The Joint Entrance Examination JEE Main 2026 Session 1 commenced on January 21, with lakhs of candidates appearing for the engineering entrance test across examination centres in India and abroad. The exam is being conducted by the National Testing Agency in two shifts each day, with the first shift held from 9 am to 12 noon and the second shift from 3 pm to 6 pm.
The January 21 Shift 1 paper concluded smoothly, and early reactions from students and subject experts indicate that the overall difficulty level of the question paper was moderate. The paper followed the prescribed JEE Main syllabus and exam pattern, offering a balanced combination of conceptual and application based questions.
The Physics section was rated moderate in difficulty. Most questions tested conceptual clarity rather than lengthy numerical calculations. Topics such as Modern Physics and Wave Motion carried noticeable weightage. Questions were largely based on standard formulas and principles, making the section manageable for students with a strong grasp of fundamentals.
The Chemistry section was widely considered the easiest among the three subjects. Physical Chemistry dominated the section with around four questions, while Organic Chemistry contributed one question. Most problems were direct, formula based and factual in nature. Candidates who had revised key concepts and formulas found this section highly scoring. Inorganic Chemistry questions were limited and straightforward.
Mathematics was of moderate difficulty and time consuming for many students. The questions required logical thinking and strong problem solving skills. While no unexpected topics were reported, candidates noted that careful time management was essential to attempt a good number of questions in this section. Calculations were slightly lengthy, but the difficulty level remained within the expected range of JEE Main.
Overall, students reported that a good number of attempts were possible, especially in Chemistry and Physics. Experts believe that the paper was well balanced and fair, allowing well prepared candidates to score confidently. The exam did not include any major surprises and closely followed trends seen in previous JEE Main sessions.
The second shift of January 21 and the remaining exam days will further determine the overall difficulty trend of JEE Main 2026 Session 1. Candidates are advised to wait for the official answer key and response sheet, which will be released by the National Testing Agency after the completion of the examination.
