JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Begins- Check Live Updates, Question Paper Analysis and Difficulty Level

JEE Main 2026 Mandatory Dress Code

• Avoid Metallic Accessories: He or she should not wear items containing metal, including rings, bracelets, or earrings.
• Footwear Restrictions: The candidate is prohibited from wearing shoes or footwear with thick soles.
• Simple Attire: It is recommended that the candidate chooses comfortable and simple clothing for the duration of the test.
• No Scarves: The candidate must ensure that scarves or similar head/neck coverings are not part of their outfit

JEE Main 2026 Essential Items to Carry

Candidates must bring the following items to the examination center to be allowed entry:

• Admit Card: A clear, preferably color printout of the Admit Card downloaded from the NTA website on A4 size paper.
• Photographs: At least two passport-size photographs (identical to the one uploaded in the application) to be pasted on the attendance sheet.
• Valid Photo ID: An original, valid photo ID as uploaded in the online application form. Photocopies or digital images on mobile phones will not be accepted.
• PwD Certificate: If applicable, the original PwD/PwBD certificate or UDID card issued by a competent authority.
• Specific Items for B. Arch. Candidates: For the Drawing Test, candidates must bring their own geometry box, pencils, erasers, and color pencils or crayons.

Image Source: JEE Main 2026 @jeemain.nta.nic.in

The JEE Main 2026 is conducted in 2 shifts per day to manage a large number of candidates. You should know the proper reporting time, gate closing time, and the exam duration, as late entry will not be allowed.

JEE Main 2026 Exam Timings (Session 1- January)

The Marks vs Percentile of JEE Mains Shift Wise data of last year showed that the percentile varied by around 3-4% for the same score, depending on the shift. For example, 140 marks varies anywhere from 94 to 97 percentile, while 120 marks varies between 88 to 92 percentile across different 2025 sessions.

Experts say that even a small change in paper difficulty, like the ones seen in several 2025 shifts, can vary the percentile based on the raw score. This is why understanding the 2025 shift-wise Marks vs Percentile patterns is now very much essential to set your target score for JEE Main 2026.

Also Read:

• JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile vs Rank (Expected)
• JEE Main 2024 Marks Vs Percentile Shift Wise
• JEE Main 2025 Marks Vs Percentile April Shift

According to Anshul Sir, Sri Chaitanya Academy JEE, the JEE Main 2026 session 1 is expected to be moderately difficult, with Maths will be the toughest subject.

• Mathematics: Moderate to difficult and lengthy, with a good attempt of 18–22 questions with focus on accuracy.
• Physics: Moderate and concept-based; good attempts: 20–23 questions.
• Chemistry: Easy to moderate and most scoring, 80 to 90% questions from the NCERT; good attempts: 22–24 questions.

The JEE Main 2026 Difficulty level is expected to be of moderate difficulty.

But as the competition will be high, with around 15 lakh candidates expected to appear in session 1, even a paper of moderate level can feel tougher in terms of the final percentile.

• Around 60 to 65% questions will be NCERT-based, mainly in Chemistry.
• The Physics will include strong fundamentals-based questions.
• The Previous year patterns from 2019 to 2025 are repeated conceptually, not directly.
• With a difference of 8 to 12 marks, your rank can shift from 5,000 to 10,000 positions in high-percentile ranges.