JEE Mains 2026 Jan 29 LIVE: BArch, BPlanning memory-based questions with solutions, answer key soon

Candidates who appeared for JEE Main 2026 can download their response sheet and answer key from the official website, jeemain.nta.nic.in.

IIIT Hyderabad has very high JEE Main cut-offs, especially for CSE. General category candidates usually need a near-perfect percentile (around 99.7 or higher) and very low ranks through JoSAA. However, the institute also offers admission through UGEE, which allows students to apply without using JEE Main scores.

NTA is expected to release the JEE Main 2026 answer key within 3 to 5 days after the exam ends. Candidates can check the JEE Main answer key on the official website jeemain.nta.nic.in.

The JEE Main 2026 January 22 shift 1 paper is considered one of the easiest shifts of session 1. Even students aiming for average percentiles needed high marks, showing that it was an easy-to-score paper.

The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 results are expected to be announced by February 12, 2026. The exact time has not been confirmed by the NTA, but results are usually released in the evening, around 6 pm, tentatively.

Yes, a 97 percentile in JEE Main is very good, as it places you in the top 3% of candidates and gives you chances for admission to good NITs, IIITs, and top state engineering colleges.

As per the JEE Main 2026 schedule, the session 2 exam will be held from April 2 to April 9, 2026. The registration process is expected to begin soon.

The JEE Main 2026 percentile predictor is available on Careers360 and helps students easily estimate their expected percentile based on their exam performance, so they can understand their chances and plan what to do next.

The JEE Main 2025 qualifying cutoffs for JEE Advanced and JoSAA counselling are roughly 93.10 percentile for General, 80.38 for EWS, 79.43 for OBC-NCL, 61.15 for SC, and 47.90 for ST and PwD candidates.

It is expected that the NTA will announce the JEE Mains 2026 response sheet release date soon on its official website. Based on the last year's trends, the JEE Main response sheet will be published in the first week of February.

The NTA conducted JEE Main 2026 session 1 from January 21 to 28 in two shifts for BTech and BE, and on January 29 for BArch and BPlanning in a single shift. According to student feedback, most papers were moderate to tough. Mathematics was lengthy with heavy calculations, Chemistry was concept-based, and Physics was comparatively easier and balanced.

Also read: JEE Main 2026 Overall Analysis: Session 1 ‘moderate’ in difficulty; toughest BE, BTech shift

Once the NTA releases the JEE Main 2026 question paper PDF and response sheet, students can download the shift-wise papers by logging in to the official website, jeemain.nta.nic.in, using their application number and date of birth. These are usually available a few days after each exam shift. For now, the JEE Main 2026 memory-based question paper is available for download.

According to the official brochure, the JEE Main 2026 result date for session 1 is February 12. Candidates can check their JEE Main session 1 result on the official website, jeemain.nta.nic.in.

Based on early student feedback and expert opinions, the January 22 Shift 1 is considered the easiest shift of the JEE Main 2026 Session 1. The paper was balanced and easy to manage, with simple questions in Physics and Chemistry.

Since the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 result will be announced on February 12, the NTA is expected to release the JEE Main 2026 answer key about 3 to 5 days after the exam ends. 

The table below shows the JEE Mains marks vs percentile for January 28 Shift 1 and Shift 2. It helps students estimate their percentile based on their exam marks. Higher marks mean a higher percentile and better performance.

A score of 120 marks in JEE Main 2026 is usually seen as a good score. It can give a percentile between 93 and 97 and an expected rank of around 33,000 to 55,000.

Based on the last year's trends, the expected JEE Main 2026 cutoff to be eligible for JEE Advanced is around the 93.5 to 95 percentile for General (UR) students, 80.5 to 82.5 for Gen-EWS, 79.5 to 81.5 for OBC-NCL, and 61.5 to 64 percentile for SC candidates.

As per JEE Main 2026 exam trends, the expected JEE Main cutoff for the general category is 93- 95 percentile, for OBC-NCL it is 80-82 percentile, and for SC and ST it is 60-49 percentile.

Scoring around 100 marks in JEE Main is considered a good performance for candidates from reserved categories. However, a 93rd percentile score is not regarded as strong for General category candidates. 

Students with a 93th percentile in JEE Main 2026 may still be eligible for admission to certain IIITs and GFTIs, depending on their category and the specific course.

