The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 exam will take place from January 21 to January 29, 2026. The National Testing Agency (NTA) organizes this important exam for students who want to get into B.Tech, B.Arch, and B.Planning courses. Students preparing for this exam should know what to expect regarding its difficulty. Looking at how hard the exam has been in past years, the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 is expected to be moderate to slightly difficult overall.
For the upcoming JEE Main 2026 exam, here is what students can expect for each subject:
Expected Difficulty for JEE Main 2026 Subjects
The Mathematics section will likely be long and require many steps to solve. These problems will be based on applying different concepts. Students should prepare for questions that need careful calculation and good time management.
The Chemistry section will probably focus on questions directly from NCERT books. These will test facts and basic concepts. Keeping the fundamentals clear from NCERT is key for this section.
The Physics section could be moderately challenging. More questions may come from important topics like Modern Physics, Electromagnetism, and Current Electricity. Students will need a strong understanding of basic physics and skills to solve numerical problems.
JEE Main Exam Difficulty Trends Over Last 5 Years
To help students prepare better, here is a look at the difficulty levels of JEE Main exams from previous years. This shows how the exam's difficulty has changed over time for different sessions:
| Years | Sessions | Difficulty Level |
| 2025 | Session 1 | Physics - Moderately difficult, Mathematics - Challenging, Chemistry - Comparatively easy |
| 2025 | Session 2 | Physics - Moderate, Mathematics - Moderately difficult, Chemistry - Moderately challenging |
| 2024 | Session 1 | Physics - Moderately easy, Mathematics - Moderately difficult, Chemistry - Moderately easy |
| 2024 | Session 2 | Physics - Moderately easy, Mathematics - Moderate, Chemistry - Moderately easy |
| 2023 | Session 1 | Physics - Easy to moderate, Mathematics - Moderate, Chemistry - Easy |
| 2023 | Session 2 | Physics - Easy to moderate, Mathematics - Moderate, Chemistry - Easy |
| 2022 | Session 1 | Physics - Moderate, Mathematics - Moderately difficult, Chemistry - Moderate |
| 2022 | Session 2 | Physics - Moderate, Mathematics - Moderately difficult, Chemistry - Moderate |
In 2021, the JEE Main exam was held in four separate sessions. This was due to the COVID-19 situation at that time. The difficulty levels varied across these sessions:
- Session 1 (2021): The exam was rated as easy to moderate.
- Session 2 (2021): The difficulty level went up and was moderately difficult.
- Session 3 (2021): This session also remained moderately difficult.
- Session 4 (2021): The exam was rated as moderate.
Detailed Look at JEE Main 2025 Exam Difficulty
Based on the detailed analysis of JEE Main 2025 Session 1, the Mathematics section was the most challenging. It was lengthy and required a lot of calculations. This meant students needed strong time-management skills to complete it. For all three subjects (Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics), most questions came from the Class 12 syllabus. There were fewer questions from the Class 11 syllabus. Also, some questions in Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics tested theory and core concepts rather than just direct formulas.
The JEE Main 2025 Session 2 exam had a moderate difficulty level overall. However, the exact difficulty was different across various exam shifts. Student feedback showed that Mathematics continued to be time-consuming. Physics was comparatively easier in most shifts. Chemistry was considered balanced and manageable, with direct questions often based on NCERT textbooks.
Students preparing for JEE Main 2026 should use these past trends to understand the exam pattern and plan their studies. This can help them prepare effectively for the expected difficulty level and focus on key subjects and topics.
