JEE Main 2026 Paper Analysis LIVE: Jan 24, Shift 1 Exam Review OUT, Shift 2 Underway

The second shift of the day, JEE Main 2026 January 23 Shift 2 for Paper 1 (BE/B.Tech), has officially commenced at 3:00 PM IST. Candidates have successfully completed the mandatory verification procedures and have entered the examination halls to begin the Computer-Based Test (CBT). This shift is scheduled to conclude at 6:00 PM IST. Stay tuned for real-time updates and post-exam analysis immediately following the conclusion.

Candidates are strongly advised to secure their JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Admit Card, even after the initial exam attempt.

The JEE Main 2026 Shift 2 (3:00 PM - 6:00 PM). The entry gates to the examination centers will close sharply at 2:30 PM IST. Candidates who fail to report and complete the necessary verification procedures before 2:30 PM will not be permitted to enter the examination hall under any circumstances, including traffic delays or personal issues.

How to use the JEE Mains 2026 rank predictor tool?

1. Open JEE Main 2026 Rank Predictor by Shiksha
2. Fill your score or percentile
3. Click on “Predict Now” button
4. Your expected All India Rank will be displayed on screen
5. Recommendations on college basis your rank will be also provided

1. The JEE Main 2026 Paper 1 consists of a total of 300 marks.
2. Each correct answer is awarded +4 marks, while an incorrect response results in a -1 mark deduction.
3. Un-attempted questions do not incur any penalty. Each subject section contributes 100 marks to the total.

JEE Advanced 2026 exam date is May 17. JEE Advanced Application Form 2026 will be released on April 23 for Indian nationals, whereas for foreign candidates, registration will start on April 6, 2026.

As per many students, the exam in this shift was overall moderate but very lengthy today. Physics and Maths were both lengthy and moderate. Chemistry was also moderate.

• The paper today was much easier than the Jan 23 exam.
• Overall exam level was moderate
• Physics was moderate and lengthy
• Maths was lengthy and the toughest of the three.
• Chemistry was moderate. There were 3 to 4 statement-based statements. Questions came from salt, coordination. There were mixed question concepts

Candidates who appeared for the JEE Main 2026 January 24, Shift 1 exam (9:00 AM - 12:00 PM) are now exiting the examination centers. Our reporting teams are on-site to gather immediate, first-hand feedback on the paper.

The JEE Main 2026 Jan 24 Shift 1 Student Reactions detailing the overall difficulty, section-wise analysis (Physics, Chemistry, Maths), and initial experiences will be published here shortly. Stay tuned to this live blog for the most current updates and analysis.

1. Download JEE Main 2026 21 Jan answer key and compare your responses.
2. Correct and incorrect answers have to be noted.
3. Use formula: 4 X (Number of Correct Answers) - 1 X (Number of Wrong Answers) = Scores
4. Total calculated will be probable scores secured in exam.

As per the JEE Main 2026 Jan 23 shift 2 paper analysis, experts feel that the cutoff may drop this year. In all shifts, 99 percentile will correspond to 180 marks and not more.

NTA is expected to release the JEE Main admit card 2026 for 28 and 29 January exams soon. The tentative admit card release date is January 24. To download the hall ticket, candidates will have to use their application number and password.

Candidates can calculate their expected score for the JEE Main 2026 Jan 23 Shift 1 paper using the following steps once the memory-based question paper and unofficial answer keys are released:

1. Compare Responses: Match your attempted answers with the JEE Main Jan 23 Shift 1 memory-based question paper and the corresponding unofficial answer key/solutions (prepared by coaching experts).

2. Tally Answers: Keep a count of your:

• Number of Correct Answers

• Number of Incorrect Answers

• Number of Unattempted Questions (where no option was marked)

3. Apply Marking Scheme (Expected Score Calculation): Use the official NTA marking scheme to determine your provisional score.

• Formula: Expected Score = (4 × Number of Correct Answers) – (1 × Number of Incorrect Answers)

• Note: There is no penalty for Unattempted Questions (they count as 0 marks).

The JEE Main 2026 April Session is scheduled to be held from April 2 to April 9, 2026. The National Testing Agency (NTA) will soon announce the shift-wise exam dates. Candidates must check their assigned JEE Main April attempt date, shift, and center details via the official City Intimation Slip and subsequent Admit Card release.

