The first session of the JEE Main Paper 1 (B.Tech) paper 1 has been concluded. Based on students’ feedback and expert analysis done by Physicswallah from the first eight completed shifts of session 1, January 23rd’s 2nd shift has emerged as the toughest overall.

  • On January 23, the 2nd shift had an extremely difficult physics section, which had some very advanced-level questions according to the Sri Chaitanya Institute and Aakash.
  • This shift had a high number of assertion reasoning problems in physics, and with a lengthy mathematics paper, as per Vedantu.
  • A high number of multistep, calculation-heavy problem questions caused time mismanagement in the overall paper, making the paper lengthy.

The next two most challenging shifts are being identified as the January 24 shift 1 and January 22 shift 2.

As per the social media discussions after the exam, the general trend also indicated that January 23 shift 2 was the toughest. According to Reddit user (r/JEENEETards), “physics was brutal and toughest till now.”

Also Read:

Toughest Shift of JEE Mains 2026 session 1

Watch this reaction video to see the first-hand reactions from the exam-taking JEE Main candidates after the January 23rd shift 2

Why January 23 shift 2 Toughest?

Based on interactions with students and expert analysis, this shift was overall notably lengthy and conceptually demanding. Key reasons were as follows: -

  • According to Physicswallah experts, Mathematics, in particular, was very lengthy and required long calculations and had questions involving multi-step problems.
  • Vedantu noted that the maths paper was "time-consuming" with a focus on multi-step problems in Coordinate Geometry and other topics.
  • In physics, Aakash clarified that some questions were claimed to be out of the syllabus and of a very advanced level, demanding conceptual clarity and not just formula applications.
  • According to Vedantu, many candidates found it difficult to maintain a time balance across all three subjects.
  • As per Matrix Academy, Chemistry (traditionally considered easier) was unexpectedly tricky with mixed concept questions, including inorganic chemistry in physical chemistry numericals.

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JEE Main College Predictor

Possible Impacts and Analysis of this Tough Shift

Students taking this shift will ultimately receive a normalisation advantage.

  • Vedantu states that students of this shift will achieve higher percentiles with lower marks in comparison to other shifts.
  • This will be the most radiant impact due to the process of normalisation followed by the NTA in previous years, as cited by the JEE Main coaching industry leader, Physicswalla.
  • According to leading JEE coaching institutes like Aakash, a score of 180-190+ marks in this tough shift may correspond to a 99+ percentile.

JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Jan 23 Shift 2 analysis

Important Aspect Insights Sources/Notes from Students & Experts
Overall Difficulty Tough & Lengthy; calculation-intensive with conceptual demands; consensus as toughest shift so far in Session 1. PW/Vedantu: Tougher than previous; Reddit: "Brutal, lengthy"; Aakash: Challenging & tiring.
Subject-Wise Difficulty Order 1. Physics (toughest) 2. Mathematics (lengthy) 3. Chemistry (easiest/moderate relief) Vedantu/PW: Physics hardest (Advanced-like); Matrix: Maths most difficult/time-consuming; Reddit: Physics "killed me".
Good Attempts 55–70 out of 90 (target 60+ with high accuracy for top ranks). Reddit: 55–65 common; PW/Matrix/Aakash: 55–70 viable depending on accuracy.
Expected Raw Score for 99+ Percentile 160–190+ (often 170–180 sufficient due to shift toughness & normalisation). Aakash: 153–180+; Matrix: 160–180; PW: 170–190; Careers360/Vedantu: Lower thresholds in hard shifts.
Time Management Challenge High – Physics/Math numericals caused major time sinks; many were unfinished. Reddit: "Ran out in Physics"; Aakash/Vedantu: Biggest hurdle; PW: Time pressure dominant.
Student Sentiment Frustrated with Physics/Math length; relief from Chemistry; mixed overall but hopeful on normalisation. r/JEENEETards: Physics "brutal", Chem "easy/scoring", Maths "doable but lengthy"; YouTube experts: Anxious yet optimistic.
Normalization Impact Favourable – Compressed scores boost relative percentiles; lower raw marks yield high %ile vs. easier shifts. PW/Aakash: Advantageous;Vedantu: Benefits tough-shift candidates.
Comparison to Nearby Shifts Toughest so far; harder than Jan 23 Shift 1 & Jan 22 Shift 2 (close contender). PW/Vedantu: Edges prior days; Reddit: Tougher than some mornings.

Check:

JEE Main 2026 expected marks vs percentile for tough shifts

Based on the candidates' feedback, difficulty of the paper, previous years' normalisation trends, and expert analysis, an estimated table has been presented below: -

Percentile Range Easier Shifts (High Scoring) Moderate Shifts Tougher Shifts (Time-Consuming)
99+ 195–205 188–198 180–190
98–99 178–194 170–187 162–175
95–97 158–177 150–169 142–155
90–94 138–157 130–149 122–135
85–89 122–137 115–129 108–120

The evolving difficulty level in this year’s shifts reinforces the fact that the need for strategic preparation is inevitable. Candidates who took the exam on January 23rd, shift 2, are advised not panic and use a reliable predicting tool like those available on collegedunia.

Check Here JEE Main College Predictor by Marks

Also Check:

120 Marks in JEE Main Percentile 150 Marks in JEE Main Percentile
80 marks in JEE Main percentile 100 marks in JEE Main Percentile
50 Marks in JEE Mains Percentile 70 Marks in JEE Mains Percentile
30 Marks in JEE Main Percentile 40 Marks in JEE Main Percentile
10 Marks in JEE Main Percentile 20 Marks in JEE Main Percentile