Easiest Shift of JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Exam: All Shifts Analysis & Paper Difficulty Levels
Joint Entrance Exam (JEE) Main 2026 ( JEE Main )
Exam On - 2 Apr '26 - 9 Apr '26
The Jan 28 shift 2 exam is the easiest shift in the JEE Main 2026 January session. We have compiled the day-wise and shift-wise difficulty level of the JEE Mains 2026 session 1 exam to understand which shift appeared comparatively easier for candidates. This analysis will further help the aspirants estimate their expected marks vs percentile for their respective shifts.
Easiest Shift in JEE Main 2026 Exam Session 1: Detailed Analysis for Marks vs Percentile Calculation
Easiest Shift of JEE Mains 2026 January Session Exam - Based on students’ feedback and expert analysis the JEE Main 2026 Jan 22 Shift 1 exam is considered the easiest shift so far. The paper is said to be largely moderate in overall difficulty, with Chemistry being relatively easy and Physics manageable, while Mathematics was tough but not unexpected. Compared to other shifts conducted till now, this shift had fewer tricky questions and more formula-based problems.
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✔ Based on student feedback and expert analysis, January 28 Shift 2 is considered the easiest shift till now.
✔ Physics was the easiest of the lot, followed by Chemistry, while Mathematics was tough but less tricky compared to other shifts.
✔ Easier shifts usually require higher marks to achieve top percentiles due to increased competition.
- Easiest Shift of JEE Mains 2026 Session 1 Till Now
- Why Identifying the Easiest Shift Matters in JEE Main 2026?
- Easiest Shift of JEE Main 2026 January Session Exam
- Is There Any Fixed Pattern for the Easiest Shift?
- Easiest Shift of JEE Main in Previous Year
- What Does an Easy Shift Actually Mean?
- JEE Main January 2026 Shift-Wise Questions with Answer Key Solutions
Easiest Shift of JEE Mains 2026 Session 1 Till Now
Based on the students' reaction and the expert analysis for the JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 questions with solutions pdf, it is quite clear that the easiest shift for JEE Mains 2026 till now is the last shift. The Maths section was tough and lengthy, but was of the usual JEE Mains maths level. The Chemistry section was moderate, not as tough as the previous shifts. The Physics section was moderate to tough. The overall paper is rated as easy to moderate only in comparison to all the other shifts. Below is the detailed analysis of the easiest shift of JEE Main 2026 session 1- Jan 28 shift 2.
Also Read: JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile
| Subject | Difficulty Level | Topics Asked |
|---|---|---|
| Maths | Moderate | Calculus, integration, straight lines, circles, conic sections, quadratic, sequence and series, probability, permutation and combination, binomial, matrices and determinants, vectors and 3d |
| Physics | Easy to Moderate | Electrostatics, Current, ray optics, fluids, modern physics, heat and thermodynamics, KTG, wave optics, units and dimensions, error, magnetism |
| Chemistry | Moderate to tough | Coordination Compounds, Amines, Chemical Kinetics, Ionic Equilibrium (Buffer), Inorganic Chemistry |
| Overall | Moderate | |
Commonly asked questions
Clearing the JEE Main exam in first attempt is not a difficult task. Several students clear JEE Main while in class 12. One thing that makes it easy to clear JEE Main with class 12 is that students are in regular touch of most JEE syllabus. To score good marks in JEE Main in the first attempt, it is advised that you study class 11 and 12 topics thoroughly, clear all the concepts and solve mock test papers. Also, NCERT books which you study in class 11 and 12 are the best books for JEE Main preparation. Students must study NCERT properly and solve all the questions in the book and do not memorize the concepts as some students do rather understand the concepts.
Why Identifying the Easiest Shift Matters in JEE Main 2026?
Knowing the easiest shift in JEE Main 2026 can help understand how the normalisation process may affect the candidates' scores. An easier shift increases the cutoff required since it will be easy for all the candidates of a particular shift, thus students require more marks to maintain their percentile. This is, however, not the case for a tough shift. This is why shift-wise difficulty analysis is important to determine the expected JEE Main marks vs percentile.
