JEE Main 2026 Jan 23 LIVE: NTA day 3 exam over; paper analysis, memory-based question soon

Based on student feedback and analysis, the relative difficulty order for the JEE Main 2026 January 23 evening shift was: Mathematics > Physics > Chemistry.

Candidates can check memory-based questions shared by students for a preliminary view of the JEE Main 2026 paper. On exam day, only the admit card, a valid photo ID, and essential stationery are allowed; electronic devices and other unauthorised items are prohibited.

The JEE Main 2026 marking scheme assigns four marks for each correct answer in the MCQ section, while one mark is deducted for every incorrect attempt. Numerical value questions carry no negative marking, and answers must be filled in the exact format provided, usually rounded to the nearest integer. Each subject—Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry—consists of 25 questions, divided into Section A (20 MCQs) and Section B (5 numerical value questions), making the total exam score 300 marks.

The Physics section included most major chapters, with higher representation from Electrostatics, Magnetism, and Mechanics. Optics had fewer questions, while some experiment-based or analytical questions required careful calculation. "Students needed to manage time effectively as a few questions were more challenging than typical JEE Main questions," Sharma added.

The January 23 evening shift of JEE Main 2026 was of moderate difficulty. While Mathematics posed a slightly higher challenge, Physics and Chemistry were easier to moderate. The paper was well-balanced across chapters and sections. "Overall, the distribution of questions ensured fair coverage of the syllabus," said Ajay Sharma, National Academic Director, Engineering, Aakash Educational Services Limited.

Based on subject experts, the JEE Main 2026 January 23 shift 2 exam was moderate to tough. Candidates scoring slightly lower marks than in easier papers may still achieve higher percentiles. Tentative percentile ranges include 99.5, 99.1, and 98.5 for the moderate difficulty level. Official percentile and score information will be released by NTA after publication of the answer key and results.

Read More: JEE Main 2026 January 23 Shift 2: Overall moderate; physics time-consuming, chemistry manageable

The chemistry section was easy to moderate and comparatively simpler than physics for JEE Main 2026 Jan 23 shift 2 exam. Topics included coordination compounds, chemical bonding, structure of atom, general organic chemistry, biomolecules, and chemical kinetics. The paper had approximately eight statement-based and three to four assertion-reasoning questions. Inorganic chemistry carried slightly higher weightage compared to organic and physical chemistry.

The JEE Main 2026 January 23 shift 2 mathematics section was of moderate difficulty and relatively easier than physics. Questions were lengthy and required careful calculation, making time management important. Topics covered included vector algebra, three-dimensional geometry, matrices, sets, integral calculus, differential equations, limit, continuity and differentiability, probability, sequence and series, quadratic equation, binomial theorem, conic sections, and trigonometry. Students reportedly attempted 8–12 questions on average, taking around 90 minutes.

The JEE Main January 23 physics section of shift 2 was rated on the tougher side. Students spent around 60 minutes on average and were able to attempt 10–11 questions. Key topics included laws of motion (momentum conservation), rotational motion (moment of inertia), EM waves, ray optics (prism, lens in liquid), thermodynamics, fluid mechanics (terminal velocity, viscosity, error measurement), electrostatics, semiconductors, and kinematics. No questions were reported from wave optics, alternating current, or modern physics.

Memory-based reports indicate that the overall difficulty level of the January 23 evening shift was moderate. Among the three subjects, physics was relatively tougher, followed by chemistry and mathematics. Compared to the morning shift on the same day, the evening session was slightly easier in some sections, though a few questions in physics and chemistry were statement-based or assertion-reasoning type. Portions of the Class 11 syllabus were reported to be covered more than Class 12.

The paper analysis for the JEE Main 2026 January 23 shift 2 exam will be shared shortly. Candidates who appeared in the afternoon session, held from 3 pm to 6 pm, are expected to provide their feedback on the difficulty level and section-wise experience. Coaching institutes may also release memory-based questions and unofficial answer keys in the coming hours to help students review the paper before the official updates from the NTA.