JEE Main 2026 marks vs ranks expected out of 300 for 100 marks is given in the table below

To be eligible for JEE Advanced 2026, candidates must secure a place among the top 2.5 lakh students in JEE Main. For the General category, this usually corresponds to a score of around 90–115+ marks, or roughly the 93–95 percentile. In contrast, the qualifying cutoffs for reserved categories are lower, generally falling in the range of about 60–82 percentiles.

NTA JEE Main 2026 session 1 results are expected to be announced by February 12, as per the official brochure.

NTA JEE Main 2026 Jan 29 BArch and BPlanning was held from 9 am to noon, and both BArch and BPlanning papers will be completed by 9 am to 12:30 pm.

To secure the 100 marks in JEE Main 2026, candidates will need a 93.802033 percentile and a rank of 91426.

According to JEE Main 2026 paper analysis, the toughest shift overall was in Jan 23 evening shift.

Most balanced papers: 21 January Morning and 24 January Morning
Mathematics was consistently lengthy across all shifts
Chemistry played a major role in rank determination, with an emphasis on statement-based and mixed-concept questions, particularly in Physical Chemistry
Physics remained moderate, except for the 23 January Evening shift
Class 11 syllabus had dominant weightage in most shifts
Time management emerged as the key differentiator, especially in Mathematics and Chemistry

As compared to Chemistry and Physics, the Mathematics part was the toughest in the JEE Main 2026 Jan shift 2 paper in terms of difficulty level. 

• 3 Questions from Vector Algebra and Three-Dimensional Geometry
• 4 Question from Integral Calculus
• Question from the Differential equation
• 1 Question from Coordinate Geometry
• 1 Question from Limit, Continuity, and Differentiability.
• 1 Question from Probability

According to student reactions and several subject experts, the toughest shift of JEE Main 2026 was the Jan 23 shift 2 paper. The physics and chemistry section was moderate in difficulty, while maths was the toughest. 

As per the subject experts and students' reaction, the JEE Mains 2026 28 Jan shift 2 paper difficulty level for physics was 'easy-to-moderate.' The maths and chemistry were 'moderate' as well in difficulty. 

As per the NTA schedule, the JEE Main session 1 result is expected to be announced by February 12. 

As per JEE Marks vs percentile 2026 expected trends, a student obtaining 100 marks in JEE Mains 2026 can expect a percentile of 93.80. 

As per NTA updates, a total of 13,00,368 candidates appeared for the JEE Main 2026 exam till Jan 28. Also, 4,314 PwD candidates appeared for the exam. The overall attendance has been recorded at 96.26% for JEE Main 2026 session 1 till now.

The JEE Main 2026 exam on January 29 will be conducted from 9 am to 12 noon for BArch, while candidates appearing for both BArch and BPlanning will have the exam from 9 am to 12:30 pm.

According to the Careers360 experts and students' reactions, the overall analysis of the JEE Main 2026 session 1 exam is as follows. 

NTA will give compensatory time for PwD/PwBD candidates of 20 minutes per hour of exam will be given to those who are eligible for scribe.

The total time duration for Paper 2A (BArch), Paper 2B (BPlanning), and Paper 2A (B.Arch) & Paper 2B (BPlanning) both are given in the table below:

The prohibited items inside the exam hall for JEE Main 2026 are as follows.

• 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.

The minimum JEE Main qualifying marks 2026 as per trends is shown in the table below.

The testing agency announces NTA JEE Main cutoff BArch 2026 after the session 2 exams are held. 

NTA JEE Main BArch 2026 scheme of exam is shown in the table below.

The JEE Main 2026 28 Jan shift 2 paper analysis and difficulty are shown in the table below.

The unofficial JEE Main January 29 question paper with solutions will be published shortly, based on memory-based questions compiled by subject experts and coaching institutes.

More than 13 lakh candidates appeared till date for the JEE Mains 2026 examination with an overall attendance of 96.26%.

NTA JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 shift 2 memory-based questions in the physics section were as follows.

• 2-3 questions from modern physics
• 2 questions from Ray optics (Topic - Bifocal lens)
• 2 questions from electrostatics
• 2 questions from current electricity (Topic - 1 from Wheatstone Bridge)

The memory based question shared by students who appeared for the JEE Main 2026 28 Jan shift 2 exam in the Chemistry section were as follows.

