JEE Advanced 2026 Difficulty Level - Expected Paper Toughness (IIT Roorkee to Conduct Exam)
Joint Entrance Exam - Advanced 2026 ( JEE Advanced )
Registration - 6 Apr '26 - 2 May '26
It is expected that IIT Roorkee will hold the JEE Advanced 2026 exam. Aspirants gearing up for the JEE Advanced 2026 exam might be wondering about what will be difficulty level of the JEE Advanced exam to be conducted by IIT Roorkee. In this article, we will examine the expected difficulty level of the JEE Advanced 2026 exam and what can be expected from the JEE Advanced exam this year.
JEE Advanced 2026 Difficulty Level
JEE Advanced 2026 Difficulty Level: Every year, JEE Advanced tests the conceptual thinking, speed, and accuracy of the candidates. Being one of the toughest exams, this exam challenges you by testing your patience, critical thinking and how you perform under pressure. IIT Roorkee is expected to conduct the JEE Advanced 2026 exam, and candidates are asking the same question: What will be the exam difficulty level, and will IIT Roorkee set a tougher paper than in previous years? One thing that is to be kept in mind by the candidates while preparing for the JEE Advanced 2026 exam is that the exam difficulty level cannot be predicted by the conducting IIT. The organising IIT does not govern the questions included in the JEE Advanced question paper.
- JEE Advanced 2026 Difficulty Level - How IIT Roorkee will Conduct the Exam?
- Shikha Poll: What do you think will be the difficulty level of JEE Advanced 2026?
- What to Expect for JEE Advanced 2026 Difficulty Level
JEE Advanced 2026 Difficulty Level - How IIT Roorkee will Conduct the Exam?
IIT Roorkee will not be deciding the questions that go into the JEE Advanced 2026 question paper. One single IIT is not responsible for the exam pattern, difficulty level or the question selection for the exam.
The Joint Admission Board (JAB) governs the JEE Advanced paper structure, syllabus and marking scheme. Therefore no major surprises in the JEE Advanced exam pattern year after year. However, there can be some microvariations like:
- Some years can be dominated by questions with lengthy calculations; on the other hand, some years can have multi-concept-based questions.
- Also, the kinds of questions asked in the exam change from year to year. Like some years can have match the following type of questions, while some years may have paragraph-based questions.
- Usually, there are some topics from Maths, Physics, and Chemistry that have dominated the JEE Advanced question paper year after year. However, the trends can shift drastically in one year. Therefore, candidates are advised to complete the JEE Advanced 2026 syllabus, covering all the topics included in the syllabus.
Therefore, the final word is that - do not rely on the trends for JEE Advanced preparation. You can consider the trends for a strategic preparation process, but the candidate who is aiming for top ranks must complete the syllabus and leave no page unturned in JEE Advanced preparation.
Shikha Poll: What do you think will be the difficulty level of JEE Advanced 2026?As per the recent poll conducted by shiksha.com, candidates have expressed what they feel about the JEE Advanced 2026 exam difficulty level.
Shiksha Poll: What do you think will be the difficulty level of JEE Advanced 2026? |
JEE Advanced 2026 difficulty level over the past few years has witnessed the following trends. Candidates can read all about the trends; however, make sure to prepare yourself for a shift in exam trends anytime.
Difficulty level differs for paper 1 and paper 2: In recent years (2024, 2025), it has been noted that paper 1 and paper 2 of JEE Advanced have seen a split in difficulty level. While one paper is usually of moderate difficulty, the second one stands out to be tougher. For example, in 2025, paper 2 of the exam was tougher than paper 1. Paper 2 has lengthy calculations and was thus time-consuming.
Subject-wise difficulty level:
- Maths has always been the most difficult of all three subjects. These subjects, year after year, have troubled the candidates with the time-consuming calculations.
- Physics has been swinging between moderate of difficult in the JEE Advaced difficulty level trends. This subject has a mix of easy questions and tough ones. Some questions require the application of multiple concepts to solve. Some years have witnessed Physics to be calculation-heavy and conceptually challenging. Hence, this comes out to be one of the most challenging sections in terms of predicting its nature.
- Chemistry is a sigh of relief for the candidates every year. Every year, this section gets rated as the easiest one out of the three. There can be some exceptions as some questions may require the application of multiple concepts. However, most of the questions need the application of basic NCERT concepts.
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Types of questions in the exam: In recent years of the JEE Advanced exam, the numerical value type questions have been trending. On the other hand, assertion and reasoning-type questions are very dominant in physics and chemistry. MCQs are the most common type of questions and are the core type of questions in the JEE Advanced exam pattern.
What to Expect for JEE Advanced 2026 Difficulty Level
In terms of JEE Advanced 2026 difficulty level, here is what the candidates can look out for:
You can prepare for all entrance tests at same time. It is a tough task but not impossible. For this a proper strategy is required. Here are some important tips.
- Compare the syllabus: All engineering entrance exams have almost the same syllabus. There might be some additional topics in some exams. The aspirant must study the syllabus for all exams and find out the topics that are extra, and prepare those separately. Almost 90% of the topics will be common for all entrance exams, and hence, syllabus completion for one exam will lead to completion of the syllabus for all the exams.