The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026 January 23 shift 2 exam has concluded. The afternoon session, held from 3 pm to 6 pm, was conducted across multiple exam centres in computer-based mode. Candidates are expected to soon share their reactions, including the overall difficulty level and section-wise experience.

The question paper for the JEE Main 2026 January 23 shift 1 exam has not been released by the National Testing Agency. NTA does not publish question papers for individual shifts. Candidates may refer to memory-based questions shared by students and coaching institutes after the exam; however, these are unofficial and should be used only for reference.

The NTA has issued an advisory for candidates appearing for JEE Main 2026 session 1 in Nanded. In view of the “Hind Di Chadar” Samagam being organised by the Government of Maharashtra on January 24 in tribute to Guru Tej Bahadur Ji, traffic movement in the city may be affected. Candidates with exam centres in Nanded have been advised to report well in advance and carry their JEE Main 2026 admit card along with a valid government-issued photo ID, as documents may be checked during security or traffic checks. Candidates are advised to plan their travel accordingly to ensure timely arrival at the examination centre.

After the conclusion of the JEE Main 2026 January 23 shift 2 exam at 6 pm, exam centres will begin the exit and verification process. Candidates are required to leave the premises only after the invigilators’ instructions. Student feedback is expected to emerge gradually once candidates leave the centres.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has not yet announced the release date for the JEE Main 2026 admit card for candidates appearing in the January 28 exam. The admit card will be issued on the official website, jeemain.nta.nic.in, once released. Candidates are advised to regularly check the website for updates, as the hall ticket is mandatory for entry to the exam centre.

The steps to download the JEE Main admit card 2026 are given below.

• Visit the official website at jeemain.nta.nic.in.
• Click on the JEE Main 2026 admit card link on the homepage.
• Log in using the application number and password.
• The JEE Main 2026 admit card will be displayed on the screen.
• Download the admit card and take a printout for exam day use.

Home State open category cut-off ranks for BTech Mechanical Engineering at NITs showed wide variation in the final round of JoSAA counselling. Among leading institutes, NIT Surathkal closed at 12,126, followed by NIT Tiruchirappalli at 14,978 and NIT Warangal at 17,643, indicating high competition. Mid-ranked NITs recorded closing ranks around the 20,000–45,000 range, while several newer and northeastern NITs saw cut-offs extending beyond five lakh, reflecting differences in demand and seat preference across institutes.

Read More: JEE Main 2026: NIT BTech mechanical engineering cut-offs and rank variations across institutes

Candidates who score around 50 marks in JEE Main 2026 often look for an estimate of the corresponding percentile. However, the testing agency calculates percentiles based on the normalisation process, which depends on the difficulty level of each shift and the performance of all candidates. NTA will release the official percentile only along with the JEE Main 2026 results. Any percentile estimate before the result declaration should be treated as indicative, not final. The expected JEE Mains percentile 2026 for 50 marks is as follows

Once the January 23 shift 2 exam ends, candidates are expected to share feedback on the overall difficulty level, section-wise performance, and key topics asked in physics, chemistry, and mathematics.  Detailed exam analysis for the JEE Main 2026 January 23 shift 2 paper, based on student reactions and subject experts’ inputs, will be updated after the conclusion of the examination.

The JEE Main 2026 January 23 shift 1 exam was rated easy to moderate by students. Physics was considered the easiest section, chemistry was balanced, while mathematics involved lengthy questions requiring careful calculation. The JEE Main 2026 January 23 shift 2 exam is currently underway and is scheduled to conclude at 6 pm. Once the exam ends, candidates are expected to share their reactions regarding the overall difficulty level, section-wise analysis, and key topics asked in the paper.

The first shift of the JEE Main 2026 January 21 exam was rated moderate to tough by students. Mathematics emerged as the most challenging section, while chemistry was reported to be tougher than last year. Physics was considered moderate. The exam was held from 9 am to 12 noon.

No, the National Testing Agency (NTA) has not yet issued the JEE Main 2026 admit cards for January 28 exam. Once released, candidates will be able to download the JEE Main 2026 admit cards for January 28 exam through the official website at jeemain.nta.nic.in.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has begun the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026 exam for day 3 shift 2. The testing agency will be conducting the shift 2 examination until 6 pm.

