The JEE Main exam held on January 23, 2026 , for the second shift was found to be moderately difficult by most students. The exam took place from 3 PM to 6 PM. Students reported that the Mathematics and Physics sections were particularly lengthy, requiring careful time management.
Exam Difficulty Analysis
Based on feedback from students who took the exam, the overall difficulty level was moderate. However, specific subjects presented challenges.
| Subject | Difficulty Level |
| Physics | Lengthy and Tough |
| Chemistry | Lengthy and Moderate |
| Mathematics | Lengthy and Moderate |
Physics questions were noted as tough and covered a wide range of topics. Students felt that a strong understanding of concepts and good problem-solving skills were needed. The section was also described as lengthy, meaning it took a significant amount of time to complete.
Chemistry was considered lengthy but moderate in difficulty. It included many questions that asked for statements or facts.
Mathematics was another section that students found to be lengthy and tough. It required a lot of calculations, especially in areas like calculus, coordinate geometry, algebra, and vectors. Students mentioned that they had to be quick and accurate to finish this part of the exam on time.
Student Reactions
Many students felt that managing time was very important, especially for the Physics and Mathematics sections. The length of these papers could affect how many questions they attempted and how accurately they answered them.
The JEE Main exam is being held from January 21 to January 29, 2026 , for Session 1. The exams are conducted in two shifts each day: one from 9 AM to 12 PM and the other from 3 PM to 6 PM.
Experts suggest that because of the difficulty and length of some sections, the cut-off marks for qualifying might be lower this year. It is expected that around 180 marks might get a 99 percentile score across all shifts.
