As the JEE Main 2026 exam is going to start from 21st Jan'26, so many candidates are searching for one big answer: "Is JEE Main 2026 the Toughest Ever”? That’s the big question on Reddit communities right now, where activity has jumped nearly 35% compared to the pre-JEE 2025 phase, with over 1,800 new threads posted in the last two months.

  • Over the past few weeks, online discussions around “JEE Main 2026 toughest shift”, “marks for 99 percentile”, and “JEE Main expected cutoff” have increased. 
  • Subreddits like r/JEENEETards and r/JEE are seeing daily debates about whether the 2026 paper will increase the difficulty beyond 2025 because the syllabus remains the same as the 15% reduced 2025 format.

This article summarizes what Reddit users are discussing ‌ about the difficulty level of JEE Main 2026, predicted cutoff, syllabus changes and Mark vs percentile calculation.

Also Read

  • Is JEE Main 2026 the Toughest Ever

Is JEE Main 2026 the Toughest Ever? Predicted Cutoffs

Users on Reddit expressed concerns about cutoffs stabilising or slightly dropping despite expected toughness. Users also advise on the JEE Main 2026 Reddit post to focus on the study rather than wasting time on prediction.

Year Predicted Cutoff Marks Notes
2026 200-210 Slight dip possible if paper toughens,
2025 200 It is baseline, high competition kept it elevated

Read More: JEE Main Cutoff 2026: Category-wise Qualifying Marks and Percentiles for NITs, IIITs & GFTIs

Which year of JEE Main was the toughest?

There is no single “toughest” JEE Main year because difficulty changes with every shift and subject. A paper may be easy in Chemistry but hard in Maths, or moderate overall but extremely lengthy.

  • In 2022, many students find difficulties in Maths due to concept-heavy and multi-step problems.
  • In 2020, Physics was tough, specifically numerical-based questions that tested application more than memory.
  • In 2015  The paper was lengthy, where even good students couldn’t attempt all the questions.
  • January 28, 2025, Shift 1 proved that even within the same year, one shift can feel far tougher than others.

Year / Shift

Subject Considered Tough

Why It Was Difficult

Student/Expert Opinion

2022

Mathematics

Deep conceptual questions, lengthy calculations, low scoring

Considered one of the hardest Maths papers

2020

Physics

Complex numericals, multi-step problems

Physics was tougher than usual

2015

All Subjects

Very lengthy papers, heavy concepts

Time management was the biggest issue

2025 (Jan 28 Shift 1)

Physics & Maths

Time-consuming, tricky concepts

Called the toughest shift of the 2025 session

Will JEE Mains 2026 be tougher than 2025 and 2024?

Like previous years, JEE Main 2026 shift wise difficulty depends more on your shift than your year, and performance depends on preparation, accuracy, and smart time management.

As per the table below, analysis:

  • Only 2 shifts in both years fall under the “Tough” category.
  • The majority 6 shifts are consistently Moderate.
  • Just 2 shifts are rated Easy.

This shows a stable difficulty distribution across years:

  • NTA usually designs the paper so that most shifts remain moderate.
  • A few shifts become tough due to lengthy or tricky questions.
  • Some shifts turn out easier due to simpler or more direct questions.

Check: What Was the Toughest Shift in JEE Main 2025 Session 1?

Jan 2025 Shift

Jan 2024 Shift

Difficulty Level

Shift 7

Shift 8

Tough

Shift 1

Shift 9

Tough

Shift 8

Shift 7

Moderate

Shift 9

Shift 10

Moderate

Shift 10

Shift 6

Moderate

Shift 3

Shift 5

Moderate

Shift 5

Shift 3

Moderate

Shift 4

Shift 4

Moderate

Shift 6

Shift 2

Easy

—

Shift 1

Easy

How Will the Syllabus Changes Impact the Prep Strategy for JEE Main 2026?

  • Numerical-heavy and conceptual chapters will create a mixed-prep environment, where students must balance fast manual calculations with strong theory revision, making accuracy more important than speed alone.
  • Scoring potential rises in low-calculation and unchanged syllabus areas, but students may still face surprises as NTA could add complexity to traditionally easy topics, keeping the overall JEE Main 2026 expected cutoff moderately higher.

Here is the table of how the JEE Main 2026 strategy should be as per the predictions.

Topics Area (Physics/Chem/Math) 2026 Strategy User Tips
Numerical Heavy(Thermo, Integration) Manual rough calculations; focus on concepts Cutoff ups 5 - 10 marks, easier attempts but trickier twists
Conceptual (e.g, Optics, Organics) Theory + PYQs +mocks No change; still scoring gold; syllabus unchanged helps
Low Calculations (e.g., Mechanics, inorganic) Quick solves Fears of added complexity

Also Read:

Which Subjects Will Be Hard in JEE 2026?

  • Reddit user predicts that Physics might be slightly tougher (which may give 2019 - 20) with more conceptual questions.
  • A Chemistry paper might get a medium difficulty level, with tricky but easy scoring possible in Physical Chemistry.
  • Mathematics is expected to be usually consistent with no major spikes, while the prediction for the overall moderate difficulty.
Subject Predicted Difficulty Level Reddit User’s notes on Impact
Physics Slightly tougher (2019 - 2020 Vibe) More conceptual; less important topics tested
Chemistry Medium / Tricky Twists in Physical Chem; easier scoring (99%ile at 70-75 marks possible)
Maths As Usual / Consistent No major spikes; focus on PYQs for reliability.
Overall Tougher / Cutoff Stable Overall can be predicted as moderately difficult.