As per the marking scheme, candidates will be given 4 marks for each correct response, whereas one mark will be deducted for each wrong answer. Notably, there will be no marks deduction for unanswered questions. 

The JEE Main 2026 Day 23 shift 1 paper was easy to moderate in difficulty level. As per the students' reaction, the JEE Main 2026 shift 1 maths section was the most challenging after Physics and Chemistry.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will begin the JEE Main 2026 shift 2 soon for BTech candidates. The shift 2 exam will be conducted from 3 pm to 6 pm.

• Candidates should report to the exam centre as per the reporting time mentioned on the JEE Main admit card.
• Entry to the exam centre will not be permitted after the gate closing time.
• Candidates should undergo biometric verification and identity checks before entering the exam hall.
• If a candidate leaves the examination hall for a bio-break, biometric verification and frisking will be carried out again before re-entry.
• Electronic devices such as mobile phones, calculators, smart watches, and Bluetooth-enabled items are not allowed inside the exam hall.
• Candidates should not carry bags, books, papers, or personal belongings to the exam centre.
• Rough work should be done only on the sheets provided at the centre.
• Any unfair means or violation of exam rules may lead to disqualification.

Candidates must bring the following documents to the JEE Main 2026 exam centre. 

• Printed copy of the JEE Main admit card downloaded from the official website.
• One valid photo identity proof such as Aadhaar card, passport, voter ID, PAN card, or driving licence.
• One passport-size photograph, preferably the same as uploaded in the application form.
• PwD certificate issued by a competent authority, if applicable.
• Transparent ballpoint pen, if permitted as per the admit card instructions.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the JEE Main 2026 exam for shift 2 today from 3 pm to 6 pm.

Candidates who are going to appear for the JEE Main 2026 day 3 shift 2 exam from 3 pm to 6 pm can check the list of items prohibited inside the exam hall. 

Candidates appearing for the BArch drawing test should bring their own geometry box, set, pencils, eraser, and colour pencils or crayons. They will, however, not be allowed to use watercolours on drawing sheets. The list of prohibited items are given below:

• Instrument,
• Geometry,
• Pencil box,
• Handbag,
• Paper, stationery, or textual material,
• Eatables and water,
• Mobile phone, ear phone, microphone, pager, calculator, docupen,
• Slide rules, log tables,
• Camera, tape recorder,
• Watch, electronic watch with calculator facilities.
• Any metallic item or electronic gadgets.

Candidates who will be appearing in the JEE Main 2026 day 3 shift 2 exam can download their JEE Main 2026 admit cards through the official website at jeemain.nta.nic.in. The login details to download the admit cards include JEE Main application number and password.

The overall difficulty level of the JEE Main 2026 Day 3 shift 1 paper was moderate in nature. Here is the subject-wise analysis of the JEE Main 2026 Jan 23 shift 1 paper.

Mathematics

• Moderate to Difficult
• Around 7–8 questions were lengthy and time-consuming. Strong problem-solving ability and time management were essential to attempt the section effectively.

Chemistry

• Easy to Moderate
• Well balanced across all topics. While most questions were straightforward, a few tricky ones tested conceptual clarity.

Physics

• Easy to Moderate
• Majority of questions were concept- and formula-based, making the section manageable for well-prepared students.

The JEE Main 2026 day 3 shift 1 paper was easy to moderate in difficulty level. 

Ujjwal Singh, founding CEO, infinity Learn said: “This paper clearly reinforced an important shift in competitive exams success is moving beyond speed to depth of understanding. Mathematics tested students’ ability to apply concepts under time pressure, while Physics and Chemistry rewarded those with strong fundamentals. Consistent revision and conceptual clarity, rather than last-minute preparation, made the real difference in this shift. Advised to students is to focus on building strong fundamentals rather than chasing shortcuts.”

