JEE Main 2026 Session 2 exam is scheduled to start on April 2, 2026. Students taking the exam on the first day can look at past years' exam papers to guess how tough the test might be. This helps them prepare better.
Exam Difficulty: What to Expect
Experts who study these exams say that the JEE Main paper is usually of medium difficulty. Sometimes, one session might be a little harder than another. For the JEE Main 2026 Session 2 exam, Day 1 is important. Based on past trends, here is what students can expect for each subject on Day 1:
| Subject | Expected Difficulty Level (Day 1) |
| Physics | Medium (mostly using formulas) |
| Chemistry | Medium and might have long questions |
| Maths | Medium to Difficult |
Looking at Past Exams
Checking exams from the last three years can give students a good idea. It shows how the difficulty has changed. Here’s a look at how the first day of the exam went in previous years:
JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Day 1 Analysis
In Session 1 of 2026, the exam had two shifts. The first shift was of medium difficulty. The second shift was considered medium to tough. Physics was easy to medium in both shifts. Chemistry was medium, but some questions were tricky. In the second shift, it was medium to tough. Mathematics was medium but took a lot of time in the first shift. In the second shift, Maths was tough and took even longer.
| Shift 1 | Shift 2 | |
| Overall Difficulty | Medium | Medium to Tough |
| Physics | Easy to Moderate | Easy to Moderate |
| Chemistry | Moderate (some tricky questions) | Moderate to Tough |
| Mathematics | Moderate but lengthy | Tough & time-consuming |
| Paper Nature | Balanced | Lengthy & calculative |
| Good Attempts | 45–50 | 40–45 |
| Key Highlight | Chemistry slightly toughest | Maths dominated difficulty |
JEE Main 2025 Session 2 Day 1 Analysis
In 2025, Session 2 Day 1 had a different trend. Both shifts were considered moderately difficult. Physics was easy to moderate in Shift 1 and easy in Shift 2. Chemistry was easy to moderate in both shifts, with many questions based on NCERT books. Mathematics was medium and lengthy in Shift 1. Shift 2's Maths was easier than Shift 1, making it a bit easier to score well overall in that shift.
| Shift 1 | Shift 2 | |
| Overall Difficulty | Moderate | Moderate |
| Physics | Easy to Moderate | Easy |
| Chemistry | Easy to Moderate (NCERT-based) | Easy to Moderate |
| Mathematics | Moderate & lengthy | Moderate but easier than Shift 1 |
| Paper Nature | Balanced | Slightly scoring |
| Good Attempts | 48–55 | 50–58 |
| Key Highlight | Maths time-consuming | Easiest among both shifts |
Looking at these past papers helps students understand what to expect. While the difficulty might change a little each year or between shifts, steady preparation is the key to success.
