NTA has successfully conducted the JEE Mains 2026 session 1 exam. If you are looking for the hardest shift of JEE Mains 2026 session 1, then go no further. Here, we have provided a detailed analysis of all shifts to find the hardest shift for the JEE Mains January session.
Hardest Shift of JEE Mains 2026 January Session: Get Complete Analysis for All Shifts
Hardest shift of JEE Main 2026 January Session (All Shifts Comparison) - National Testing Agency (NTA) concluded the JEE Main January Session 2026 exam with varying difficulty levels across shifts. While some shifts were balanced or moderate, a few stood out as distinctly challenging. Based on student feedback, expert reviews and sectional performance trends. This article highlights the hardest shift of JEE Mains 2026 session 1 exam, along with a detailed shift-wise analysis of the difficult levels. The Jan 23 shift 2 exam is the hardest shift of JEE Main 2026 January session exam. In contrast, the easiest shift of JEE Main 2026 is Jan 28 shift 2.
Also check: JEE Main 2026 Answer Key LIVE
- JEE Main 2026 January Session: Difficulty-Level Highlights
- Difficulty Trends in JEE Main 2026 January Session
- Hardest shift of JEE Main 2026 Session 1: Jan 23 Shift 2
- Shift-Wise Difficulty Analysis of JEE Main 2026 January Sessions
- Subject-Wise Trends Across Shifts
- Impact of the Hardest Shift of JEE Main 2026
- JEE Main January 2026 Shift-Wise Questions with Answer Key Solutions
JEE Main 2026 January Session: Difficulty-Level Highlights
Candidates can check below the JEE Mains 2026 session 1 highlights for the toughest and easiest shifts.
Hardest Overall (So Far)
JEE Main 23 January Shift 2 emerged as the toughest due to severe time management issues and a highly challenging Mathematics and Physics section.
Next Toughest Shifts
January 22 Shift 2 and January 21 Shift 2 were next in the difficulty scale, primarily because of lengthy and concept-heavy Maths questions.
Easiest Shift
January 28 Shift 2 was reported as balanced and relatively scoring, with moderate difficulty across all three subjects.
Score vs Percentile Trend
Candidates from tougher shifts may secure a similar percentile at lower raw marks due to the JEE Main normalisation process.
Difficulty Trends in JEE Main 2026 January Session
The difficulty of JEE Main 2026 varies from shift to shift. However, the following observations stand true while comparing all 10 shifts of JEE Main 2026.
- The JEE Mains exam for session 1 was extremely lengthy across all subjects. Students were hardly able to attempt questions in the Mathematics sections.
- Physics became the scoring subject, though it wasn't easy, but when compared with other subjects, it was less tricky. This section also remained lengthy and conceptually demanding.
- This year, a total shocker was Chemistry, which remained tough in all the shifts. The questions were tricky and lengthy, with a lot more statement-based questions in some shifts.
Hardest shift of JEE Main 2026 Session 1: Jan 23 Shift 2
The most toughest shift in JEE Main 2026 January session exam was shift 2 Jan 23 paper. The subject-wise analysis of the difficulty level for the toughest shift in JEE Main 2026 (Jan 23 Shift 2) will seem like:
| Subject |
Difficulty Level |
Key Challenges |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics |
Difficult & Time-consuming |
Multi-step problems, time crunch, lengthy questions involving too many calculations |
| Physics |
Most Difficult among all subjects |
Concept application-based questions similar to JEE Advanced |
| Chemistry |
Moderate & Slightly Tricky |
Assertion-reason reasoning questions |
Why Jan 23 Shft 2 is the Hardest Shift in JEE Main 2026 Session 1?
- The unusually lengthy paper, Chemistry and Physics sections, left students with less time for Maths
- The physics section required more thinking rather than direct formula application.
- Not just one or two, but all three sections were tricky and lengthy, making none of the sections score.
