JEE Main 2026 Jan 21 Session 1 Shift 2 Paper Analysis: Difficulty Level & Free Question Paper PDF
The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 January 21 Shift 2 examination is finally over across all centres nationwide. The exam was held on January 21 (3 PM–6 PM). The JEE Main Exam is conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) in computer-based test (CBT) mode. The Session 1 exam will continue until January 29, 2026, with morning and afternoon shifts each day for Paper 1 (BE/B.Tech).
Approximately 14.5 lakh students have registered for the JEE Main Session 1 exam. As the first shift has commenced, it is time to do an overall paper analysis along with a subject-wise analysis. We will also share student insights and feedback. Students can find question paper PDFs and the latest updates, which will be useful for the upcoming JEE Main Session 1 exams.
- JEE Main Session 1 Paper Analysis (All Shifts) (Live Now)
- JEE Main Session 1 Paper Analysis (21 January Shift 1) (Live Now)
- JEE Main Session 1 Paper Analysis (22 January Shift 1) (Live Now)
- JEE Main Session 1 Paper Analysis (22 January Shift 2) (Live Now)
- JEE Main Session 1 Paper Analysis (23 January Shift 1) (Live Now)
- JEE Main Session 1 Paper Analysis (23 January Shift 2) (Live Now)
- JEE Main Session 1 Paper Analysis (24 January Shift 1) (Live Now)
- JEE Main Session 1 Paper Analysis (24 January Shift 2) (Live Now)
- JEE Main Session 1 Paper Analysis (28 January Shift 1) (to be active soon)
- JEE Main Session 1 Paper Analysis (28 January Shift 2) (to be active soon)
- JEE Main Session 1 Paper Analysis (29 January Shift 1) (to be active soon)
- JEE Main Session 1 Paper Analysis (29 January Shift 2) (to be active soon)
JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 2 Exam (Shift Timing & Structure)
The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Shift 2 examination was conducted on January 21, 2026, in the afternoon shift from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM. The entry gates were closed at 2:30 PM, and candidates were allowed to log in and read instructions from 2:50 PM onwards. As per the marking scheme, 4 marks were awarded for each correct answer, while 1 mark was deducted for every incorrect response.
| Parameter | Details |
| Exam Date | 21 January 2026 |
| Shift | Shift 2 (Afternoon) |
| Reporting Time | Around 1:00 PM |
| Last Entry | 2:30 PM |
| Exam Time | 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM |
| Duration | 3 Hours |
| Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Paper | Paper 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 2026 January 21 Shift 2 Overall Paper Analysis
JEE Main 2026 Session 1, both shifts, has successfully completed. The JEE Main 2026 Jan 21 shift 2 ended at 3 PM. The overall difficulty level of the paper can be said to be of a moderate level. We will discuss the paper in complete detail in this blog. A subject-wise and overall analysis will be done along with chapter-wise weightage. Feedback from students will also be discussed in the blog.
Expert Analysis: According to the paper’s difficulty and questions, experts predict that 99%ile cut-off will be at 170-180 marks for this shift.
Subject-Wise Difficulty Level (Shift 2)
Here is a brief exam paper analysis of the difficulty level of the physics, chemistry, and mathematics sections. Also, check out the chapters that are of the highest weightage.
| Subject | Difficulty Level | Most Important Topics |
| Physics | The weightage of inorganic was more compared to organic. | Thermodynamics, fluids, energy, and EM waves, Friction, Gravitation, Potential Energy, Wave optics. |
| Chemistry | Moderate | The weightage of inorganic was more comapred to organic. |
| Mathematics | Difficult and Lengthy | Vector and calculus, differential, coordinate, circle, statistics, probability, ellipse, inverse trigonometry. |
| Overall Diffiiculty | Moderate | – |
JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Shift 2: Most Difficult Section
The most discussed question after every JEE exam is which section was the most difficult in the paper. In the JEE Main Session 1 Shift 2 exam, the most difficult section was found to be the maths section, which is followed by the chemistry section. The physics section was mostly doable in both shifts of the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 exam.
JEE Main 2026 Jan 21 Shift 2 Mathematics Paper Analysis
The mathematics section in Shift 2 was lengthy and time-consuming overall. The difficulty level can be said to be on the difficult side.
- 7-8 lengthy questions.
- 8-9 questions were easy to moderate level.
- 9-10 questions were moderate but lengthy.
- 4-5 questions were said to be of a difficult level.
JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Shift 2 Mathematics Analysis (Topic-Wise Weightage)
| Chapter | Weightage (%) | Approx. No. of Questions (Out of 25) |
| Sets and Relations | 4.4% | 1 |
| Logarithm | 0.4% | 0 |
| Quadratic Equations & Inequalities | 3.2% | 1 |
| Sequences and Series | 5.2% | 1–2 |
| Binomial Theorem | 4.4% | 1 |
| Matrices and Determinants | 7.6% | 2 |
| Permutations & Combinations | 5.2% | 1–2 |
| Probability | 4.8% | 1 |
| Vector Algebra | 5.6% | 1–2 |
| 3D Geometry | 6.4% | 2 |
| Complex Numbers | 4% | 1 |
| Statistics | 1.6% | 0–1 |
| Trigonometric Ratios & Identities | 1.6% | 0–1 |
| Inverse Trigonometric Functions | 2.8% | 1 |
| Straight Lines & Pair of Straight Lines | 3.6% | 1 |
| Circle | 2.4% | 1 |
| Parabola | 4% | 1 |
| Ellipse | 3.2% | 1 |
| Hyperbola | 0.8% | 0 |
| Functions | 3.2% | 1 |
| Limits, Continuity & Differentiability | 5.2% | 1–2 |
| Differentiation | 0.4% | 0 |
| Application of Derivatives | 2.4% | 1 |
| Indefinite Integrals | 2% | 1 |
| Definite Integration | 4.8% | 1 |
| Area Under the Curve | 4% | 1 |
| Differential Equations | 5.6% | 1–2 |
JEE Main 2026 Jan 21 Shift 2 Chemistry Paper Analysis
The chemistry section of JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Shift 2 is said to be of moderate level difficulty. Many questions were NCERT-oriented and slightly lengthy, with a mix of physical, organic, and inorganic chemistry. 2 questions came from coordination compounds, 4 questions from organic chemistry, 2 questions from chemical bonding and many from inorganic chemistry.