What Is the JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile Analysis?

The JEE Main marks vs percentile analysis 2026 shows that scoring 200+ marks can place you in the 99.9–100 percentile, while 180–199 marks will land around the 99.5–99.9 percentile.

  • The percentile will drop gradually with the lower scores, 170–179 marks typically give 99.2–99.5, 150–169 give 98.5–99.2, and 140–149 give around 98 percentile, depending on shift difficulty.
  • The normalisation and shift difficulty strongly impact percentiles, so students are advised to aim 10–20 marks higher in mocks to stay safe across sessions.

Check: Expected Rank and Percentile for 190 Marks in JEE Main 2026

Marks Range Approximate Percentile User Notes/Examples (from Reddit Posts)
200+ 99.9 - 100 Toppers' range; e.g., 24 students hit 100 percentile overall. Users in easier shifts (e.g., 24 S2) needed 190-205 for 99.
180 - 199 99.5 - 99.9 Common for JEE Advanced qualifiers; e.g., 29 S2: 180-183 for 99; users reported 182-191 in 23 S2.
170 - 179 99.2 - 99.5 Strong for NITs; e.g., 7 S2: 176 for 99; 8 S2: 170 for 99.
160 - 169 99.0 - 99.2 Borderline for top NITs; e.g., 3 S1: 162 for 99; 4 S1: 166 for 99. Users in moderate shifts like 2 Apr S2: 169 for ~98.5-99.
150 - 159 98.5 - 99.0 Good for mid-tier NITs/IIITs; e.g., 28 S1: 148-150 for 99; 22 S1: 156-163. One user: 158 for 99 in 2 S1.
140 - 149 98.0 - 98.5 e.g., Users compared Jan vs April: 140 often ~98 in tougher Jan shifts.
130 - 139 97.0 - 98.0 e.g., Quora/Reddit: 134 marks ~95-97 depending on shift (e.g., 22 Jan S2: ~95).
120 - 129 96.0 - 97.0 e.g., 122 marks in 4 S1 April ~97; users aiming for DTU ECE needed 120+ for OBC.
100 - 119 93.0 - 96.0 e.g., 25 correct attempts ~100 marks for 92.4+; 30 attempts ~120 for 95.4+.
90 - 99 90.0 - 93.0 e.g., 90 marks in 29 Jan S1 ~90 percentile (user query).
80 - 89 85.0 - 90.0 e.g., 88 marks in 22 Jan S2 ~85 (user experience).
70 - 79 80.0 - 85.0 Lower end for GFTIs; users predicted based on 2023-like difficulty.
60 - 69 75.0 - 80.0 e.g., Predictions for tough shifts.
<60 <75 Qualifying threshold; e.g., ~40 marks for 75.7 in 22 S1 (user post).

Also Check: JEE Main Marks vs Percentile vs Rank 2026: Expected Score, Normalisation & Safe Score

What Do Historical Cutoff Trends Reveal for JEE Main 2026?

  • A Reddit user analysed JEE Main data from 2023 to 2025 and noted that rising registrations and MKC calculator patterns may increase the cutoffs higher in 2026.
  • According to the prediction, the JEE Advanced qualifying cutoff may be around the 92–94 percentile, and scoring 190–200 marks could be needed for 99 percentile, possibly the highest cutoff in recent years.
Download Category-Wise Cutoff Marks 2025 for Top 20 Percentile

Tips: According to the Reddit user, by solving previous-year questions from the last 4 to 5 years and being consistent with revision, you can score above the 96th percentile.

Year JEE Advanced qualifying Percentile Marks for 99 percentile Key Fear for 2026 Projection
2026 (Prediction) 92-94 190-210 Highest ever? 3L droppers +Calc
2025 93.5 180-183 Stable
2024 93.2 173-178 Competition spike; dropper at 2L
2023 90.7 156-163 Stable

Also Read:

What Reddit Users are Advising to JEE 2026 Aspirants?

Looking through multiple Reddit posts from JEE 2024, 2025 toppers, they recommend focusing on preparation rather than outside uncontrollables, such as the difficulty of the paper, cutoff, etc.

One user wrote, “Everyone’s in the same boat. The changes affect everyone equally. Focus on what you can control - your preparation”

Topic Advice Why Does It Work?
Syllabus Change Focus on what's there, not what's removed Positive mindset = better mindset
Cutoff Stress Prepare for 98+, hope for less Over-preparation never hurts
Mock Tests Take at least 30 full-length tests Pattern recognition and practice are the key
Weak Topics Don’t ignore them completely Even 2 questions can change the percentile.
What Reddit Users are Advising to JEE 2026 Aspirants?
What Reddit Users are Advising to JEE 2026 Aspirants?

Yes, there are changes and uncertainty. However, remember that thousands of students will still crack the JEE Main 2026 despite these changes. Focus on what matters most,

  • Study Consistently.
  • Take regular mock tests.
  • Stay updated with official NTA notifications.
  • Take care of your mental and physical health.

The JEE Main 2026 is months away; you have time to prepare, adapt and excel. Don’t let fear affect your preparation.

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