JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 Session 1 Shift 1 Paper Analysis: Difficulty Level & Free Question Paper PDF
The 5th day of the JEE Main 2026 Exam Session 1, on January 28, Shift 1 was finally completed, and students want to identify the detailed paper analysis. They want to know the exam paper’s difficulty level, so we break down the overall difficulty, the subject-wise difficulty across Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics, and the key highlights to help evaluate overall performance. This is also useful for students whose exams are still to come, as it gives them an idea of the actual exam paper’s difficulty level. The blog will also provide an in-depth analysis of the JEE Main 2026 Shift 1 question paper PDF for your review.
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JEE Main Exam 2026 January 28 Shift 1 (Shift Timing & Structure)
In the JEE Main 2026 exam, 28 Jan Shift 1, students must reach 2 hours before the exam shift time between 9 AM and 12 PM. The exam centre gates were closed at 8.30 AM, where students can read and log in exam instructions from 8.50 AM. The exam paper follows the latest JEE Main structure by including multiple-choice and numerical value questions. Complete details regarding the JEE Main Exam 2026 January 28, Shift 1, are as follows-
| Parameter | Details |
| Exam | January 28, 2026 |
| Shift | Shift 1 (Morning) |
| Reporting Time | 7:00 AM (Around) |
| Last Entry | 8.30 AM |
| Exam Time | 9 AM-12 PM |
| Duration | 3 Hours (180 Minutes) |
| Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Paper | Session 1 – BE/BTech |
| Sections | Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics |
| Questions to Attempt | 25 questions per subject |
| Total Questions | 75 to be attempted |
| Total Marks | 300 |
JEE Main Exam 2026 January 28 Shift 1 Overall Paper Analysis
The JEE Main Exam 2026 Jan 28 shift 1 was completed at 12 PM, and Matrix Academy expert educators have analysed the difficulty of this shift based on the memory-based questions and student feedback. Based on the analysis, the JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 Shift 1 was a moderate to difficult level as well as lengthy. If compared to last year’s JEE Main shifts, this shift was more on the difficult side. The mathematics and chemistry section was the longest, whereas the physics section was more balanced. We will discuss every section’s difficulty analysis in detail below.
Expert Analysis: According to the paper’s difficulty and questions, the expected cut-off mark for 99 percentile is 175 marks.
Subject-Wise Difficulty Level of JEE Main Exam, 28 January 2026 (Shift 1)
The following is a detailed exam paper analysis of the difficulty level of the Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics sections. You can also check out the chapters that are of the highest weightage.
| Subject | Difficulty Level | Topics Appeared in the JEE Main Exam 24 Jan, 2026 Shift 1 |
| Physics | Easy to Moderate | Ray optics, electrostatics, semiconductors, SHM, current electricity, rotation, moment of inertia, fluid mechanics, potentiometers, vernier callipers, and thermodynamics. |
| Chemistry | Moderate (Lengthy) | Coordination compounds, the d-block, and zero error. |
| Mathematics | Moderate to Difficult (Lengthy) | 3d and vectors, ellipses, circles, AP, GP, matrices, differential equations, limits, quadratic equations, sets & relation and integration. |
| Overall | Difficult and Lengthy | – |
JEE Main Exam 2026 Session 1, 28 January 2026 Shift 1: Most Difficult Section
The most difficult section of the JEE Main Jan 28 Shift 1 exam is the mathematics section. The overall maths section was of a moderate to difficult level. After mathematics, chemistry was the most difficult section in the shift, followed by physics. The chemistry section was moderately difficult and very lengthy. The physics section was balanced and the easiest.
JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 Shift 1 Mathematics Paper Analysis
The JEE Main 28 Jan Shift 1 Mathematics section was moderately difficult overall. The questions were very lengthy in nature. The average time taken by students to attempt this section was 70-80 minutes. If compared to Jan 21, Jan 22, Jan 23 and Jan 24 shifts, the difficulty of the maths section was slightly more. The section was doable for students who are good at speed calculation.
- 1 question – Sets, Relations and Functions.
- 1 question – Matrices and Determinants.
- 1 question – Statistics.
- 1 question – Probability.
- 1 question – Differential Equation.
- 3-4 questions – Vector Algebra and 3D geometry.
- 2 questions – Integral Calculus.
- 2-3 questions – Conic sections (1 Ellipse, 1 Circle).
JEE Main 2026, 28 January Session 1 Shift 1 Mathematics Analysis (Topic-Wise Weightage)
| Chapter Name (Topic) | No. of Questions |
| Vector 3D | 3–4 |
| Conic Section | 2 |
| P&C + Probability | 2–3 |
| Matrices & Determinants | 1 |
| Integration | 2 |
| Sequence & Series | 1 |
| Set, Relation & Function | 2 |
| Differential Equation | 1 |
| Quadratic Equation | 1 |
| Limit | 1 |
JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 Shift 1 Chemistry Paper Analysis
The overall difficulty level ofJEE Main 28 Jan Shift 1 Chemistry section was moderate level. The difficulty of this shift chemistry section is at par with the difficulty level of other shifts. The average time taken by students to attempt the chemistry paper was 55-65 minutes. Organic chemistry dominated the section, followed by inorganic and then physical chemistry. 9-10 questions were from organic chemistry, and 2-3 statement-based questions from inorganic chemistry.
- 1 question – d block elements.
- 1 question -biomolecules.
- 1 question -General Organic Chemistry.
- 1 question – Solutions.
- 1 question – Ionic Equilibrium.
- 2 questions – Electrochemistry (Nernst Equation).
- 2 questions – Coordination Chemistry (Diamagnetic and paramagnetic).
- 2 questions – Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure.