The JEE Main 2026 day 3 shift 1 paper's difficulty level was easy to moderate and the paper was at the same level as compared to the JEE Main 2025 shifts. The overall level of the JEE Main 2026 Jan 23 shift 1 was as follows:

• Maths> Chemistry> Physics

As per the subject experts, Maths was lengthy, while Chemistry was balanced, and Physics was easy. On an average, good number of questions are attempted by students in this shift

JEE Main 2026 Janunary 23 Shift 1 analysis. (Image source: Careers360)

The JEE Main 2026 Jan Shift 1 exam was moderate to tough and the higher percentile will be for a little lesser marks than those of the easy difficulty level papers.

A candidate scoring 120 to 129 marks in JEE Main 2026 can expect a percentile between 96.80 and 96.06. 

The JEE Main 2026 Jan 23 shift 1 question paper contained following questions as given below.

Physics:

•  2 questions from Error analysis
•  1 matching-type question from Electrostatics
•  1 question from the Lyman series and de Broglie wavelength
•  2 questions from Optics
•  1 question from Current Electricity
•  1 question from MOI
•  1 question from angular momentum
•  1 question from AC
•  1 question from magnetic effect of current

Chemistry:

• 1 question from Some basic concepts of chemistry ( Mole Concept)
•  1 question from Chemical Bonding
•  1 question from biomolecules

Maths:

• 1 Question from Relation
•  6 Questions from Trigonometry
•  Question from Matrices
•  Questions from Vector Algebra and Three-Dimensional Geometry
•  Questions from Integral Calculus
•  Questions from coordinate geometry
•  Question from the Differential equation
•  Question from Application of derivatives (Area under the curve)
•  Question from Probability
•  No Questions from Limits
•  Question from Sequence & Series

The JEE Main 2026 Jan 23 shift 1 exam, held from 9 am to 12 noon, was easy to moderate in difficulty level, as per the student's reaction.

The JEE Main 2026 Day 3 shift 1 Physics questions included as following:

• 2 questions from Error analysis
• 1 matching-type question from Electrostatics
• 1 question from the Lyman series and de Broglie wavelength
• 2 questions from Optics
•  1 question from Current Electricity
•  1 question from MOI
• 1 question from angular momentum
• 1 question from AC
•  1 question from magnetic effect of current

The overall difficulty level of the exam was easy to moderate. The paper was at the same level as compared to the JEE 2025 shifts.

• Overall level of JEE Main 23rd Jan Morning shift: Maths> Chemistry> Physics

Maths was lengthy, while chemistry was balanced, and physics was easy and on an avgare good number of questions are attempted by students in this shift, as per student's reaction.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) is yet to issue the JEE Main admit card 2026 for January 28 and 29 exams. Once issues, candidates will be able to download the JEE main 2026 admit cards through the official website at jeemain.nta.nic.in.

The JEE Main 2026 shift 1 paper for January 21 and 22 were easy to moderate to tough. The subject experts will soon issue the January 23 shift 1 paper analysis for BTech candidates. 

JEE Main 2026 Jan 23 shift 1 concludes. (Image source: Careers360) 

Candidates securing 99.9 percentile in JEE Main paper 2026 can expect a rank between  93240 and 114780.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has successfully concluded the JEE Main 2026 January 23 shift 1 exam for BTech candidates. Subject experts will soon release the shift 2 paper analysis as per student's reaction.

Candidates who will be appearing for the JEE Main 2026 Jan 23 in shift 2 can download the admit cards through the official website at jeemain.nta.nic.in using the login credentials such as application number and password.

Candidate scoring around 87.5 marks in JEE Mains 2026 can expect a rank between 117151 - 143434. 

The JEE Main 2026 session 1 exams were scheduled on January 21, 22, 23, 24, 28 and 29 in dual shifts. The forenoon shift will be held from 9 am to 12 noon, while the afternoon shift will be conducted from 3 to 6 pm.

The JEE Main 2026 session 2 exams will be held from April 2 to 9.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will declare the JEE Main 2026 results for BTech admissions on February 12. The JEE Main result link will be publish at jeemain.nta.nic.in.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has already concluded JEE Main 2026 examination for January 21, and 22. Currently, the testing agency is conducting the JEE Main 2026 exam today for shift 1 and will conclude it at 12 noon. The testing agency will conduct the remaining JEE Main 2026 exams on January 24, 28 and 29.