Easiest Shift of JEE Main 2026 January Session Exam
The National Testing Agency (NTA) is conducting the JEE Main 2026 session 1 exam on January 21, 22, 23, 24, 28 and 29, 2026. The exam is held in two shifts each day, resulting in a total of 10 shifts during the January session. Candidates can check the following space to understand the subject-wise and overall difficulty level of each shift in the exam. The table below is updated as per the students’ reactions and the JEE Mains 2026 paper analysis by subject experts.
| Exam Day | Shift 1 | Shift 2 |
|---|---|---|
| January 21 | Overall - Moderate
|
Overall - Moderate
|
| January 22 | Overall - Easy to Moderate
|
Overall - Moderate to Difficult
|
| January 23 | Overall - Moderate & Lengthy
|
Overall - Moderate to Hard
|
| January 24 | Overall - Moderate & Lengthy
|
Overall - Moderate
|
| January 28 | Will be available soon | Will be available soon |
Commonly asked questions
Candidates can check JoSAA opening and closing ranks on the official website. They have to enter the details asked to check the list of courses and colleges based on the OR and CR of each counselling round.
A good score in JEE Main 2026 will be the score that either qualifies you for JEE Advanced or for admission to NIT/IIIT/GFTI of your choice.
As per the provisional answer keys released by NTA, Arnav Gautam has secured 300 out of 300 marks in the JEE Main 2026 session 1 exam. Another student who has claimed to have scored 300/300 in JEE Main 2026 is Pasala Mohith.
Is There Any Fixed Pattern for the Easiest Shift?
There is no fixed pattern for any particular shift being the easiest shift of JEE Main. In some years, morning shifts were found to be more straightforward, while in other sessions, an afternoon shift had easier Mathematics or formula-based Physics questions. Difficulty levels vary based on question design rather than the exam schedule. Thus, predicting the easiest shift in advance is unreliable.
Easiest Shift of JEE Main in Previous Year
Based on trends from earlier JEE Main sessions, students report that one or two shifts during the first half of the exam window feel easier. In such shifts, achieving a 99 percentile often required higher scores in the range of 180-190 marks, depending on the overall paper level. The easiest shifts usually have-
- More NCERT-based questions
- Less lengthy calculations
- Balanced distribution of easy-to-moderate questions
What Does an Easy Shift Actually Mean?
An easy shift increases competition within the shift.
- Average scores tend to be higher
- More students attempt a larger number of questions
- Cutoffs in terms of raw marks increase
- Small mistakes can impact the percentile significantly
JEE Main January 2026 Shift-Wise Questions with Answer Key Solutions
The JEE Main 2026 January question paper with solutions will be available here for all shifts.
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 3 days ago
V
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, NTA reopened the JEE Main 2026 session 2 registration window from March 12 to 13.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, the JEE Main 2026 January question papers have been released. The official papers were made available with the response sheet of the candidates under their respective logins on the official website - jeemain.nta.nic.in.
M
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 days ago
If a question is dropped in the JEE Main exam, then the candidates of the shift from which the question is dropped will get bonus marks. It does not matter if you attempted the question or not. If a question from your shift is dropped then you will be eligible for +4 bonus marks.
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 days ago
To be able to complete all questions in the JEE Mains question paper in 3 hours, candidates can follow a simple trick below:
Attempt the questions in rounds. Such as:
- In round 1, attempt the questions you find easy. Spend 45-60 minutes here.
- In round 2, go for moderate questions. Do not spend more than
A
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 4 days ago
The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 (January) exam was widely considered moderate to tough. Many students found it more challenging than in the previous years.
The question paper consisted of time-consuming questions. Mathematics and Chemistry were considered tricky, while Physics was relatively more managea
N
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
If the details mentioned on the JEE Main admit card are incorrect, then candidates should immediately contact the NTA helpline to get it corrected at +91-11-40759000.
Y
Contributor-Level 7
Answered 5 days ago
Yes, you can wear a hijab in the JEE Mains exam as it is considered a religious item. However, you will likely undergo enhanced security checks at the exam centre.
You should arrive early to complete this frisking process. Make sure to keep your face visible for identification.
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 5 days ago
The SUPR section is comparable to JEE Main, but REAP section is considered challenging as it requires creative thinking and "out-of-box" problem solving. It can be compared to the Olympiad level questions.
S
Contributor-Level 7
Answered a week ago
OJEE and JEE syllabus is somewhat same and different in some places. The OJEE syllabus for Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics is different from JEE. In JEE, the physics syllabus includes topics such as Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Optics, etc. These topics require knowledge of physics topics.
S
Contributor-Level 6
Can students get admission in DIT without JEE Main scores?