1. Open JEE Main 2026 Rank Predictor by Shiksha
2. Fill your score or percentile
3. Click on “Predict Now” button
4. Your expected All India Rank will be displayed on screen
5. Recommendations on college basis your rank will be also provided

For the Shift 2 exam today, candidates must strictly adhere to the following key guidelines:

Note: These are estimates and actual required scores can vary based on the difficulty of the specific session/paper.

• Reach the exam centre as per the reporting time mentioned on the JEE Mains hall ticket 2026.
• Ensure biometrics on Aadhaar are UNLOCKED
• Carry all mandatory documents:
  • Carry the printed admit card
  • valid government id proof
  • Photo verification document
  • 2 photographs
  • PWD certificate
  • Non Aadhaar declaration
• Follow the dress code by NTA - "Shoes with thick soles and garments with large buttons are not allowed".
• Do not carry prohibited items

1. NTA will soon release the JEE Main 2026 Jan 28 and 29 exam admit card at jeemain.nta.nic.in.
2. To download the JEE Main 2026 session 1 admit card for Jan 28 and 29, candidates have to use their login credentials - application number and password. On the exam day, candidates have to carry the printed copy of the admit card with a valid government ID proof. Without the NTA JEE Main admit card, no candidate will be allowed inside the exam centre.
3. All important details about the exam, like the allotted exam centre name, address, shift, JEE Main exam day guidelines, instructions, and reporting time, will be available on the JEE Mains exam admit card.

Maths questions were from topics like

• vectors & 3D
• Matrices
• Conic Sections
• Sequence Series.

Shift 1 Jan 23 exam, the topics asked in physics were de-broglie, ray optics, modern physics, electrostatics, magnetic effects of current, wave optics, capacitors, and semiconductors.

As per the candidates after the shift 1 exam, Chemistry has questions that had mixed concepts from two different topics. These type of questions are usually asked in JEE Advanced. students find quite challanging.

The shift 1 of the JEE Main 2026 Jan 23 exam has been ended few minutes ago. Rain has hit the entry and exit process at various centres across the nation. Students are facing difficulty at the centres as the crowd gathers when the exam ends.

The JEE Main 2026 January 23, Shift 1 exam has officially concluded at 12:00 PM IST. Candidates are now exiting the examination centers, and our team is gathering immediate feedback.

Stay tuned for the detailed paper analysis, including the subject-wise difficulty breakdown, memory-based questions, and initial cut-off predictions, which will be updated here shortly.

As per the candidates and experts, as of today, the toughest shift of the JEE Main 2026 exam has been the shift 2 of the JEE Main Jan 22 exam.

Check the table below for more details:

NTA will hold the BE/BTech paper today, January 23, in two shifts.

• Shift 1 will be held from 9 am to 12 noon.
• Shift 2 will be held from 3 pm to 6 pm.

Examination Day Requirements: Items Allowed and Prohibited

JEE Main Session 1 (Shift 1) for January 23, 2026, is currently underway from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, with student reactions and detailed expert analysis expected shortly after its conclusion. Preliminary trends suggest a moderate overall difficulty, likely featuring time-intensive Mathematics and NCERT-focused Chemistry, while candidates in West Bengal have been rescheduled due to Saraswati Puja.

• Chemistry was moderate and was very conceptual.
• Organic was more, and there were many statement-based questions. Question came from Coordination compounds, d-blockm mole, p-block, ionic, buffer, entropy, chemical kinetics

• Physics was easy to moderate.
• The question came from ray optics, fluid mechanics, rotation, inertia, semiconductors, logic gates, ray optics, and thermodynamics.

• Maths was lengthy. The topics asked were sequence, vector & 3D, integration, functions, sets, and probability.

1. Overall exam was Moderate
2. Maths was lengthy
3. Chemistry was moderate and was very conceptual. Organic was more, and there were many statement-based questions.
4. Physics was easy to moderate.

One hour remaining until the scheduled conclusion at 3:00 PM IST. Our team is preparing to receive the second batch of student feedback and detailed expert analysis for Shift 2 immediately after the exam concludes. Stay tuned for real-time updates on the paper's difficulty, subject breakdown, and initial cut-off predictions.

• Syllabus Distribution in JEE Main 22 Jan Shift 1: Approximately 65% of questions were from the Class 12 syllabus, while 35% were from Class 11.
• Expected Percentile after Jan 22 Shift 1: Experts suggest that a score in the range of 190 to 200 marks could potentially fetch a 99 percentile for this shift.

The shift 2 JEE Main 2026 Jan 22 exam has started. its been half an hour the exam is going on. The shift will end at 6 pm.