- Prepare for JEE Mains and incorporate the preparation for all other exams: Apart from JEE Advanced, all the exams are pretty straightforward for a well-prepared candidate. JEE Advanced require a higher level of preparation as the questions are multi-conceptual. However, the state-level entrance exams, and exams like BITSAT, VITEEE, etc., have direct questions. Most of the questions in JEE Mains are also direct and require the application of basic concepts. Hence, the candidates must prepare for one exam, like JEE Mains, that will cover their preparation for all other exams.
- JEE Advanced needs extra effort: For JEE Advanced candidates must focus on time management and building exam day temperament. Learn how to apply multiple concepts to a question.
The bottom line is to prepare for JEE Mains to cover the preparation for all other CETs and exams like BITSAT and VITEEE. For JEE Advanced, work on sharpening your skills of time management, stress handling, multiple concept application, speed and accuracy.
So far no student has ever scored full marks in JEE Advanced signifies exam's difficulty level. Highest marks one has achieved to date in JEE Advanced are 355 marks out of 360. Ved Lahoti scored these marks in 2024.
There is no seperate rank list released for JEE Advanced. The rank of the candidates in All India category and in the respective category of the candidate is meantioned on the result itslef.
As per the analysis of the previous year data, the candidates belonging to general category must aim to score around 180 marks out of 360 to qualify the exam. However, note that this marks will not get you a good rank and hence tier 1 IITs (IIT B, IIT M, IIT D) and courses will be out of reach.
| Name of Institute | NIRF Ranking 2025 |
|---|---|
| IIT Madras | 1 |
| IIT Delhi | 2 |
| IIT Bombay | 3 |
| IIT Kanpur | 4 |
| IIT Kharagpur | 5 |
| IIT Roorkee | 6 |
| IIT Hyderabad | 7 |
| IIT Guwahati | 8 |
| IIT BHU | 10 |
| Maths | Physics | Chemistry |
|---|---|---|
| Maths can be the toughest section out of the three. | Physics will be moderate for you if you have a strong hold of concepts and problem-solving. | Chemistry will be easy if all the basics are covered. |
| Expect questions with lengthy calculations. | Expect questions requiring multiple concept applications to solve. | Expect some tricky questions; however, most of the questions will need the application of basic concepts. |
| This section will consume most of your time. | Some numericals will take time to solve | This section will give you relaxation in time management. |
| Candidates need to approach this section with speed and accuracy | This section should be approached with a deeper conceptual understanding and a knack for problem-solving | Approach this section with promptness. |
| High weightage topics - Probability, algebra, and coordinate geometry | High weightage topics - mechanics, electricity, and modern physics | High weightage topics - balanced, mostly all topics are covered |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 2 weeks ago
JEE Advanced registration fee for IIT Kanpur BTech varies by category and nationality. Indian female, SC, ST, and PwD candidates need to pay INR 1600, while other Indian candidates pay INR 3200. Fees for OCI/PIO and foreign nationals depend on exam centre location and country category.
J
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 weeks ago
JEE (Advanced) exam is the qualifying test for admission to IIT Kanpur BTech. This will be held on Sunday, May 17, and only candidates who clear this exam are eligible for the JoSAA counselling process.
J
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
No, candidates can not raise objections in JEE Adv result. The facility to raise objection is provided only in the answer key. It is clearly mentioned in the IIT JEE advanced 2026 information brochure that any request to re-evaluate in result will not be entertained under any circumstances.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
The number of questions in each subjects are generally not same, but the total number of questions mostly ranges from 17 to 18 across all three subjects in both Paper 1 and 2. The number of questions will also be different for each type (MCQ, Matching, Single/Multi correct) within the subjects in pa
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 weeks ago
No, same questions never get repeated in IIT JEE exam. However, questions with similar concepts can find places in the exam. The question paper of JEE Advanced is prepared considering the syllabus and exam pattern.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 weeks ago
You will not be eligible for admission as preparatory ranks are not considered under round 1. Since you have already qualified to appear for JEE (Advanced), all you need to do is meet the second criterion and apply for round 2, which will be only conducted if seats from round 1 remain vacant.
J
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 weeks ago
Yes, you can still get admission in Round 2 if you meet eligibility criteria to appear in JEE (Advanced) and have a valid JEE (Mains) rank. Also, you must have scored 60% or above in class 12th. For SC/ST/PwD category students, 55% or above is required.
J
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 weeks ago
No, candidates need not pay any fees to participate in JEE Adv counselling. However, once the seat is allotted, candidates will need to pay approximately INR 35,000 (less for reserved category) as a seat acceptance fee and around INR 20,000 as partial admission fees. Both these payments are adjusted
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 weeks ago
To participate in JEE Advanced counselling, candidates must keep the following documents ready.
- JoSAA Seat Allotment Letter
- Admit card of JEE Advanced 2026
- Proof of Date of Birth Class 12/HSC/Birth Certificate/Any other certificate as proof of date of birth
- Photo ID card
- Class 12/SSC/Equivalent exam Mark
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered a month ago
No, candidates have to carry the printout of their JEE Advanced admit card downloaded from the website to appear in the exam. Soft copies will not be accepted.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Preparation for JEE Advanced begins by knowing exam syllabus. Every student must follow syllabus. Once preparation is done then start solving previous year questions for self-assessment. This will give an overview of your preparation.