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Shift-Wise Difficulty Analysis of JEE Main 2026 January Sessions
Here, candidates can check the shift-wise breakdown of the toughest section in JEE Mains session 1 2026. Candidates can find the analysis for all shifts of the JEE Mains 2026 January session exam and can compare the subject-wise and overall difficulty levels across the shifts.
January 21 - Shift 1
| Section |
Difficulty |
Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics |
Moderate - Lengthy |
Standard topics with moderate complexity |
| Physics |
Easy - Scoring |
Direct formula-based questions |
| Chemistry |
Moderate |
More questions from Physical Chemistry, multiple statement-based questions |
| Overall |
Moderate |
Balanced, but mathematics took extra time. Physics became the scoring section |
January 21 - Shift 2
| Section |
Difficulty |
Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics |
Moderate to Difficult |
Algebra and geometry-heavy |
| Physics |
Easy-Moderate |
Mostly modern physics and current electricity |
| Chemistry |
Difficult |
More statement based questions |
| Overall |
Moderate to Difficult |
Chemistry was the deciding factor |
January 22 - Shift 1
| Section |
Difficulty |
Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics |
Moderate |
Calculative but manageable |
| Physics |
Easy |
Formula-based questions |
| Chemistry |
Moderate |
NCERT-oriented |
| Overall |
Easy to Moderate |
Easier than the evening shift of the previous day |
January 22 – Shift 2
| Section |
Difficulty |
Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics |
Very Difficult & Lengthy |
Long calculations, multiple steps |
| Physics |
Easy to Moderate |
Balanced but not scoring |
| Chemistry |
Moderate |
NCERT focus, but tricky numericals |
| Overall |
Moderate to Difficult |
Mathematics dominated the difficulty. Students still consider this shift among the toughest |
January 23 - Shift 1
| Section |
Difficulty |
Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics |
Moderate |
Mixed topics |
| Physics |
Moderate |
Balanced conceptual questions |
| Chemistry |
Moderate |
Standard NCERT topics |
| Overall |
Moderate |
Lengthy and moderate. None of the sections was easy, but not quite as challenging as the toughest shift of JEE Main 2026 |
January 24 - Shift 1
| Section |
Difficulty |
Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics |
Moderate |
Standard with a few lengthy questions |
| Physics |
Moderate |
Balanced mix |
| Chemistry |
Moderate |
Easy and NCERT-oriented |
| Overall |
Moderate and Lengthy |
Time management was the real concern |
January 24 - Shift 2
| Section |
Difficulty |
Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics |
Moderate to Difficult |
Multistep problems |
| Physics |
Moderate |
Formula-based questions |
| Chemistry |
Easy to Moderate |
Standard topics |
| Overall |
Moderate to Difficult |
Slightly tougher than Shift 1 |
January 28 - Shift 1
| Section |
Difficulty |
Highlights |
|---|---|---|
| Mathematics |
Moderate to Difficult |
Lengthy and calculation-heavy |
| Physics |
Moderate |
Standard pattern |
| Chemistry |
Moderate |
Balanced |
| Overall |
Moderate to Tough |
Slightly challenging speclly the math questions, but the overall difficulty balanced out. |
Subject-Wise Trends Across Shifts
- Most shifts had a tough maths section.
- Many questions required multiple steps and a high calculation speed.
- Coordinate Geometry, Calculus, and 3D Geometry were frequent pain points.
Physics
- Physics ranged from scoring to difficult.
- Only in a few shifts (especially January 23 Shift 2) did Physics tilt towards harder, concept-heavy questions.
Chemistry - Chemistry was mostly moderate, but statement-based and assertion-reasoning types in some shifts increased its challenge level.
Impact of the Hardest Shift of JEE Main 2026
Knowing which shift is easier or more challenging in JEE Main 2026 helps understand the normalisation process better. For an easier shift, candidates require more marks to get a higher percentile. In case of a tougher shift, students can get a better percentile even at lower scores. This is why knowing which is the toughest shift helps students know about not just their performance but the performance of other students.