- The overall chemistry section was standard and of moderate level.
- 5-6 questions were direct and of an easy level.
- 13-14 questions were of a moderate level, which is basically the JEE Main level. But some of them were lengthy as well.
- 3-4 questions were of a difficult level.
- As the paper had numericals and calculations, the time taken to attempt this section in Shift 2 was said to be 40-45 minutes.
Students with thorough preparation for almost a year can easily attempt 16-17 questions targeting 65+ marks.
Chemistry Shift 2 (Topic-Wise Weightage)
| Chapter | Weightage (%) | Approx. No. of Questions (Out of 25) |
| Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry (Mole Concept) | 5.2% | 1–2 |
| Structure of Atom | 4.4% | 1 |
| Redox Reactions | 2.4% | 1 |
| Chemical Equilibrium | 2.4% | 1 |
| Ionic Equilibrium | 3.2% | 1 |
| Solutions | 3.6% | 1 |
| Thermodynamics | 6.8% | 2 |
| Electrochemistry | 5.6% | 1–2 |
| Chemical Kinetics & Nuclear Chemistry | 5.2% | 1–2 |
| Periodic Table & Periodicity | 6% | 2 |
| Chemical Bonding & Molecular Structure | 4% | 1 |
| d and f Block Elements | 5.2% | 1–2 |
| Coordination Compounds | 7.2% | 2 |
| Salt Analysis | 2% | 1 |
| Basics of Organic Chemistry (GOC) | 6.8% | 2 |
| Hydrocarbons | 5.2% | 1–2 |
| Haloalkanes & Haloarenes | 4% | 1 |
| Alcohols, Phenols & Ethers | ~4% | 1 |
| Aldehydes, Ketones & Carboxylic Acids | ~5% | 1–2 |
| Compounds Containing Nitrogen | ~3% | 1 |
| Biomolecules | ~2% | 1 |
| Polymers | ~1–2% | 0–1 |
| Environmental Chemistry | ~1–2% | 0–1 |
JEE Main 2026 Jan 21 Shift 2 Physics Paper Analysis
Physics in Shift 2 was scoring and formula-based, with several direct questions. Students found the numericals manageable, and theory-based questions were straightforward. The paper was predictable, and this is good news for students.
Physics Shift 2 (Topic-Wise Weightage)
| Topic | Questions | Weightage (%) |
| Mechanics (Kinematics, Laws of Motion, Rotational Motion) | 5 | 20% |
| Current Electricity & Circuits | 3 | 12% |
| Optics (Ray & Wave) | 3 | 12% |
| Modern Physics (Semiconductors, Atomic/Nuclear) | 3 | 12% |
| Thermodynamics & Heat | 2 | 8% |
| Electromagnetism (EMI, AC) | 2 | 8% |
| Units & Dimensions/Errors | 2 | 8% |
| Electrostatics/Capacitance | 2 | 8% |
| Others (Calorimetry, Fluids) | 3 | 12% |
JEE Main 2026 Jan 21 Shift 2 – Student Reactions & Feedback
As per the student feedback after the exam, the sentiment was that the Shift 2 paper was of a moderate level. Mathematics was the toughest, chemistry had some lengthy numericals, and physics was doable if well-prepared. Here are some key pointers:
- Physics: Mechanics and optics questions were straightforward in the Physics section. Circuit analysis, semiconductors, and EMI numericals were lengthy and a little time-consuming.
- Chemistry: This section had application-heavy questions in organic reactions. The section was dominated by physical and inorganic chemistry.
- Mathematics: The paper was very lenghty and there were many difficult-level questions. The section was dominated by calculus.
JEE Main 2026 January 21 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
| Subject | JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Shift 1 Question Paper |
| Physics | Download JEE Main 2026 Session Shift 1 Physics Paper |
| Chemistry | Download JEE Main 2026 Session Shift 1 Chemistry Paper |
| Mathematics | Download JEE Main 2026 Session Shift 1 Mathematics Paper |
How to Download the JEE Main 2026 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?
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 programmes in India. The JEE Main exam is also a qualifying exam for JEE Advanced.
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 JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 2 paper is considered to be of standard moderate level. Mathematics was the toughest section, and the physics section was doable.
Based on the student feedback and memory-based questions, mathematics was the most difficult section in the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Shift 2 paper.
The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 result is expected to be announced after the release of the final answer key, usually within a few weeks of the exam. The estimated date for JEE Main 2026 Session 1 results is February 12, 2026.
The physics section is a doable and predictable section for the Shift 2 paper. Students can consider that the physics section is a scoring section for this shift with many direct and easy-level questions.
The exam time for the JEE Main exam Shift 1 on 22 January is between 9 AM and 12 PM. Students should arrive between 7:30 AM and 8:30 AM to avoid any hassle.
JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 2 Chemistry section was of a moderate level. Most questions were from physical and inorganic chemistry. Whereas, only a few questions were from organic chemistry.
Yes, the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Shift 1 mathematics section was very tough compared to the physics and chemistry sections.