Main 2026 maths syllabus. Keep them for board marks, but they do not need JEE-level practice.
- Linear Programming (Class 12, both boards).
- Linear Inequalities (Class 11, both boards).
- The equation of a plane and angles involving planes (ISC Class 12). The JEE Main 2026 three-dimensional geometry unit lists lines, skew lines and the shortest distance, but not the plane. JEE Advanced 2026 does include it.
- The principle of mathematical induction (formative-only in CBSE Class 11). It is not named in either the JEE Main 2026 or the JEE Advanced 2026 maths syllabus.
Older books and notes may still contain topics that are no longer in the JEE Main syllabus, so always check against the current NTA PDF.
What the JEE Advanced 2026 syllabus adds
The JEE Advanced 2026 maths syllabus, published in the JEE Advanced 2026 Information Brochure on the official JEE Advanced website, covers the same broad areas as JEE Main but names several extra topics. JEE Advanced 2026 has two papers of three hours each, and appearing in both is compulsory.
| Area | Extra topics named in the JEE Advanced 2026 syllabus | Taught in school? |
|---|---|---|
| Sets and functions | Symmetric difference of sets, De Morgan's laws, even and odd functions, special functions such as greatest integer and absolute value | Partly in Class 11 (both boards list greatest integer and modulus functions) |
| Algebra | Polar form, triangle inequality, cube roots of unity, symmetric functions of roots, infinite geometric series, sums of squares and cubes, logarithms and their properties, properties of binomial coefficients | Mostly ISC Class 11; partly CBSE formative-only topics |
| Matrices | Elementary row and column transformations; diagonal, symmetric and skew-symmetric matrices and their properties | Class 12, both boards (in part) |
| Trigonometry | Periodicity and graphs, general solution of trigonometric equations | Class 11 (formative only in CBSE) |
| Coordinate geometry | Shift of origin, angle bisectors, incentre, tangents, normals and chords of circles, parametric equations, families of circles, and tangents and normals to conics | Partly ISC Class 11; mostly beyond both boards |
| 3D geometry and vectors | Equation of a plane, distance of a point from a plane, angles between planes and lines, coplanar lines, scalar and vector triple products | Planes in ISC Class 12; triple products beyond both boards |
| Calculus | L'Hospital's rule, intermediate value property, Rolle's theorem and Lagrange's mean value theorem, definite integral as the limit of a sum, formation of differential equations | Mostly beyond the boards (formation of differential equations is in ISC) |
| Probability and statistics | Mean and variance of a random variable; comparing distributions with the same mean but different variance | Mean of a random variable in ISC Class 12 |
A JEE Advanced aspirant therefore needs a course that goes well past both the boards and JEE Main. How the two exams differ in style is covered in our JEE Advanced vs JEE Main maths guide.
A two-year plan that follows the syllabus
The simplest plan follows your school's chapter order and adds the JEE layer to each chapter while it is fresh. This is how we usually structure it for a student starting in Class 11.
| Stage | Syllabus focus | What to add for JEE |
|---|---|---|
| Class 11, first half | Sets, Relations and Functions, Trigonometric Functions, Complex Numbers and Quadratics, Linear Inequalities | Function graphs, trigonometric equations, modulus and argument, and roots-and-coefficients problems |
| Class 11, second half | Permutations and Combinations, Binomial Theorem, Sequence and Series, Straight Lines, Conic Sections, 3D introduction, Limits and Derivatives, Statistics, Probability | General and middle terms, special sums, general forms of lines and circles, locus, and the 3D section formula |
| Class 11 summer break | Revision of all Class 11 units | Previous-year JEE questions from Class 11 units, and a check on weak chapters before calculus starts |
| Class 12, first half | Relations and Functions, Inverse Trigonometric Functions, Matrices and Determinants, Continuity and Differentiability, Applications of Derivatives | Properties of inverse trigonometric functions, consistency of equations, and graph-based questions |
| Class 12, second half | Integrals, Applications of Integrals, Differential Equations, Vectors, 3D Geometry, Probability, Linear Programming | Integration using identities, definite-integral properties, random variables, and mixed-chapter problems |
| Before the exams | Board revision and full JEE syllabus revision | Timed full-length practice papers based on the current pattern |
Students who start in Class 12, or who are coming from IB or IGCSE, need a different order that front-loads the Class 11 units calculus depends on. A tutor can build that plan after a short diagnostic.
From our tutors: we ask every student to keep a one-page "syllabus tracker" with the 14 JEE Main units down the side and three columns: board done, JEE layer done, and previous-year questions done. Updated weekly, it shows gaps months before the exam.
Frequently asked questions
What is the JEE Main 2026 maths syllabus?
It has 14 units, from sets, relations and functions to trigonometry, covering algebra, calculus, coordinate and 3D geometry, vectors, and statistics and probability. The official PDF is on jeemain.nta.nic.in, and the full list is in the first section of this guide.
Is the JEE maths syllabus the same as the CBSE Class 11 and 12 syllabus?
No. Most JEE units are built on CBSE and ISC chapters, but JEE names some topics that the CBSE board exam does not assess, such as modulus and argument, the general form of a circle, and the probability distribution of a random variable. Some board chapters, such as Linear Programming, are not in the JEE Main 2026 syllabus.
Which is more important for JEE, Class 11 or Class 12 maths?
Both. Algebra, coordinate geometry and trigonometric functions come mainly from Class 11, while calculus, matrices, vectors and 3D geometry come mainly from Class 12. Class 12 calculus also depends on Class 11 functions, limits and identities, so a weak Class 11 makes Class 12 harder.
Has the JEE Main 2027 maths syllabus been released?
When we checked the official site in September 2026, the latest syllabus published was for JEE Main 2026. NTA usually publishes the syllabus with the information bulletin for each exam year, so check jeemain.nta.nic.in and compare it with the 2026 list before relying on it.
Are topics like linear programming or mathematical induction in JEE maths?
Linear programming is not named in the JEE Main 2026 maths syllabus, and mathematical induction is not named in either the JEE Main 2026 or the JEE Advanced 2026 maths syllabus. Both still matter where your board assesses them.
How is JEE Advanced maths different from JEE Main maths?
The JEE Advanced 2026 syllabus names extra topics such as planes, triple products, Rolle's theorem and the mean value theorem, L'Hospital's rule, and tangents and normals to conics. Its questions are also usually longer and combine more ideas.
Can a home tutor help my child cover both the board and JEE syllabus?
Yes. A one-to-one tutor can follow the school's chapter order and add the JEE layer to each chapter as it is taught. We offer this at home across Gurgaon and online.
Want a Class 11 or Class 12 plan that covers the board and the JEE maths syllabus together? Book a free demo class with a JEE maths tutor, at home in Gurgaon or online. Ajay Vatsyayan Classes, Saraswati kunj II, Wazirabad, Sector 52, Gurugram, Haryana 122003.
Book a Free JEE Maths Demo +91 92204 75088