• 1 question from Chemical Kinetics
• 1 question from Ionic Equilibrium (Buffer Solution)
• 2 questions from Coordination Compounds
• 1 question from Amines

• The Mathematics section in this JEE Main 28 Jan shift 2 was of moderate difficulty and was tougher than Physics and Chemistry, though easier than the morning shift. The paper had lengthy and calculation-heavy questions, making time management important. 
• Most students attempted around 8 to 12 questions and took nearly 90 minutes to complete the section. 
• While most questions were from the prescribed syllabus, a few were lengthy or slightly different from previous years’ JEE questions, making smart question selection and strong basics essential for scoring well.

Candidates can watch Careers360’s live analysis of the JEE Main January 28 Shift 2 exam, shared by subject experts, on YouTube.

The memory-based questions shared by students who appeared for JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 shift 2 were as follows.

• 3 Questions from Vector Algebra and Three-Dimensional Geometry
• 4 Question from Integral Calculus
• Question from the Differential equation
• 1 Question from Coordinate Geometry
• 1 Question from Limit, Continuity, and Differentiability.
• 1 Question from Probability

The overall difficulty level of the Physics section in the JEE Main January 28 evening shift was easy and easier than the morning shift. It was simpler compared to Mathematics and Chemistry, with mostly formula-based questions and easy calculations.

NTA JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 shift 2 memory-based questions in the physics section were as follows.

• 2-3 questions from modern physics
• 2 questions from Ray optics (Topic - Bifocal lens)
• 2 questions from electrostatics
• 2 questions from current electricity (Topic - 1 from Wheatstone Bridge)

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has concluded the JEE Mains 2026 January 28 shift 2 paper for BTech admissions. The shift 2 paper analysis will soon be shared on the basis of students' reactions and subject experts comments.

The JEE Mains 2026 January 28 shift 1 paper was moderate in difficulty level. Students find Mathematics as the most challenging and time-consuming, whereas Chemistry and Physics were almost at equal difficulty level.

The JEE Mains 2026 January 23 shift 2 paper was moderate in difficulty parameter. The shift 2 exam witnessed Physics as the most challenging with time-consuming questions, followed by Chemistry and Mathematics, which were relatively easy. 

The JEE Mains 2026 answer key and analysis will be shared after the National Testing Agency (NTA) will conclude the JEE Mains 2026 January 28 shift 2 exam for BTech admissions.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conclude the JEE Mains 2026 January 28 shift 2 at 6 pm today. Once concluded, a JEE Mains 2026 exam paper analysis will be shared on the basis of students' reactions and comments by subject experts.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conclude the JEE Mains 2026 day 5 shift 2 at 6 pm today. 

The National Testing Agency (NTA) is currently conducting the JEE Mains 2026 day 5 shift 2 exam and will conclude it at 6 pm. Once over, coaching centres and various subject experts will share the exam paper analysis.

JEE Mains 2026 Day 5 shift 2 exam will conclude at 6 pm. (Image source: Careers360)

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will declare the Joint Entrance Examination Mains 2026 - JEE Mains 2026 results by February 12, as per the official notification. Candidates who will qualify the JEE Mains 2026 will be eligible to appear for the JEE Advanced exam for admission to BTech programmes at the Indian Institute of Technology (IITs).

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the Joint Entrance Examination Mains (JEE Mains) 2026 session 2 exam from April 2 to 9 in dual shifts. The testing agency will begin the registrations for JEE Mains 2026 session 1 exams in the last week of January 2026.  

The National Testing Agency (NTA) will conduct the JEE Mains 2026 day 5 shift 2 exam from 3 pm to 6 pm. Today is the last day for BTech or BE candidates to appear for the JEE Mains 2026 exam.

The highest JoSAA closing rank 2025 for the BTech programme was 17,304 at NIT Tiruchirappalli, followed by 22,901 at NIT Karnataka and 25,239 at NIT Warangal, reflecting the continued high level of competition at these institutes. Whereas, the mid-tier NITs such as NIT Allahabad, NIT Bhopal, and NIT Nagpur recorded JEE Main closing ranks in the 35,000 to 45,000 range, showing a moderate level of competition.

The leading NITs continue to be highly competitive for PwD candidates, largely due to improved infrastructure, including ramps, elevators, and disabled-friendly washrooms. An analysis of the JEE Main 2025 cut-offs for the open-PwD category in BTech CSE indicates that female candidates and home-state PwD applicants are at an advantage in several institutions.

