The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026 for January 24 has concluded its two shifts. Students found both Shift 1 and Shift 2 exams moderate in difficulty but very lengthy. Managing time was a big challenge for many students. The National Testing Agency (NTA) reported that a total of 10,36,211 candidates appeared for the JEE Main 2026 exam from January 21 to January 24. The overall attendance was 96.26%.
JEE Main 2026 January 24: Shift 1 vs Shift 2
Both morning (Shift 1) and afternoon (Shift 2) exams on January 24 were similar in difficulty. They were both moderate and very lengthy.
| Feature | Shift 1 (Morning) | Shift 2 (Afternoon) |
| Overall Difficulty | Moderate and Lengthy | Moderate and Lengthy |
| Mathematics | Moderate but very lengthy calculations | Toughest section; more calculative and time-consuming than Shift 1. |
| Physics | Moderate and lengthy | Easy to Moderate; more concept-based. |
| Chemistry | Moderate and lengthy | Moderate but very lengthy; more calculation-heavy. |
Detailed Analysis of Shift 2 (January 24)
The Shift 2 exam was rated as moderate overall. Many students said Chemistry was the toughest among all shifts held so far. The entire paper was very long. Chemistry had many calculations and tricky questions. This made time management difficult for candidates.
- Mathematics: Was moderate and lengthy. Topics included 3D & Vector, straight lines, ellipse, functions, parabola, conic section, integration, relations & subsets, and statistics.
- Physics: Was rated easy to moderate. Questions came from Organ pipe, modern physics, radioactivity, fluids, logic gates, electrostatics, magnetism, moment of inertia, vernier calliper, current, capacitor, thermodynamics, KTG, and Kinematics.
- Chemistry: Was moderate and lengthy. Physical Chemistry had more questions. Topics included Isomerism, Ionic equilibrium, GOC, and Chemical bonding.
Detailed Analysis of Shift 1 (January 24)
The Shift 1 exam was also moderate overall but very lengthy. Students felt it was easier than the January 23 exam but took a lot of time to complete. All three subjects were long.
- Mathematics: Was the toughest and lengthiest section. It mostly had questions from Calculus and Algebra, requiring many steps to solve. Topics included Vector & 3D, conic section, straight line, hyperbola, permutation and combination, sequence & series, calculus, Matrix, Complex numbers, Relations, and Statistics.
- Physics: Was of moderate difficulty but had many calculations. Key topics included Microscope, Ray Optics, Modern Physics, Potentiometer, Circular motion, Rotation, Fluids, Magnetic effect of current, Power factor, and Semiconductors.
- Chemistry: Was the most scoring section and mostly based on NCERT books. However, some students found it more time-consuming due to statement-based questions. Physical chemistry had more questions. Topics included Chemical bonding, thermodynamics, Liquid Solutions, Electrochemistry, Ionic, chemical equilibrium, atomic structure, and mole.
Tips for Future Exams
Students appearing for the JEE Main 2026 exams on January 28 and 29 must focus on time management. Practice solving lengthy questions to improve speed and accuracy. Time management has been the biggest challenge across all shifts in the January session.
Important Dates and Information
- JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Results: Expected by February 12.
- JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Registration: Expected to start in the third week of January.
- JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Exam Dates: From April 2 to April 9.
- JEE Advanced 2026 Eligibility: Top 2,50,000 candidates from JEE Main (B.E./B.Tech Paper) will be eligible.
- JEE Advanced 2026 Exam Date: May 17.
- JEE Advanced Application Form: Starts April 23 for Indian students.
Exam Marking Scheme
The JEE Main 2026 Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech) is for a total of 300 marks.
| Type of Answer | Marks |
| Correct Answer | +4 marks |
| Incorrect Answer | -1 mark |
| Un-attempted Question | 0 marks |
Each subject (Maths, Physics, Chemistry) has 25 questions and is worth 100 marks.
Expected Cutoff and Marks vs Percentile
Experts believe the cutoff for JEE Main 2026 may drop slightly this year. A 99 percentile could be achieved with around 180 marks.
| JEE Main Marks | Expected Percentile |
| 240 - 280+ | 99.9%+ |
| 210 - 240 | 99.5 - 99.9% |
| 180 - 210 | 99.0 - 99.5% |
| 160 - 180 | 98.0 - 99.0% |
| 100 - 120 | 90.0 - 95.0% |
Official Answer Key
The NTA is expected to release the official answer key for JEE Main 2026 in the first week of February. Candidates can check it online and challenge any answers they disagree with.
Exam Day Guidelines
- Reporting Time: For Shift 1, report by 7 AM (gates close 8:30 AM). For Shift 2, report by 1 PM (gates close 2:30 PM).
- Mandatory Documents: Carry your hard copy of admit card with filled self-declaration, an original valid photo ID, and two photographs (same as application form).
- Dress Code: Wear simple, light-colored clothes. Avoid shoes with thick soles and garments with large buttons.
- Rough Work: A4 sheets are provided. Write your name and Roll Number on each sheet. Drop them in the box before leaving the exam hall.