The entry gates to the examination centers will close sharply at 2:30 PM IST. Candidates who fail to report and complete the necessary verification procedures before 2:30 PM will not be permitted to enter the examination hall under any circumstances, including traffic delays or personal issues.

• Mandatory Items: Carry printed Admit Card, filled self-declaration form, valid original photo ID proof, and a passport-size photograph (matching the application photo).

• Permitted Items: Only transparent pen and water bottle are allowed.

• Prohibited Items: Electronic gadgets (mobile phones, watches, calculators) and other forbidden items are strictly prohibited.

• Consequence: Carrying prohibited items may lead to immediate disqualification.

• Advice: Read all instructions on the admit card carefully before entering the centre.

The JEE (Main) paper conducted on January 22, 2026 (Morning Shift) was, according to experts from Aakash, of moderate to difficult level. Among the three sections, Physics was the easiest, followed by Chemistry, while Mathematics was relatively more challenging. Overall, the paper was balanced and comparable to last year’s papers in terms of both difficulty level and pattern. The distribution of questions across topics was largely uniform.

The initial student reactions and expert feedback for the January 22 Shift 1 exam are now available. Contrary to the trends seen on Day 1 (Jan 21), today's paper has been reported as easier by a majority of candidates.

Detailed Exam Analysis:

• Overall Difficulty: The paper was rated as Moderate overall, though several students found it to be lengthy, requiring good time management.

• Syllabus Adherence: All questions were strictly based on the prescribed NTA JEE Main syllabus, with no out-of-syllabus surprises.

• Comparison with Yesterday: A significant number of students reported that the Jan 22 Shift 1 paper was easier compared to the exam held yesterday (Jan 21).

Subject-Wise Breakdown:

Shift 1 has concluded, As candidates exit the exam centers, subject matter experts of different coaching institutes are actively compiling the JEE Main 2026 Jan 22 Shift 1 Question Paper.

Since the NTA conducts the exam in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode and does not provide hard copies, we rely on memory-based questions shared by students. Here is what you can expect in this section:

• Expert Solutions: Top faculty members are solving the recalled questions to provide a reliable, unofficial Answer Key for Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.

• Score Estimation: By comparing your responses with these solutions, you can calculate your expected raw score and predict your percentile.

• Strategic Planning: An early analysis of your performance is critical for decision-making specifically, determining whether you need to register for the JEE Main April 2026 (Session 2), scheduled from April 2 to 9.

• There is no specific dress code for JEE Mains, however, one specific thing that NTA mentions is that "Shoes with thich sole and garments with large buttons are not allowed". Also, Sikh candidates are allowed to carry religious or customary items such as a Kara or Kirpan.
• Students were allowed only a transparent, simple ballpoint pen and a transparent water bottle. Exceptions were made for diabetic candidates, who were permitted to carry specific food items or tablets, but for most, electronic gadgets, pencil boxes, and even certain types of jewellery were strictly prohibited.

JEE Mains Shift 2 Jan 22: Reporting time, Gate Closing time and Important Deadlines

• 1 pm: Reporting time
• 01.00 pm to 02.30 pm: Entry in the Examination Centre/Hall/Room, frisking, biometric registration/ record of manual attendance by Invigilator, document verification/crosschecking of Admit Card, signature, and photo match to be completed by Invigilator, etc.
• 02.30 pm: Gate closes. No candidates are allowed in the exam centre beyond this deadline.
• 02.30 pm to 02.50 pm: Instructions by the Invigilators
• 02:50 pm: Candidates login to read instructions
• 3 pm: Shift 2 exam starts
• 6 pm: Shift 2 exam ends

The shift 1 is over. Students are coming out of the exam centres, awaited for the question paper analysis, expert review and more.

Candidates are strongly advised to secure their JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Admit Card, even after the initial exam attempt.

The first session of the day wraps up, and candidates are now exiting the examination centers. Our live blog coverage immediately pivots to gathering the first-hand student feedback, expert reviews, and memory-based questions from this shift. Stay tuned for the detailed paper analysis, including the subject-wise difficulty breakdown and initial cut-off predictions for Shift 1.

Candidates for the JEE Main 2026 January 22, Shift 1 exam have only 45 minutes left, with the paper scheduled to conclude sharply at 12:00 PM IST. Our team is ready to begin collecting immediate student feedback and expert analysis for Day 2, Shift 1 paper review as soon as the exam is over.