- In a tough paper, the overall average scores are lower
- Fewer students score very high marks
- The JEE Main cutoffs in terms of raw marks reduce
- Even moderate scores can fetch strong percentiles
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JEE Main January 2026 Shift-Wise Questions with Answer Key Solutions
Before the official JEE Main answer key 2026 is released by NTA, coaching institutes provide the memory-based questions with solutions. Candidates can access the JEE Main 2026 January question paper with solutions for all shifts.
| Date |
Shift 1 |
Shift 2 |
|---|---|---|
| January 21, 2026 |
||
| January 22, 2026 |
JEE Main 2026 Jan 22 Shift 1 Question Papers with Answer Key Solutions |
JEE Main 2026 Jan 22 Shift 2 Question Papers with Answer Key Solutions |
| January 23, 2026 |
||
| January 24, 2026 |
||
| January 28, 2026 |
JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 Shift 1 Question Papers with Answer Key Solutions |
JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 Shift 2 Question Papers with Answer Key Solutions |
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Student Forum
Anything you would want to ask experts?Answered 5 hours ago
Yes, you have a great chance of getting admission to MBM University, Jaipur with a 92 percentile as a general female candidate from Rajasthan, especially if you have secured SKIT Jaipur in the mock allotment.
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 6 hours ago
Yes, you have a great chance of getting admission to MBM University in certain branches with a 92 percentile in JEE Main, though getting top branches like CSE may be difficult for the general category.
As you have mentioned that you got SKIT in the mock allotment, which means your rank currently alig
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 8 hours ago
Yes, Galgotias University accepts JEE Main and CUET scores for B.Tech admissions. Students with JEE Main/JEE Advanced/CUET/SAT scores are given preference in the merit list, subject to meeting the Class 12 eligibility requirements. For B.Tech CSE, the current requirement is at least 60% in the speci
S
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 13 hours ago
No, candidates who fulfill Babu Banarasi Das University, Lucknow BTech eligibility criteria do not need to appear in JEE Main to qualify for admission.
However, JEE Main ranks are used to offer scholarships at BBDU, Lucknow. Thus, candidates can choose to appear in this exam for maximizing their cha
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered Yesterday
Because you have passed 12th from NIOS in year 2024. So your three consecutive years for appearing in JEE Mains are 2024, 2025 & 2026. So can't appear in year 2027 as per the eligibility criteria.
Scholar-Level 18
Answered 2 days ago
Invertis University JEE Main cutoff 2025, for all the offered BTech specialisations held the same closing rank of 145410 for round 1 under the General Home State category.
The cutoff data displayed above has been sourced from third-party channels. While we strive to ensure accuracy, cutoffs are subj
R
Beginner-Level 5
Answered 2 days ago
With 98.3% in Class 12, you can easily meet the academic board criteria for IITs (65% required for ST). Since clearing JEE Advanced is mandatory for IIT admission, on the basis of JEE Main score of 56.77 percentile, you likely did not cross the ST category qualifying cutoff to appear for JEE Advance
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 2 days ago
For admission in B.Planning at College of Engineering, you need to pass class 12 with Physics and Maths with at least 50% aggregate marks (45% for reserved categories and OBC candidates) from Maharashtra. Along with this, candidate is also required to qualify in either MHT CET or JEE Main and lastly
A
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
NTA will release JEE Mains 2027 session 1 application form in October 2026.
M
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, candidates can get scholarship based on performance in JEE (Main) for BTech at NIMS University, Jaipur. Details are given below:
| Scholarship Percentage | JEE Rank |
|---|---|
| 60% Waiver in First Year Tuition Fee | AIR upto 1 Lacs in JEE Mains |
| 50% Waiver in First Year Tuition Fee | AIR between 1 Lacs and 2.25 Lacs in JEE Mains |
| 75% Waiver in First-Year Tuition Fee | Qualified JEE Advance |
S
Contributor-Level 10