As per many students and experts, JEE Main 2026 April 4 Shift 2 and April 5th Shift 1 were considered the easiest shifts of the session. In the April easiest shift, the students who scored 180 marks are expected to rank among the top 5000 students.
- Students with 178-180 scores in the April 5th shift 1 are expected to score 99 percentile and rank among 5000-10,000.
- 158-160 marks in the April 5th shift are likely to rank between 15,000 and 22,000.
- NTA doesn’t rank students using your raw marks, but rather using your normalised JEE Main percentile.
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- JEE Main 2026 Check Shift-wise Marks vs Percentile vs Rank prediction
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Easiest Shift in JEE Main 2026 April Session
- Many students and experts noticed that April 5 Shift 1 was relatively easier than any other shift in the JEE Main 2026 April Session.
- Students in the April 5 Shift 1 required higher marks to secure 99 percentile compared to other shifts.
“Looking at the papers and the feedback we’ve received, this was actually a very doable shift. The marks required to hit those top brackets will be slightly higher. If you are aiming for that 99 percentile, my analysis shows you’ll likely need a score between 181 and 183 marks", says Vinay Vishu sir from Vedantu.
| Exam Date and Shift | Difficulty Level |
|---|---|
| April 2 Shift 1 | Easy |
| April 2 Shift 2 | Moderate to Tricky |
| April 4 Shift 1 | Moderate to tough |
| April 4 Shift 2 | Easy |
| April 5 Shift 1 | Easier |
| April 5 Shift 2 | Moderate |
| April 6 Shift 1 | Toughest / Lengthiest |
| April 6 Shift 2 | Moderate |
| April 8 Shift 2 | Moderate to tricky |
Also Read:
JEE Main 2026 Easiest Shift Marks vs Rank
JEE Main 2026 percentiles need slightly higher raw marks if your shift is easy, since many students score higher marks compared to tougher shifts.
- NTA normalises scores, so no one is at a disadvantage. Easier shifts see a slight dip in a final percentile, even if you scored high.
- Scoring 180+ marks in JEE Main 2026 is expected to put you among the top 5000 ranks.
- Scoring 158-160 is more likely to put you in the 15,000 - 22,000 rank range.
“April 5 Shift1 seems to be one of the easiest papers of the entire attempt. Because of those scoring opportunities, we expect the 99 percentile to be around 175 to 180 marks. It might even touch 180 at the maximum,“ says an expert from Sri Chaitanya Educational Institute.
| JEE Mains Score Range | JEE Mains 2026 Expected Percentile | Expected Rank (Approximate) |
|---|---|---|
| 180+ | 99+ | <5000 |
| 178-180 | 99 | 5000-10,000 |
| 158-160 | 98 | 15,000-22,000 |
| 141-142 | 97 | 22,000-35,000 |
| 127-129 | 96 | 35,000-45,000 |
| 115-117 | 95 | 45,000 - 55,000 |
| 104-106 | 94 | 55,000 - 65,000 |
Source: JEE Mains 2024 shift-wise Marks vs Percentile Analysis by Sri Chaitanya Academy
Also Read:
- How is the All India Rank Calculated in JEE Main 2026
- JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile vs College
- Check JEE Main Rank-Wise College List
Ques. What percentile and rank can I expect if I scored around 103 marks in April 5th shift 1?
Ans. You can expect around 94 percentile in JEE Main 2026. Your rank is expected to be in the range of 55,000 - 65,000 ranks in JEE Main.
How Normalisation Affects JEE Main 2026 April Easiest Shift Marks vs Rank
NTA doesn’t rank students based on raw marks alone. They use a normalisation process to make all shifts equal.
- Many students scored high raw marks in the JEE Main April easiest shift, so the percentile scale adjusts automatically.
- Your rank is based on total NTA scores or JEE Main percentile, not based on your raw marks.
Here is an example of how your percentile changes based on your shift’s difficulty level.
| Objective | Easiest Shift (April 5 Shift 1) | Toughest Shift (April 6 Shift 1) |
|---|---|---|
| Marks for 99 Percentile | 178-180 | 158-160 |
| The number of students who scored high | Very High | Moderate |
| Benefit of Normalisation | Low | High |
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Ques. Why do 180 marks give the same percentile as 160 marks in JEE Main?
Ans. Your marks for the percentile depend on the difficulty level of the shift. NTA uses a normalisation process to balance out the difficulty level across shifts.
180 marks in easier shifts lower your percentiles because a larger number of students score higher. In a tougher shift, the number of students' scores is lower because of the toughness, increasing the percentile.
Safe Scores for Top NITs in JEE Main 2026
- If you were on the April easiest shift, your safe zone is higher. If you want to get top NITs like Tricky, Surathkal, or Warangal, you need above 255 marks.
- 210+ marks can get you the core branches, such as ECE, EE, or Mech, at the top 10 NITs.
| College Category | Target Rank | Required Marks (Easiest Shift) |
|---|---|---|
| Top 3 NITs (CSE) | Under 2000-3000 | 255+ |
| Top 10 NITs (Core) | Under 10,000 | 210+ |
| Newer NITs / IIITs | Under 35,000 | 175+ |
| GFTIs | Under 60,000 | 140+ |
Also Read:
- Colleges for 75,000 to 1 Lakh Ranks in JEE Main 2026
- List of Colleges Accepting 1,00,000 to 2,50,000 ranks in JEE Main 2026
Ques. Can I get any NIT with 170 scores in JEE Main 2026 in an easy shift?
Ans. You can find many newer NITs with 170 scores. Many NITs like Manipur, Meghalaya, and Agartala accept 170 scores. Your admission chances increase if you are a home state candidate.
A user on the r/JEE thread on Reddit predicted the marks vs percentile for JEE Main 2026 April shifts. As per the user, on April 5 shift 1, 190 marks would give 99 percentile because the shift was on the easier side.
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