JEE Main 2026: Top NITs still competitive for PwD candidates, show BTech CSE closing ranks

JEE Main 2026 session 2 exam dates are April 2 to 9.

As per the NTA's schedule, the JEE Main result 2026 is expected by Feb 12.

As per the expected JEE Main 2026 marks vs percentile trends, 80 marks are likely to range between 89 to 91 percentile. The JEE percentile is considered an average score for the general category students in the exam.

JEE Mains 2026 marks vs percentile (expected)

Overall Difficulty Order: Mathematics > Chemistry > Physics

According to the National Academic Director, Engineering at Aakash Educational Services Limited, Ajay Sharma, the JEE Main 2026 shift 1 paper was moderate in difficulty level. Among the 3 sections, Maths was the most difficult and time-consuming, while Chemistry and Physics were of almost equal difficulty.

The JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 shift 1 maths section featured "lengthy" questions, many of which required detailed calculations, making time management crucial. 

As compared to Physics and Chemistry, Maths was more challenging. Overall, the difficulty level of the Maths section was higher than that of the shifts conducted between January 21 and 24.

The memory based question shared by students who appeared for JEE Main 2026 28 Jan shift 1 exam in Maths section were as follows. 

1 Question from Sets, Relations, and Functions
1 Question from Matrices & Determinants
3-4 Questions from Vector Algebra and Three-Dimensional Geometry
2 Questions from Integral Calculus
2-3 Questions from Conic Sections (1 Ellipse Question, 1 Circle Question)
1 Question from the Differential equation
1 Question from Probability
1 Question from Statistics (Related to mean deviation)
3 Questions from Sequence & Series (AP-GP related Question)
1 Question from Inverse Trigonometry

NTA conducted the JEE Main 2026 January 28 shift 1 examination from 9 am to 12 pm at various exam centres. Based on students’ feedback, the overall difficulty level of the question paper was moderate. Among the three sections, Mathematics was considered the most challenging, whereas Physics and Chemistry were rated as moderate in difficulty.

JEE Mains 2026 Jan 28 Shift 1: Students find BTech Paper 1 moderate overall, maths most difficult

JEE Main 28 Jan shift 1 | As per subject experts, Organic Chemistry dominated the Chemistry section, with more weightage than Inorganic and Physical Chemistry, and it also turned out to be quite lengthy. 

Notably, number of questions were based on named reactions from the organic portion. Physical Chemistry featured statement-type questions, which required careful reading and conceptual clarity. Overall, candidates typically need around 55–60 minutes to attempt the Chemistry section effectively.

The overall difficulty level of the Chemistry section in the JEE Main 28 January morning shift was moderate, comparable to the shifts conducted between 21 and 24 January. In terms of relative difficulty, Chemistry was easier than Mathematics but more difficult than Physics. The paper was generally doable for candidates who had completed proper revision of the syllabus.

Careers360's JEE Main Jan 28 shift 1 live analysis updates shared by subject experts can be checked by test-takers on YouTube. 

The memory-based questions shared by students who appeared for JEE Main 2026 shift 1 Jan 28 were as follows.

• 2 questions from Electrochemistry (Nernst Equation)
• 1 question from d-block elements
• 2 questions from Coordination Chemistry (Diamagnetic and Paramagnetic)
• 1 question from Biomolecules
• 2 questions from Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
• 1 question from GOC
• 2 questions from Amines
• 1 question from Solutions
• 1 question from Ionic Equilibrium

As per Careers360 subject experts, the JEE Mains paper shift 1 analysis for Physics was 'moderate' in difficulty level. However, this physics was tough in this shift as compared to the maths and chemistry sections in previous shifts.

NTA JEE Main 28 Jan shift 1 memory-based questions in physics section were as follows.

• 1 question from modern physics
• 2-3 questions from ray optics (Topic - lens, prism)
• 1 question from electrostatic (Topic - Electric potential energy)
•  1 question from semiconductor (Topic - Diode)
• 2-3 questions from current electricity (Topic- Wheatstone Bridge)
• 1 question from alternating current (Topic - RMS current)

The overall difficulty level of JEE Main 2026, 28th January morning shift was moderately hard. The overall paper was a bit more difficult as compared to the last year of JEE Main.

