The Jan 28 shift 2 exam was 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.
The time period required to complete the JEE Main preparation depends mainly on the students. Every student has their own pace of study. Ideally, 6-month time is good enough to complete the JEE Main preparation. Students who have started preparing from class 11 or 12 can easily prepare for JEE Main in 6 months considering the topics of JEE syllabus have already been studied in classes 11 and 12.
JEE Main preparation is most effective with classes 11 and 12 as almost 90-95 percent of topics are similar in both exams. This way students can easily complete the entire JEE Main syllabus as well as the syllabus of classes 11 and 12. After the board exams, students get 1-2 months' time where they can focus entirely on JEE Main. Students who have started late for the JEE Main exam can make a 6-month plan where in the first three months they have to focus on revising the syllabus studied in classes 11 and 12. In the next two months focus on solving questions of JEE Main and analyzing the mistakes being made, if any. The last month should be focused on solving mock tests and JEE Main previous year question papers.
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) conducted 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
The difficulty level of JEE Main exam is a little high than the class 12 board exams. Students who are studying in class 12 can score good marks in JEE Main by studying a little extra for the JEE. Students who have studied NCERT textbooks of Physics Chemistry and Mathematics thoroughly can get good marks. The joint Entrance Examination, popularly known as JEE Main is for admission into NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs for B.Tech and architecture courses in India.
Students who are preparing for JEE Main 2026 must start their preparation by studying NCERT books. It will help in building strong foundation of concepts. Study chapters that have high weightage in JEE Mains and also topics that have been asked in recent years. In the last month before exam, solve mock tests and previous year papers.
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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
Commonly asked questions
JEE Main difficulty level is similar to class 12 board exams. Syllabus of JEE Main is similar to class 11 and 12 syllabus. The questions asked in exam are tricky and need an in-depth understanding of subjects. They need to have conceptual understanding of every topic to score well in exam. Those who study NCERT can get a decent score in JEE Mains.
A score of 70 marks in JEE Mains is considered average to below-average for General category students. This corresponds to a percentile around 88 to 91.
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.
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
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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
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