The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Paper 1 (BE/BTech) kicked off on 21 January, and students across the country are sharing their experiences. The first shift brought a mixed bag of reactions, with most candidates describing the paper as moderate to difficult. If you appeared for the exam or are planning to take it in upcoming shifts, here's what you need to know about the difficulty level, section-wise analysis, and expert opinions.
Overall Paper Difficulty: What Students Are Saying
Students who walked out of exam centres after the morning shift had plenty to share. The general consensus? The paper was balanced but leaned towards the tougher side, much like the previous year's exam. Most students managed to attempt between 50 to 55 questions in the three-hour window.
Rahul Kumar, who appeared from a Delhi centre, shared his thoughts: "The exam was medium level overall. Chemistry took up most of my time. Physics was also at a moderate level."
Another student, Neha Sharma, mentioned: "The difficulty level matched last year's paper. The Chemistry section had more Organic Chemistry questions. I attempted 49 questions."
One interesting observation came from several students who noticed that some Chemistry questions had 5 to 6 options instead of the usual 4. This unusual pattern caught many off guard.
Section-Wise Breakdown: Which Subject Was Toughest?
Let's break down each section to understand where students struggled and where they found their footing.
Mathematics: The Real Challenge
Mathematics emerged as the toughest section of the paper. Students found the questions lengthy and time-consuming. According to Vinod Kumawat, President of Allen Career Institute (Kota), the Maths paper was both difficult and long.
The distribution of questions was:
- 36% from Class 11 syllabus
- 64% from Class 12 syllabus
- 36% from Algebra
- 28% from Calculus
- 12% from Vector and 3D Geometry
- 8% from Trigonometry
- 16% from Coordinate Geometry
High-weightage topics included Vector 3D, Sequence and Series, Quadratics, Binomials, Straight Line, Circle, Parabola, and Hyperbola. Interestingly, Calculus-based questions were fewer this year compared to previous exams.
Physics: Moderate and Manageable
Physics maintained a moderate difficulty level. Professor Rajwant Singh from Physicswala noted that the paper followed the pattern of previous years with a balanced approach. Students who had strong conceptual clarity and were comfortable with formulas found this section manageable.
Key topics with higher weightage included:
- Ray Optics
- Gravity
- Semiconductor
- Rotation
- Wave Optics
- Current Electricity
The paper had a good mix of calculation-based and conceptual questions. Students who maintained a steady pace could complete this section within the given time.
Chemistry: The Easiest Section
Chemistry turned out to be the easiest and most scoring section. However, students noted that the weightage of Organic Chemistry was lower than expected. Questions covered all topics, making the section well-balanced. Many students used this section to boost their overall score and compensate for the tougher Maths section.
Good Attempt and Safe Score: Expert Opinion
According to experts, attempting 40 to 50 questions with good accuracy can be considered a solid performance for Shift 1. The key is not just the number of attempts but the accuracy of your answers. A safe score would depend on the normalization process after all shifts are completed.
What This Means for IIT, NIT, and IIIT Aspirants
This year, over 62,000 engineering seats are up for grabs across premier institutions:
- IITs: 18,160 seats
- NITs: 24,525 seats
- IIITs: 9,940 seats
- GFTIs: 10,228 seats
Around 13 lakh students are expected to appear for the exam across all shifts. The JEE Main Paper 1 will continue until 28 January, with Paper 2 (BArch and BPlanning) scheduled for 29 January.
The Road to IIT
Remember, JEE Main is just the first step. Students who secure a rank within the top 2,50,000 will be eligible to appear for JEE Advanced, which is the gateway to IITs. To qualify for JEE Advanced, you need at least 75% marks in your Class 12 board exams or be in the top 20 percentile of your respective board.
Key Takeaways for Upcoming Shifts
If you're appearing in the upcoming shifts, here are some practical tips based on Day 1 feedback:
- Allocate more time to Mathematics as questions are lengthy
- Don't spend too much time on any single question
- Start with Chemistry to build confidence and score quick marks
- Keep your formulas ready for Physics, especially for topics like Rotation and Current Electricity
- Practice Vector and 3D Geometry thoroughly for Maths
- Stay calm if you encounter questions with unusual formats
The first day set the tone for what appears to be a competitive exam season. The paper tested both conceptual understanding and problem-solving speed. Students who prepared consistently and practiced previous year papers found themselves better equipped to handle the challenges.
For those yet to appear, focus on your strong areas, manage your time well, and remember that every shift can have a different difficulty level. The normalization process will ensure fairness across all shifts. Stay focused, stay calm, and give your best shot.
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