Students can use the JEE Main 2026 rank predictor tool to evaluate their performance and predict their scores for engineering admissions. The steps to use the Careers360 JEE Main 2026 rank predictor tool are as follows. 

• Visit the official website of Careers360. 
• Select Scores/ Percentile
• Enter the JEE Main 2026 session (January/ April)
• Provide the JEE Mains scores (out of 300) & difficulty level
• In the last 3 blanks, enter your application number, date of birth and mobile number
•  Click on the “Predict My Rank” button.

Subject experts will soon share the JEE Main 28 Jan shift 1 paper analysis based on students' reactions and memory-based questions. 

Candidates are advised to carry their JEE Mains 2026 admit card to the exam hall for the Jan 28 shift 2 exam along with a government-issued ID for verification purposes. 

The JEE Main 2026 paper 1 marking scheme for MCQs and numerical questions is as follows.

NTA is yet to announce JEE Main 2026 session 2 registration dates. As per the schedule, JEE Main 2026 exam will be held from April 2 to 9 in two shifts.

According to subject experts, the JEE Main 2026 January 23 shift 2 exam was of moderate to tough difficulty. Candidates who scored slightly lower than in easier shifts may still secure high percentiles. For this level of difficulty, tentative percentile estimates range around 99.5, 99.1, and 98.5. 

NTA will announce the JEE Main 2026 scores and percentiles once the answer key and results are published.

NTA conducted the JEE Main 2026 session 1 Jan 28 shift 1 exam. Updates regarding the question paper analysis and memory-based questions will be available soon to candidates so that they can evaluate their performance. 

Several subject experts will publish the JEE Main 2026 answer key for the Jan 28 shift 1 exam soon, based on the memory-based questions shared by students. 

The JEE Main 2026 cut-offs for NIT Srinagar across BTech branches in the last year were as follows.

JEE Main NIT cut-offs. (Image: Wikimediacommons)

As per the schedule, NTA will annouce JEE Main 2026 result on February 12. 

At the NITs tuition fees for general category students typically range between Rs 1 lakh and Rs 2 lakh per year. When hostel and mess charges, which add another Rs 25,000 to Rs 50,000, are included, the total annual cost comes to around Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs 2.5 lakh. Students from SC, ST, and differently-abled categories often receive fee waivers or scholarships.

Leading NITs such as Trichy, Surathkal, Warangal, Rourkela, and Jaipur boast placement rates of 90–100%. The average salary offered to graduates from these institutes ranges between Rs 8 lakh and Rs 12 lakh per annum, while top packages from companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and Google can go as high as Rs 40–50 lakh per annum.

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

The anlaysis for shift 1 JEE Mains 2026 question paper are given below

As per the subject experts and students' reactions from last year's data, the JEE Main 2025 Jan 28 shift 1 paper was considered the toughest. 

The memory-based questions by students who appeared for the JEE Main 2026 Jan 23 shift 1 exam were as follows.

The expected JEE Main 2026 marks vs percentile as per trends are as follows. 

The shift 1 JEE Mains 2026 question paper was largely formula-based, and many students reportedly took more than an hour to complete exam. The memory based questions asked in the exam were as follows.

Chemistry topic-wise questions

• 1 question from Salt Analysis
• 1 question from Electrochemistry
•  4 questions from Coordination Compounds (Paramagnetic and Diamagnetic)
• 1 question from GOC
• 1 question from Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure
• 1 question from Amines
•  1 question from Chemical Kinetics
• 1 question from Solutions

Maths topic-wise questions

• 3 Questions from Vector Algebra and Three-Dimensional Geometry
• Question from Sets
• Question from Integral Calculus
• 1 Question from Coordinate Geometry
• Question from the Differential equation
• Question from Limit, Continuity, and Differentiability.
• Question from Matrices & Determinants
• 1 Question from Probability
• 1 Question from Permutation & Combination
• 2 Questions from Sequence & Series
• 1 Question from the Quadratic equation
• 0 Question from the Binomial equation
• 4 Questions from Conic Sections and Straight line (1 from Ellipse and 1 from Circle)
• 1 Question from Trigonometry

The subject experts will publish the JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 shift 1 question paper PDF along with the answer key and analysis, so that candidates can review the responses and calculate their expected marks. 

Careers360 will provide the JEE Main 2026 January 28 shifts-wise analysis, giving a detailed comparison between shift 1 and shift 2.

