JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 2 Paper Analysis: Check Difficulty Level, Student Reaction, and Good Attempts

The NTA has concluded the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 shift 2 on January 21, 2026, from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM in CBT mode.

As per the initial feedback of candidates and experts from Aakash, the JEE Main 2026 21 Jan shift 2 paper was moderate to difficult required conceptual clarity.

Prashant Jain (CEO, Oswaal Books) noted: “Mathematics was the speed-breaker with complex calculations; Physics tested true understanding; Chemistry was NCERT-heavy and easiest."

The Shift 2 Detailed Paper Analysis is provided here 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 Read:

JEE Main 2026 January 21 Overall Difficulty Level

Real candidates provided immediate feedback post-exam, describing the paper as balanced but demanding strong basics. Key quotes:

"Physics was moderate, just like last year's, doable if you understood concepts." - Sahib, first-time aspirant
"Math had complex questions, was time-consuming; Chemistry helped balance it out."
General sentiments: No surprises, but Math's length caused pressure; average attempts 50-55; focus on accuracy over quantity; some noted Organic Chemistry tricks but NCERT prep sufficed.

Reactions from live sessions emphasize relief over the conceptual nature, but frustration with time in Math.

Check: JEE Main 2026 21st Jan Shift 2 (Available) Memory-Based Question Paper

Subject-Wise JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 2 Analysis

JEE Main 2026: 21 January Shift 2 Physics Analysis

Difficulty level: Moderate to difficult
Key Topics & High Weightage:
- Mechanics (Kinematics, Laws of motion, Gravitation)
- Electrostatics, current electricity, and magnetism
- Ray Optics, Modern Physics
Student’s reaction: As per some students, shift 2 was straightforward, with questions based on conceptual application.

JEE Main 2026: 21 January Shift 2 Chemistry Analysis

Difficulty: Easy to moderate. The most student-friendly section.
Key Topics & High Weightage:
- Physical Chemistry: Equilibrium, Thermodynamics, Solutions
- Organic Chemistry: Reactions, Mechanisms, Hydrocarbons, Biomolecules
- Inorganic Chemistry: 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. Most questions from physical chemistry were in the numerical section.

JEE Main 2026: 21 January Shift 2 Mathematics Analysis

Difficulty: Moderate to difficult. The lengthiest and toughest.
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, time-consuming. Tougher than the other 2 sections.

Student Reactions & Feedback on JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 2

The student reaction to the JEE Main shift 2 was largely positive regarding physics and chemistry. Many students reported that solving PYQs was the single most effective way to prepare for the paper.

Overall sentiment: Many students felt chemistry was easy, while physics was moderate. Mathematics was lengthy and challenging.
Positive: Many questions felt like direct repeats or slight variations of older JEE Main papers.
Students who took regular mock tests felt better equipped to handle time management issues in Mathematics.

Aspect	Student Feedback
Overall difficulty	Moderate
Time Management	Challenging
Physics Section	Moderate
Chemistry Section	Scoring
Mathematics	Moderate to difficult
NCERT Coverage	Sufficient for 60-70% questions.

Expected Good Attempts, Marks & Cutoff After January 21 Analysis

Early estimates based on Day 1 feedback and normalisation trends:

Good Attempts: 57-64 questions (with high accuracy) for 200 marks.
Marks vs Percentile (Expected for 99+): 200-210+ marks
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 expected cutoffs - 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

Solve questions from the previous year’s question papers.
Master the NCERT thoroughly for easy scoring in Chemistry.
Practice timed mocks to boost speed and accuracy in maths.
Revise high-weightage Physics topics like Mechanics, Optics, 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!

JEE Main Questions

1.
A rigid dipole undergoes a simple harmonic motion about its centre in the presence of an electric field $\vec{E}_1 = E_0 \hat{x}$. If another electric field $\vec{E}_2 = 2E_0 (\hat{y} + \hat{z})$ is introduced to the system, what will be the percentage change in the frequency of the oscillation (approximate)?

View Solution

2.
Let $O$ be the vertex of the parabola $y^2 = 4x$. Let $P$ and $Q$ be two points on parabola such that chords $OP$ and $OQ$ are perpendicular to each other. If the locus of mid-point of segment $PQ$ is a conic $C$, then latus rectum of $C$ is

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3.
Let $P(3\cos\alpha, 2\sin\alpha), \alpha \neq 0$, be a point on the ellipse $\frac{x^2}{9} + \frac{y^2}{4} = 1$. $Q$ be a point on the circle $x^2 + y^2 - 14x - 14y + 82 = 0$ and $R$ be a point on the line $x + y = 5$ such that the centroid of the triangle $PQR$ is $\left( 2 + \cos\alpha, 3 + \frac{2}{3}\sin\alpha \right)$. Then the sum of the ordinates of all possible points $R$ is:

View Solution

4.
Let $ f(x) = \begin{cases} x^3 + 8 & x < 0 \\ x^2 - 4 & x \ge 0 \end{cases} $ and $ g(x) = \begin{cases} (x-8)^{1/3} & x < 0 \\ (x+4)^{1/2} & x \ge 0 \end{cases} $ then find number of points of discontinuity of $ g(f(x)) $.