- 2 questions – Amines.
JEE Main 2026, 28 January Session 1 Shift 1 Chemistry Analysis (Topic-Wise Weightage)
| Chapter Name (Topic) | No. of Questions |
| GOC | 1 |
| Chemical Bonding | 1 |
| Chemical Kinetics | 1 |
| Electrochemistry | 1 |
| Coordination Compounds | 1 |
| D-Block Elements | 1 |
| Thermodynamics | 1 |
| Ionic Equilibrium | 1 |
| Chemical Equilibrium | 1 |
| Buffer Solutions | 1–2 |
| Mole Concept | 1 |
JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 Shift 1 Physics Paper Analysis
The JEE Main 28 Jan Shift 1 Physics section was easy to moderate level. The physics section of this shift was comparatively easier. The average time taken by students to solve the physics section was 1 hour. And the average number of attempts was 16-18 questions, based on student feedback.
- 1 question – Modern Physics.
- 1 question – Electrostatics (Electric potential energy).
- 1 question – Semiconductor (Diode).
- 1 question – Alternating Current (RMS current).
- 1 question – Mechanical properties of solids (Young’s modulus).
- 1 question — Laws of Motion (friction and inclined plane).
- 2-3 questions – Ray Optics.
- 2-3 questions – Current Electricity (Wheatstone’s Bridge).
- 2 questions – Rotational Motion (moment of inertia and torque).
JEE Main 2026, 24 January Session 1 Shift 1 Physics Analysis (Topic-Wise Weightage)
| Chapter Name (Topic) | No. of Questions |
| Modern Physics | 1 |
| Ray Optics | 2 |
| Electrostatics | 1 |
| Logic Gate | 1 |
| Current Electricity | 2–3 |
| Mechanics | 1 |
| Moment of Inertia | 1–2 |
| Rotation | 2 |
| Fluid Mechanics | 1 |
| Heat & Thermodynamics | 2 |
| SHM | 1 |
| Potentiometer | 1 |
JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 Shift 1 – Student Reactions & Feedback
The overall feedback JEE Main 2026 January 28 Shift 1 paper indicates that the exam was moderate to difficult and mostly lengthy. A detailed subject-wise student feedback and reactions of students are as follows:
- Physics: Most of the students find that the difficulty level of the exam was easy to moderate and lengthy. Most of the questions are based on conceptual and formula-based questions, where numerical value–type questions and core chapters
hold the highest weightage in the exam. - Chemistry: Students find that Chemistry was moderate and lengthy, where they find the core questions are from the NCERT. The Chemistry section includes a mix of theory-based and application-based problems.
- Mathematics: Students find that the Mathematics section was moderate to difficult and highly time-consuming. The Mathematics section was lengthy, with questions from 3d and vectors, ellipses, circles, AP, GP, Matrix, differential equations, limits, quadratic equations, sets, & relation.
JEE Main Exam 2026 January 28 Shift 1 Question Paper
Every year, question papers are released on our website based on the memory-based questions after the paper. Once all the questions are collected, students can download the question papers or memory-based questions, subject-wise, from the table below:
Subject-Wise Questions Papers PDFs of January 28, 2026
| Subject | JEE Main 2026, 28 January Session 1 Shift 1 Question Paper |
| Physics | Download JEE Main 2026, 28 Jan Session Shift 1 Physics Paper |
| Chemistry | Download JEE Main 2026, 28 Jan Session Shift 1 Chemistry Paper |
| Mathematics | Download JEE Main 2026, 28 Jan Session Shift 1 Mathematics Paper |
How to Download the JEE Main 2026, 28 January Shift 1 Question Paper PDF?
Students can download the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Shift 1 question paper from the official website of NTA as well. We will also upload the subject-wise question papers in this blog. Students can download the papers from our website as well.
- Go to jeemain.nta.nic.in.
- Find the link for “JEE Main Papers & Answer Key” or similar.
- Log in using your application number, password/date of birth.
- Select the specific exam date and shift.
- You can then view and download the question paper, answer key, and your response sheet.
When will NTA release the Answer Key and Questions of JEE Main Exam 2026 Session 1?
The NTA will release the answer key almost 7-10 days after the exam. Students can expect the answer key and questions to be released within 2 weeks on the official website. Candidates can cross-check their responses and estimate their scores. Stay updated with the latest updates regarding the JEE Main 2026 exam and results by regularly following the NTA official website.
FAQs
The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) every year. The JEE Main exam is conducted for admissions to undergraduate engineering and architecture programs in India. The JEE Main exam is also a qualifying exam for JEE Advanced.
NTA follows a standard timeline post-exams to release the answer key and results. It is estimated that the results will be released on February 12, 2026. Access scorecards, percentiles, and ranks online at jeemain.nta.nic.in using application number and Date of Birth.
NTA releases the official answer key along with the response sheet a couple of days after the exam. It is estimated that the response sheet will be released along with the questions 2 weeks after the JEE Main 2026 exam.
The overall difficulty level of the exam was moderate to difficult but lengthy. Many candidates were not able to attempt questions in Maths as physics and chemistry took most of their time.
The physics section in JEE Main 2026, January 28 Shift 1, was moderate but lengthy. The questions were heavily conceptual and problem-based.
The Chemistry paper was Moderate and lengthy, with the maximum number of questions from the Organic and Inorganic sections. Some of the frequently asked topics are Coordination compounds, the d-block, and zero error.
One of the most difficult sections is Mathematics, with a difficulty level of Moderate to Difficult and Lengthy. Most commonly asked topics are 3d and vectors, ellipses, circles, AP, GP, matrices, differential equations, limits, quadratic equations, sets & relation and integration.