NTA will conclude the JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 shift 1 exam at 12 pm. Once the exam is over, subject experts and coaching institutes will publish the official JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 shift 1 answer key. Candidates will be able to evaluate their responses and calculate their expected JEE Main 2026 scores using the unofficial answer keys available online.

Ranked among the top 10 engineering institutes in the NIRF 2025 rankings, NIT Tiruchirappalli recorded its closing rank for BTech CSE admissions under the OBC-NCL (PwD) category at 18. For female-only seats, the lowest closing rank for BTech CSE at NIT Trichy last year was 8,020.

JEE Mains 2026: How tough is NIT Tiruchirappalli's BTech CSE? Category-wise cut-off trends

The JEE Main 2026 qualifying cut-offs expected as per previous years' trends are as follows.

IIT Roorkee will hold the JEE Advanced 2026 exam for BTech admissions on May 17. The admission test will be held for a duration of 6 hours, consisting of two papers, Paper 1 and Paper 2, for each hour. 

As per the NTA JEE Main 2026 session 1 schedule, the results will be announced on February 12 on the official website, jeemain.nta.nic.in.

NTA JEE Main 2026 session 1 exams were scheduled for January 21, 22, 23, 24, and 28 in two shifts for BE/BTech. The BArch and BPlan paper will be conducted on January 29 in a single shift. The JEE exam is being conducted in CBT mode at authorised centres in India and overseas.

A total of 10,76,486 candidates were registered to appear for the JEE Main 2026, out of which 10,36,211 have taken it so far, resulting in an overall attendance rate of 96.26%. Of those who appeared, 9,96,774 candidates, or 96.19%, have completed Aadhaar verification. The NTA also reported that 3,453 PwD candidates have registered for the current session.

JEE Main mock test free download is available on the mobile app ‘National Test Abhyas to practice the questions. The mock tests will help to increase the efficiency of solving questions. JEE Main mock tests make students familiar with the style and scope of the question paper.

JEE Main 2026: Digital ID proof invalid; latecomers won’t be allowed, NTA issues exam-day guidelines

Admission counselling data released by the JoSAA indicates strong demand for newly introduced BTech programmes in artificial intelligence, machine learning (AI-ML), and data science at the NITs.

JEE Main 2026: Closing ranks for AI, ML, data science at NITs highlight rising demand

NTA has started the JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 shift 1 exam. The exam will conclude at 12 pm. 

After the JEE Main 2026 January 21 Day 1 exam, the National Testing Agency (NTA) cautioned students against fake paper leak claims, clarifying that such reports are false and should be ignored.

Among the most competitive NITs, NIT Tiruchirappalli, NIT Warangal, NIT Karnataka (Surathkal), and NIT Rourkela recorded the lowest closing ranks, all remaining under 6,000 for the open category.

NIT Tiruchirappalli continued to rank among the top choices, with its closing rank improving significantly to 3,283 in 2025, compared to 15,587 in 2024 and 7,153 in 2023. NIT Warangal followed with a closing rank of 5,057, while NIT Surathkal closed at 4,347. Overall, these institutes have maintained strong demand over the past three years, with only minor fluctuations in closing ranks, indicating sustained student interest.

JEE Main 2026 cut-offs for NIT Trichy (Image: Official website)

The last 5-year paper analysis across both shifts for JEE Main 2026 is shown in the table below. 

JEE Main Session 1 Exams 2026: What the last 5 years' analysis reveals about paper difficulty level

The subject-wise distribution of marks for the JEE Mains 2026 session 1 examination are given below. 

The JEE Mains 2026 shift 1 question paper has asked questions from topics in Maths as listed below. 

• 2-3 questions were from Vector Algebra and 3D geometry
• 1 question from quadratic equations
• 1 question from Matrices, which was a bit lengthy
• 2 questions were from sets and relations
• Arithmetic and Geometric Progression
• 3 questions were from Conic Sections (related to parabola, hyperbola
• 1 Question was also from Application of derivatives
• Binomial Theorem
• Trigonometry

Students can access the JEE Main PYQ to practise and evaluate their performance. The steps to download the JEE Mains question paper with solutions are as follows.