View Solution

5.
Shown below is the structure of methyl acetate with three different $\alpha$, $\beta$ and $\gamma$ carbon–oxygen bonds. The correct order of bond lengths of these bonds is :}

$\alpha>\beta>\gamma$
$\alpha < \beta < \gamma$
$\alpha = \beta = \gamma$
$\alpha < \beta = \gamma$

View Solution

6.
An unpolarised light is incident at an interface of two dielectric media having refractive indices of $2$ (incident medium) and $2\sqrt{3}$ (refracted medium) respectively. To satisfy the condition that reflected and refracted rays are perpendicular to each other, the angle of incidence is ___.

$45^\circ$
$30^\circ$
$10^\circ$
$60^\circ$

View Solution

JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 2 Paper Analysis: Check Difficulty Level, Student Reaction, and Good Attempts

JEE Main 2026 January 21 Overall Difficulty Level

Subject-Wise JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 2 Analysis

JEE Main 2026: 21 January Shift 2 Physics Analysis

JEE Main 2026: 21 January Shift 2 Chemistry Analysis

JEE Main 2026: 21 January Shift 2 Mathematics Analysis

Student Reactions & Feedback on JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 2

Expected Good Attempts, Marks & Cutoff After January 21 Analysis

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

JEE Main Questions

2.
Let \(O\) be the vertex of the parabola \(y^2 = 4x\). Let \(P\) and \(Q\) be two points on parabola such that chords \(OP\) and \(OQ\) are perpendicular to each other. If the locus of mid-point of segment \(PQ\) is a conic \(C\), then latus rectum of \(C\) is

4.
Let \( f(x) = \begin{cases} x^3 + 8 & x < 0 \\ x^2 - 4 & x \ge 0 \end{cases} \) and \( g(x) = \begin{cases} (x-8)^{1/3} & x < 0 \\ (x+4)^{1/2} & x \ge 0 \end{cases} \) then find number of points of discontinuity of \( g(f(x)) \).

5.
Shown below is the structure of methyl acetate with three different \(\alpha\), \(\beta\) and \(\gamma\) carbon–oxygen bonds. The correct order of bond lengths of these bonds is :}

6.
An unpolarised light is incident at an interface of two dielectric media having refractive indices of $2$ (incident medium) and $2\sqrt{3}$ (refracted medium) respectively. To satisfy the condition that reflected and refracted rays are perpendicular to each other, the angle of incidence is ___.

Comments

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JEE Main 2026 January 21 Overall Difficulty Level

Subject-Wise JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 2 Analysis

JEE Main 2026: 21 January Shift 2 Physics Analysis

JEE Main 2026: 21 January Shift 2 Chemistry Analysis

JEE Main 2026: 21 January Shift 2 Mathematics Analysis

Student Reactions & Feedback on JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 2

Expected Good Attempts, Marks & Cutoff After January 21 Analysis

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

JEE Main Questions

2.Let \(O\) be the vertex of the parabola \(y^2 = 4x\). Let \(P\) and \(Q\) be two points on parabola such that chords \(OP\) and \(OQ\) are perpendicular to each other. If the locus of mid-point of segment \(PQ\) is a conic \(C\), then latus rectum of \(C\) is

4. Let \( f(x) = \begin{cases} x^3 + 8 & x < 0 \\ x^2 - 4 & x \ge 0 \end{cases} \) and \( g(x) = \begin{cases} (x-8)^{1/3} & x < 0 \\ (x+4)^{1/2} & x \ge 0 \end{cases} \) then find number of points of discontinuity of \( g(f(x)) \).

5.Shown below is the structure of methyl acetate with three different \(\alpha\), \(\beta\) and \(\gamma\) carbon–oxygen bonds. The correct order of bond lengths of these bonds is :}

6.An unpolarised light is incident at an interface of two dielectric media having refractive indices of $2$ (incident medium) and $2\sqrt{3}$ (refracted medium) respectively. To satisfy the condition that reflected and refracted rays are perpendicular to each other, the angle of incidence is ___.

Comments

SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWS LETTER

2.
Let \(O\) be the vertex of the parabola \(y^2 = 4x\). Let \(P\) and \(Q\) be two points on parabola such that chords \(OP\) and \(OQ\) are perpendicular to each other. If the locus of mid-point of segment \(PQ\) is a conic \(C\), then latus rectum of \(C\) is

4.
Let \( f(x) = \begin{cases} x^3 + 8 & x < 0 \\ x^2 - 4 & x \ge 0 \end{cases} \) and \( g(x) = \begin{cases} (x-8)^{1/3} & x < 0 \\ (x+4)^{1/2} & x \ge 0 \end{cases} \) then find number of points of discontinuity of \( g(f(x)) \).

5.
Shown below is the structure of methyl acetate with three different \(\alpha\), \(\beta\) and \(\gamma\) carbon–oxygen bonds. The correct order of bond lengths of these bonds is :}

6.
An unpolarised light is incident at an interface of two dielectric media having refractive indices of $2$ (incident medium) and $2\sqrt{3}$ (refracted medium) respectively. To satisfy the condition that reflected and refracted rays are perpendicular to each other, the angle of incidence is ___.