The hardest shift of the JEE Main 2026 January session exam is the Jan 23 shift 2. Scroll down to know why this shift is said to be the toughest shift and find a subject-wise comparison for all other shifts. In this article, we have provided a detailed analysis of the toughest shift of the JEE Main 2026 session 1 exam.
Toughest Shift in JEE Main 2026 January Session: Shift-wise Analysis
Toughest Shift of JEE Mains 2026 January Session Exam - NTA conducted the JEE Mains 2026 exam for session 1 in a total of 10 shifts to accommodate all the students. The toughest shift for JEE Mains 2026 is Jan 23 shift 2 exam. This conclusion is based on the students' reactions and opinions of subject matter experts. The toughest shift for JEE Mains 2026 - Jan 23 shift 2 is followed closely by the Jan 22 shift 2 exam. This year, the trends have shifted; the JEE Mains exam is nothing like the previous years. Chemistry, which is usually considered the easiest subject comparatively, has been rated difficult and lengthy across all shifts. Students barely got time for the maths section after the chemistry and physics section as the questions were extremely lengthy. Students should know about the toughest and easiest shifts for JEE Mains 2026 for a better understanding of the JEE Main 2026 marks vs percentile of that shift.
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✔ Out of the 10 completed shifts, January 23 Shift 2 is considered the toughest.
✔ January 22 Shift 2 ranks as the second toughest shift.
✔ This is based on students’ reactions and expert analysis of memory-based questions.
✔ Tougher shifts usually result in lower marks required for higher percentiles.
- Which Is Toughest Shift in JEE Main 2026 January Session?
- Why is JEE Mains Jan 23 Shift 2 Toughest?
- Toughest Shift of JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Exam: Analysis
- Why Knowing the Toughest Shift of JEE Main 2026 Matters?
- Is There Any Fixed Pattern for the Toughest Shift?
- Toughest Shift of JEE Main: Past Year Trends
- What Does Tough Shift Actually Mean?
- JEE Main Rank Predictor
- JEE Main College Predictor by Shiksha
- JEE Main January 2026 Shift-Wise Questions with Answer Key Solutions
Which Is Toughest Shift in JEE Main 2026 January Session?
The JEE Mains 2026 Session 1 exam has been completed. This year, all the shifts of the JEE Main session 1 exam 2026 have been on the tougher side. However, the Jan 23 shift 2 exam is widely regarded as the hardest shift of the JEE Main 2026 exam. This is followed by the JEE Mains Jan 22 shift 2 paper, which is considered the second toughest shift in JEE Main 2026.
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 is JEE Mains Jan 23 Shift 2 Toughest?
Candidates can check below the reasons why JEE Main Jan 23 shift 2 is the toughest shift for JEE Mains 2026. A common trend for all the shifts is given below.
| Subject |
Difficulty level |
Topics Covered |
|---|---|---|
| Maths |
Moderate and lengthy |
Coordinate Geometry, Straight Lines and Circles, Conic Sections (Ellipse and Parabola), Trigonometry, Calculus, Vectors & 3D Geometry, Matrices and Determinants, Sequences and Series, Probability, Relations, Quadratic Equations |
| Physics |
Tricky and difficult |
Fluid mechanics, errors in measurement, units and dimensions, viscosity |
| Chemistry |
Moderate and lengthy |
Biomolecules, coordination compounds, GOC |
Toughest Shift of JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Exam: Analysis
Candidates can check the following space to understand the subject-wise and overall difficulty level of each shift in the exam. Towards the end of the session 1 exam, students will be able to identify the toughest shift of the JEE Mains January session 2026. The table below will be 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 | Overall - Moderate
|
Overall- Easiest Shift (Easy to Moderate)
|
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.
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.
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Why Knowing the Toughest Shift of JEE Main 2026 Matters?
Knowing which shift was easier or more challenging in JEE Main 2026 can also be helpful in understanding the normalisation process. 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.
Is There Any Fixed Pattern for the Toughest Shift?
There is no fixed pattern for any particular shift being the toughest. In some years, students found the initial days to be the easiest shifts in JEE Main, while in others, they were found to be the toughest. Based on previous JEE Main sessions, difficulty has fluctuated across days and shifts without following a consistent pattern. Sometimes the first two days were relatively easier, while in other attempts, a mid-session paper turned out to be the most demanding. Hence, predicting the toughest shift in JEE Main is neither accurate nor useful.
Commonly asked questions
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.
A good score in JEE Mains 2026 is 180 to 210+ marks, which translates to a 99+ percentile.
