The JEE Main 2026, January Session will start on 21st January 2026, as the first day of the exam for the January Attempt. The JEE Main Exam was conducted in 2 shifts: Shift 1 (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM) and Shift 2 (3:00 PM – 6:00 PM).

The Detailed Paper Analysis will be based on the feedback given by candidates, the memory-based paper and the expert reviews from the coaching institutes like Vedantu, Allen, and collegedunia.com.

The Paper Analysis will cover the overall difficulty, subject-wise trends, topic-weightage, good attempts and cutoff to help candidates check the performance and prepare for the next shifts.

Also Check: Download JEE Main 2026 Jan 21 Shift 1 Question Paper

JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 1 Paper Analysis

JEE Main 2026 January 21 Overall Difficulty Level

  • Shift 1 (Morning): Moderate overall. Balanced paper with conceptual questions in Physics, NCERT-heavy Chemistry, and calculation-intensive Math. Time management was crucial, but most students found it manageable with good preparation.
  • Shift 2 (Afternoon): Moderate to moderately difficult. Slightly tougher than Shift 1, especially in Physics and Math sections, with more application-based problems leading to time pressure.
  • Day 1 Overall: Moderate difficulty, as per the recent trends. Chemistry emerged as the easiest and most scoring section, while Mathematics was the lengthiest. No major surprises, but normalisation across shifts will influence final percentiles.

Check: JEE Main 2026 22nd Jan Shift 1 Question Paper

Subject-Wise JEE Main 2026 January 21 Analysis

The JEE Main 2026 Analysis differs as per different subjects of Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics.

JEE Main 2026: 21 January Shift 1 Physics Analysis

  • Difficulty: Easy to moderate (Shift 1); Moderate to challenging (Shift 2).
  • Key Topics & High Weightage:
    • Mechanics (Kinematics, Laws of Motion, Work-Energy, Gravitation)
    • Electrostatics, Current Electricity, Magnetism
    • Ray Optics, Modern Physics (Semiconductors, Atoms & Nuclei)
    • Thermodynamics and Units & Measurements
  • Student Reactions: As per some students, Shift 1 questions were straightforward and formula-based.

JEE Main 2026: 21 January Shift 1 Chemistry Analysis

  • Difficulty: Easy to moderate in both shifts — the most student-friendly section.
  • Key Topics & High Weightage:
    • Physical: Equilibrium, Thermodynamics, Solutions
    • Organic: Reactions, Mechanisms, Hydrocarbons, Biomolecules
    • Inorganic: Coordination Compounds, Periodic Table, d-Block Elements
  • Student Reactions: Heavily NCERT-based, quick to solve, and high-scoring. Many completed it early, freeing time for tougher sections.

JEE Main 2026: 21 January Shift 1 Mathematics Analysis

  • Difficulty: Moderate to difficult — the toughest and most time-consuming.
  • Key Topics & High Weightage:
    • Calculus (Integration, Differentiation, Applications)
    • Algebra (Matrices, Determinants, Sequences & Series)
    • Coordinate Geometry (Conics, Straight Lines)
    • Vectors, 3D Geometry, Probability
  • Student Reactions: Lengthy calculations dominated complaints.

Student Reactions & Feedback on JEE Main 2026 January 21

Students exiting the exam centres shared mixed but positive reactions to the JEE Main 2026 January 21 shift 1 exam. Many students described the paper as fair and balanced. One of the students noted, “Physics was easy, but Maths took most of my time.”

  • Positive Aspects: Chemistry allowed serious attempts with accuracy; conceptual focus over rote learning was appreciated.
  • Challenges: Math's lengthiness led to incomplete attempts for some; stricter centre rules (no jewellery/handkerchiefs) were noted.
  • Overall Sentiment: Fair and balanced paper. Well-prepared students reported good attempts (55–65 questions), while others stressed the need for better time management.
Aspect Student Feedback Percentage of Students
Overall difficulty Moderate 59%
Time Management Challenging 70%
Physics Section Easy to Moderate 60%
Chemistry Section Scoring 65%
Mathematics Moderate to difficult 40%
NCERT Coverage Sufficient for 60-70% questions 70%

Expected Good Attempts, Marks & Cutoff After January 21 Analysis

Early estimates based on Day 1 feedback and normalisation trends:

  • Good Attempts: 55–65 questions (with high accuracy) for 200+ marks.
  • Marks vs Percentile (Expected for 99+): 180–200+ marks (higher in easier shifts like Shift 1).
  • Qualifying Cutoff (General Category): Likely 93–95 percentile (may rise slightly if papers remain moderate across the session).
  • Category-Wise Expected Percentile:
    • OBC-NCL/EWS: 80–82
    • SC: 60–62
    • ST: 47–50 These are preliminary projections - final cutoffs depend on overall session performance, number of candidates (~15+ lakh expected), and NTA normalisation.

Key Takeaways & Preparation Tips for Remaining JEE Main 2026 January Shifts

  • Master the NCERT thoroughly for Chemistry scoring.
  • Practice timed mocks to boost Math speed and question selection.
  • Revise high-weightage Physics topics like Mechanics and Modern Physics.
  • Use memory-based questions from Day 1 to spot patterns and refine strategy.
  • Focus on accuracy to counter normalisation effects.

This JEE Main 2026 January 21 shift-wise analysis indicates a moderate start to the session, offering strong scoring potential for prepared candidates. Stay updated with daily analyses for shifts ahead - best of luck to all JEE aspirants!