• Visit the official website at jeemain.nta.ac.in
• Click on the download section. 
• Click on Question Papers or Previous Year Question Papers.
• Select the year and session
• Download the JEE Mains question paper PDF
• Solve the PYQs to know your preparation level

Based on feedback from students who appeared in JEE Main 2026 on January 21 shift 2, views on the paper’s difficulty were mixed. Students rated the Physics section as moderate and found Mathematics easy, adding that the Physics questions were comparable in difficulty to those asked last year.

Meanwhile, according to students’ reactions to the January 21 Shift 1 paper, Chemistry was considered the most challenging section, followed by Mathematics, while Physics was the easiest. Overall, the difficulty level of the Shift 1 exam was described as moderate.

JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 shift 1 paper today. (Image: Careers360)

Students appearing for the JEE Main exam 2026 can download the JEE Main hall ticket through the official website, jeemain.nta.nic.in. Candidates will have too enter their application number and password. 

How will JEE Mains 2026 be conducted? Things to carry, exam day guidelines

The difficulty level of the JEE Main 2026 January 24 morning shift paper was moderate, with Mathematics being the most time-consuming section, followed by Physics. Whereas Chemistry was relatively easier, as per the students’ reaction.

JEE Main 2026 day 4 shift 1 paper easy-to-moderate in difficulty; students find maths, physics tough

To maintain fairness, the NTA applies a normalisation process for JEE Main, under which percentile scores are calculated. These percentiles reflect the percentage of candidates in a particular shift who have scored equal to or less than a given candidate.

If a candidate appears in more than one session, the highest percentile score achieved is considered for the final JEE Main result. The All India Rank (AIR) and eligibility for JEE Advanced are based on percentile scores rather than raw marks.

JEE Main 2026 is conducted by the NTA in two sessions, with Session 2 scheduled from April 2 to April 9, 2026.

Candidates are required to bring a properly filled JEE Main 2026 self-declaration form to the examination centre. The National Testing Agency (NTA) has provided this form on its official website, jeemain.nta.nic.in, and it is accessible through the JEE Main 2026 admit card. Additionally, candidates without an Aadhaar number must submit an additional declaration form, which can be downloaded by logging in with their application number and password.

The JEE Main 2026 exam day guidelines are as follows.

• Candidates may wear jackets, sweaters, or full-sleeve clothing, provided these do not contain any metal components.
• Male candidates are permitted to wear trousers, jeans, or shirts without metal buttons or zippers.
• Female candidates may wear salwar-kameez or other comfortable attire that allows easy security checks.
• Sikh candidates are allowed to wear and carry religious articles such as the Kara and Kirpan.
• Footwear should be simple and free from metal parts that could interfere with security screening.
• Items like watches, jewellery, belts, and all other accessories must be removed before entering the examination hall.
• In general, clothing should be plain and suitable for quick and hassle-free security checks at the exam centre.

Are jackets, caps, full sleeves allowed? JEE Main 2026 dress code for female, male candidates

The JEE Main 2026 marking scheme gives 4 marks for each correct answer in the MCQ section, while 1 mark is deducted for every incorrect attempt. Numerical value questions (NVQs) carry no negative marking, and answers must be filled in the exact format provided, usually rounded to the nearest integer. 

On JEE Main 2026 exam day, only the admit card, a valid photo ID, and essential stationery are allowed; Every electronic device and other unauthorised items are prohibited in the exam hall.

The table below shows expected JEE Main marks vs. percentile for 2026, based on trends.

The list of prohibited items inside the exam hall for JEE Main 2026 is as follows.

• 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.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has issued several guidelines for the JEE Mains 2026 candidates. The guidelines are given below.

• Candidates can wear jackets, sweaters, or full-sleeved clothing without metal. Male candidates may wear trousers, jeans, or shirts, ensuring no items with metal buttons or zippers.
• Female candidates may wear salwar-kameez or similar clothing suitable for security checks.
• Sikh candidates are allowed to carry religious articles, including KARA and KIRPAN.
• Footwear should be simple, without metal parts that may trigger security checks.
• All types of watches, jewellery, belts, and other accessories should be left outside the exam hall.
• Clothing should allow easy verification at entry and not cause delays.

Candidates who will be appearing for the JEE Mains 2026 exam today 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.

Candidates can download the JEE Mains 2026 admit card for January 28, and 29 through the official website at jeemain.nta.nic.in. The login details to access the JEE Mains 2026 exam hall ticket include application number and password.