Toughest Shift of JEE Main: Past Year Trends
Looking at recent years, a common observation among students has been that the first one or two days of the exam tend to feel easier. In such sessions, high percentiles required comparatively higher raw scores. For instance, in some January sessions, scoring around 180 marks was necessary to touch 99 percentile mark when the paper difficulty was moderate to easy. However, this does not mean that having a later shift is bad. When the paper is tougher, the marks required for the same percentile drop significantly. This is where the percentile system comes into play and ensures fairness despite changing difficulty levels.
What Does Tough Shift Actually Mean?
A tougher shift does not mean that the candidates will have a bad rank or lower chances of selection. A tougher paper makes it easy to get a good percentile for students who are well-prepared.
- 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
Commonly asked questions
The best way to handle tough topics in any subject is to study the concepts of that particular topic. The conceptual understanding of any topic gives us the clarity to solve theoretical as well as numerical questions from that topic. NCERT text books are the best material to understand the core concepts.
Students who are in class 12 and would also be appearing in JEE Mains exam mostly find it difficult to manage both their class/school and JEE studies. However, all these students have an advantage over others/droppers aspirants as there are many common topics in class 12 and JEE.
To benefit, they must identify all the topics that are common and study those first. Secondly, cover the topics that have more weightage in class 12 and complete them. Before a few days of JEE Mains, study specifically for JEE. This way, they can manage both class 12 and JEE efficiently.
While NCERT books are good to begin the JEE Mains preparation, students should not study only NCERT. As JEE Mains exam is known to test candidates conceptual and analytical skills, and to have all the knowledge that would help in achieving a good score, candidates must also refer other study materials as recommended by teachers to prepae for the exam.
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.
JEE Main Rank Predictor
Students can calculate their rank using the rank predictor of JEE Main. The rank predictor of JEE Main 2026 helps candidates in understanding and minimising their anxiety regarding the result of JEE Main 2026. The algorithm used in the rank predictor of JEE Main 2026 is programmed to provide ranks on the basis of the past few years and student details.
Also Read: JEE Main marks vs percentile
JEE Main College Predictor by Shiksha
After having an idea about their probable rank or percentile, students start looking at which colleges will be available for admission. The JEE Main college predictor 2026 tool offered by Shiksha is quite helpful in understanding which NITs, IIITs, and other colleges are likely available for admissions based on previous closing ranks. This is particularly helpful in situations where the student feels that the paper is quite tough, and as such, their percentile is low despite performing quite well.
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JEE Main January 2026 Shift-Wise Questions with Answer Key Solutions
| 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 23 hours ago
Yes, students can get admission at Shivalik University with JEE Main scores. To get admission in engineering courses at Shivalik University, students must have 65% in Class 12 with valid subjects. The final selection is base don JEE Main/ UKSEE. To get admission, students must fulfil the eligibility
G
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
No, JEE Main is not compulsory to get admission in BTech at Chanakya University. The university considers valid score of entrance exams such as: JEE, KCET, COMEDK or any other state entrance exam.
R
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
Yes, candidates can apply for BTech admission at Manav Rachna University, Faridabad without appearing in JEE Main. Aside from this entrance exam, MRU also accepts scores of SAT, MRNAT, MRSAT and CUET-UG for BTech admissions.
S
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 3 days ago
Yes, the university opens distinct institutional counseling phases based on individual exam score availability for BTech admissions at KIET University. JEE Main high-rankers generally get priority seating selections during the initial registration weeks of the academic cycle. CUET applicants and mer
R
Contributor-Level 9
Answered 4 days ago
You can access official, free mock tests directly on the National Testing Agency (NTA) Mock Test Portal.
N
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, JEE Main is required for admission to IIT Bombay's BTech programmes. It is an eligibility requirement for JEE Advanced. Students cannot get admission to IIT Bombay using only the JEE Main score. Aspirants must appear for JEE Advanced and participate in JoSAA counselling for final seat allotment
G
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
HBTU JEE Main cutoff 2026 ranged from 51696 to 98963 for the OBC AI category in the third round. As per this range, BTech in Computer Science and Engineering was the most competitive branch for admission, with a cutoff of 51696.
On the other hand, the least competitive branch was Chemical Technolog
N
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
Yes, Bhopal has plenty of flexible options for students without a JEE score. Most private colleges in Bhopal accept MP DTE counselling scores or offer direct admission based on Class 12 marks and personal interviews. Colleges like VIT Bhopal accept VITEEE scores, while many other private institution
T
Contributor-Level 10
Answered 4 days ago
You can apply to the state counselling by Veer Madho Singh Bhandari Uttarakhand Technical University, formerly Uttarakhand Technical University (UTU), via JEE scores.
A
Contributor-Level 8
Answered 4 days ago
With a JEE Main rank of 69,000, you can secure core branches at lower-tier NITs, newer IIITs, GFTIs, or at reputed state and private universities.
Y
Contributor-Level 8