The National Testing Agency (NTA) has conducted the JEE Main 2026 January session exams for Paper 1 (BE/BTech) from January 21 to 24. Two more Paper 1 exam dates are January 28, and Paper 2 is scheduled for January 29. Based on early analyses, the current JEE Main exam is considered one of the toughest in recent years. This report provides an overview of the exams held so far, including difficulty levels, subject-wise performance, and expected marks versus percentile.
JEE Main 2026: Exam Overview and Difficulty
The NTA conducted the JEE Main 2026 January session exams on January 21, 22, 23, 24, 28, and 29. Exams on January 21, 22, 23, and 24 have been completed successfully. A total of 10,36,211 candidates appeared for these exams. The papers have generally been rated as moderate to tough . Many students found the questions to be lengthy, particularly in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry.
Question Difficulty Analysis
Analysis of the exams held so far indicates that only about 10 to 15 easy questions were present out of the total 75 questions in most shifts. Physics was the most challenging subject for many students, with some questions reportedly similar in difficulty to JEE Advanced. Chemistry also posed challenges due to statement-based questions and questions requiring knowledge from multiple concepts. Mathematics was mostly described as lengthy but generally moderate in difficulty.
Key Observations for Upcoming Shifts
Overall: The papers have been moderate to tough and lengthy. Managing time is very important.
Physics: Expect lengthy calculations and some questions similar to JEE Advanced level.
Chemistry: The subject was moderate to tough, with many statement-based questions.
Mathematics: Mostly moderate but very lengthy. Speed and choosing questions wisely are key.
Strategy: Avoid spending too much time on difficult questions early on. Focus on accuracy.
Toughest and Easiest Shifts So Far
Based on student feedback and expert analysis:
- Toughest Shift: January 23, Shift 2 is considered the most difficult, mainly due to a very tough Mathematics section and in-depth conceptual questions across subjects.
- Easiest Shift: January 24, Shift 1 was found to be the most manageable, with questions considered more straightforward than in other shifts.
| Date | Overall Difficulty | Toughest Subject | Key Observations |
| Jan 21 Shift 1 | Moderate to Tough | Chemistry / Physics | Unexpectedly tough Chemistry and Physics for a Day 1 shift. |
| Jan 21 Shift 2 | Moderate | Mathematics | Lengthy and calculation-intensive Mathematics. |
| Jan 22 Shift 1 | Moderate | Physics | Very lengthy Physics; Chemistry was relatively easier. |
| Jan 22 Shift 2 | Tough | Physics / Maths | Ranked as the 2nd toughest shift of the session so far. |
| Jan 23 Shift 1 | Moderate to Tough | Mathematics | Tough and highly time-consuming Mathematics section. |
| Jan 23 Shift 2 | Very Tough | Mathematics | Currently rated as the toughest shift of the Jan 2026 session. |
| Jan 24 Shift 1 | Easy to Moderate | Mathematics | Easiest shift compared to previous days, though Maths remained lengthy. |
| Jan 24 Shift 2 | Moderate | Chemistry | Tougher than Shift 1; Chemistry was conceptual and time-consuming. |
Expected Marks vs. Percentile
Experts predict that the cut-off marks might be lower this year due to the exam's difficulty. Here are the predicted marks for different percentile scores:
| Shift | 99 percentile | 95 percentile | 90 percentile |
| 21 January Shift 1 | 160 to 170 | 110 to 120 | 85 to 95 |
| 21 January Shift 2 | 170 to 180 | 120 - 130 | 95 to 105 |
| 22 January Shift 1 | 168 to 178 | 118 to 128 | 93 to 103 |
| 22 January Shift 2 | 165 to 175 | 115 to 125 | 90 to 100 |
| 23 January Shift 1 | 165 to 175 | 115 to 125 | 90 to 100 |
| 23 January Shift 2 | 150 to 160 | 100 to 110 | 80 to 90 |
| 24 January Shift 1 | 168 to 178 | 118 to 128 | 93 to 103 |
| 24 January Shift 2 | 170 to 180 | 120 - 130 | 95 to 105 |
Question Paper PDFs and Solutions
Candidates appearing for the remaining JEE Main 2026 exams can download memory-based question papers and solutions from the January 21, 22, 23, and 24 exams. This will help them understand the question patterns.
| Exam Date/Shift | Shift 1 | Shift 2 |
| January 21, 2026 | JEE Main Jan 21 Answer Key Shift 1 Physics JEE Main Jan 21 Answer Key Shift 1 Chemistry JEE Main Jan 21 Answer Key Shift 1 Maths | JEE Main 21 Jan Shift 1 Answer Key Physics JEE Main 21 Jan Shift 1 Answer Key Chemistry JEE Main 21 Jan Shift 1 Answer Key Math |
| January 22, 2026 | JEE Main Jan Answer Key Shift 1 Physics JEE Main Jan Shift 1 Answer Key Chemistry JEE Main 22 Jan Shift 2 Answer Key Maths | JEE Main Jan 22 Shift 2 Answer Key Physics JEE Main 22 Jan Shift 2 Answer Key Chemistry JEE Main Jan 22 Shift 2 Answer Key Math |
| January 23, 2026 | JEE Main Jan 23 Shift 1 Answer Key Physics JEE Main 23 Jan Shift 1 Answer Key Chemistry JEE Main Jan 23 Shift 1 Answer Key Math | JEE Main 23 Jan Shift 2 Answer Key Physics JEE Main Jan 23 Shift 2 Answer Key Chemistry JEE Main Jan 23 Shift 2 Answer Key Math |
| January 24, 2026 | JEE Main 24 Jan Shift 1 Physics Answer Key JEE Mains Jan 24 shift 1 Chemistry answer key JEE Main Jan 24 Shift 1 Maths Answer Key | JEE Main Jan 24 Shift 2 Answer Key Physics JEE Main 24 Jan Shift 2 Answer Key Chemistry JEE Main Jan 24 Shift 2 Answer key Maths |
