The JEE Main 2026, Day 4 of Session 1, has now concluded. The JEE Main Exam on 24 January was conducted in 2 shifts: Shift 1 (9:00 AM – 12:00 PM) and Shift 2 (3:00 PM – 6:00 PM).

As per the initial feedback taken by candidates from various educational institutes after JEE Main Jan 24 Shift 2, the exam was moderate but lengthy.

Chemistry and mathematics were comparatively longer and more difficult, with more numerically based questions asked from mixed topics. The Physics was doable with direct questions asked, with more questions from the 11th grade and formula-based. 

The Shift 2 detailed paper analysis will be based on feedback from candidates, the memory-based paper, and expert reviews from coaching institutes such as 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 their performance and prepare for the next shifts.

You can check this video by @esaraljee to know candidates' responses after JEE Main 24th Jan Shift 2.

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JEE Main 2026 January 24 Shift 2 Paper Analysis

JEE Main 2026 January 24 Shift 2 Difficulty Level

The Jan 24th Shift 2 exam was moderate but lengthy, same as the morning shifts. The Difficulty level was more than the NCERT, with more calculation and statement-based questions.

Subject Difficulty Level Question Nature Major Topic Weightage Scoring Potential
Physics Moderate Direct, formula-based numericals Ray Optics, Cylinder, basic mechanics & electricity Good (doable section)
Chemistry Moderate to Difficult Numerical + assertion/statement-based Physical Chemistry (~50%), mixed concepts Average
Mathematics Difficult Calculation-heavy numericals Vectors & 3D, Circle/Ellipse, Relations & Sets Low to Moderate
Overall Paper Moderate (Lengthy) Balanced syllabus coverage Class 11 & 12 topics evenly mixed Depended on time management

JEE Main 2026 January 24 Overall Difficulty Level

  • Shift 1 (Morning): Moderate. Balanced paper with conceptual questions in Physics, NCERT-heavy Chemistry, and calculation-heavy Math. The paper was exceptionally lengthy and calculation-heavy.
  • Shift 2 (Afternoon): Moderate to difficult. Physics was easy, NCERT-based moderate chemistry, and lengthy and challenging Math. Time management was crucial, but most students found it manageable with good preparation.
  • Day 4 Overall: Moderate to difficult, as per ‌recent trends. Chemistry emerged as moderate but time-consuming, while Physics was slightly tougher. No major surprises, but normalisation across shifts will influence final percentiles.

Check:

Subject-Wise JEE Main 2026 January 24 Shift 2 Analysis

JEE Main 2026: 24 January Shift 2 Physics Analysis

  • Difficulty level: Moderate. Lengthy due to many statement-based questions.
  • Key Topics & High Weightage:
    • Mechanics (Kinematics, Laws of motion, Work-energy, Gravitation)
    • Electrostatics, current electricity, and magnetism
    • Ray Optics, Modern Physics
    • Fluids and properties.
  • Student’s reaction: As per some students, shift 2 was scoring. They could attempt 15-17 questions. There were more questions from the Class 12 syllabus. Electrostatics questions were more about calculations. The physics section was largely based on formulas.

Check:

JEE Main 2026: 24 January Shift 2 Chemistry Analysis

  • Difficulty: Moderate.
  • 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 and quick to solve. The questions were not entirely straightforward. There were a few recurring questions from atoms. Most questions from physical chemistry were in the numerical section.

JEE Main 2026: 24 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: Math was the toughest and lengthiest section of the paper. Differential equations and integration were lengthy. Algebra was described as time-consuming.
Predict Your College Chances As Per Your JEE Main 2026 Marks

Student Reactions & Feedback on JEE Main 2026 January 24 Shift 2

The student reaction to the JEE Main shift 2 was 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 physics was lengthy but moderate, while chemistry questions were twisted. Mathematics was the lengthiest and toughest section of the paper.
  • Mathematics felt like a marathon; I couldn’t attempt more questions in math because of a time limit.
  • Students who took regular mock tests felt better equipped to handle time management issues in Mathematics.
Aspect Student Feedback Approx. Percentage of Students
Overall difficulty Moderate to difficult 60%
Time Management Challenging 70%
Physics Section Moderate 60%
Chemistry Section Moderate 65%
Mathematics Moderate to difficult 40%
NCERT Coverage Sufficient for 60-70% questions. 70%

Also Check:

Expected Good Attempts, Marks & Cutoff After January 24 Analysis

Early estimates based on Day 4 feedback and normalisation trends:

  • Good Attempts: 52-55 questions (with high accuracy) for 200 marks.
  • Marks vs Percentile (Expected for 99+): 190-200+ 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.

Download JEE Main 2026 Answer Key:

JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 1 Answer Key JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 2 Answer Key
JEE Main 2026 January 22 Shift 1 Answer Key JEE Main 2026 January 22 Shift 2 Answer Key
JEE Main 2026 January 23 Shift 1 Answer Key JEE Main 2026 January 23 Shift 2 Answer Key

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

  • Solve questions from the previous year’s question papers.
  • Review the NCERT thoroughly for easy scoring in Chemistry.
  • Practice timed mocks to boost speed and accuracy in maths.
  • Revise high-weightage Physics topics, such as Mechanics, Optics, and Modern Physics.
  • Use memory-based questions from previous shifts to spot patterns and refine strategy.
  • Focus on accuracy to counter normalisation effects.

This JEE Main 2026 January 24 shift-wise analysis indicates a moderate difficulty level, offering strong scoring potential for prepared candidates. Stay updated with daily analyses for shifts ahead - best of luck to all JEE aspirants!