• Shift 1 from 9 am to 12 noon.
• Shift 2 from 3 pm to 6 pm.

• JEE Main Jan 22 question paper will be designed for BE/BTech courses. Candidates will find a total of 75 questions in JEE Mains exam.
• Each of the three sections will have 25 questions.
• Out of the total 25 questions in each section, 20 will be objective type and five questions will be Numerical Value Questions.

The JEE Main 2026 January 22 (Shift 1) exam will end at 12:00 noon. Memory-based question papers and expert solutions for this shift will be available as of today, after the exam ends.

Based on the overall Moderate to Tough difficulty reported by students and expert analysis of the January 21 papers, the qualifying cut-off for JEE Advanced eligibility is projected to be within the following ranges.

Important Note: These are initial projections based on preliminary expert analysis and student feedback. Minor variations may occur due to shift-wise normalisation. Final cutoffs will be announced after the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 result declaration by NTA.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has issued clear exam day guidelines for all candidates appearing in the JEE Main 2026 Shift 1 and Shift 2 examinations today, January 22. Candidates must ensure they carry their printed Admit Card along with the filled self-declaration form, a valid original photo ID proof, and a passport-size photograph (matching the one on the application form) for entry.

Only permitted items, such as a transparent pen and water bottle, are allowed inside the exam hall. Wearing prohibited items or carrying electronic gadgets, including mobile phones, watches, or calculators, is strictly forbidden and may lead to immediate disqualification. Students are strongly advised to read all instructions on their admit card carefully before entering the exam centre to avoid any last-minute issues.

Check the subject-wise analysis of JEE Main 2026 shift 1 exam analysis from day 1 below:

The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 continues today, January 22, with the commencement of the Shift 1 examination at 9:00 AM IST. Candidates have begun attempting the Paper 1 (BE/B.Tech) test, which is scheduled to conclude at 12:00 PM IST.

• Overall Difficulty: Moderate. Many found it slightly easier than Shift 1, but still challenging.

• Mathematics: Remained the most challenging and lengthy section.

• Syllabus Adherence: Mostly followed the prescribed syllabus, but conflicting reports emerged about questions from the Tangent topic, which is typically outside the current JEE Main syllabus.

• Attempt Rate: Average attempts for strong candidates ranged from 40 to 50+ questions.

• Initial Cutoff Prediction: A score of approximately 110 marks is projected to be the qualifying threshold for JEE Advanced eligibility based on preliminary trends.

Initial reports from candidates who took the JEE Main 2026 Shift 2 exam confirm that the paper adhered strictly to the prescribed syllabus. Unlike potential issues reported in past exams, students found all questions to be within the scope of the NCERT curriculum and the official JEE Main syllabus. This adherence suggests a fair and focused assessment for the second shift of the day.

• The overall exam was Moderate
• Maths was Tough
• Physics was Moderate
• Chemistry was Easy

Understanding previous trends helps in predicting future cutoffs accurately.

This article offers the answer key for the 2026 JEE Main exams, which is being conducted in two Shifts - 1 and 2. All JEE Main candidates can check the answers to all questions asked in today’s exam. The answer key available here is provided by Allen experts based on the feedback shared by their students.

Check: JEE Main 2026 Answer Key by Allen

Candidates who appeared for the JEE Main 2026 Shift 2 (2:00 PM - 5:00 PM) exam have begun exiting the examination centers.  Stay tuned to this live blog for the first student reactions, expert-led analysis, and initial predictions for the Shift 2 cut-offs, which will be updated here shortly.

JEE Main 2026 January 21 Shift 2 has ended. Stay tuned here for JEE Main 2026 paper analysis and student reactions.

Candidates can check JEE Main 21 Jan answer key by Aakash below.

The JEE Main 2026 January 21, Shift 2 examination for Paper 1 (BE/B.Tech) has officially concluded at 3:00 PM IST. The second session of the day wraps up, and candidates are now exiting the examination centers. Our live blog coverage immediately pivots to gathering the first-hand student feedback, expert reviews, and memory-based questions from this shift. Stay tuned for the detailed paper analysis, including the subject-wise difficulty breakdown and initial cut-off predictions for Shift 2.

"Prashant Jain, CEO of Oswaal Books, shared his expert view on the January 21 paper: "Most students agreed the overall difficulty was medium, mainly because the Mathematics part was hard and took the most time. Physics tested if students truly understood the concepts and could use them. On the other hand, Chemistry was the easiest to score well in, as it mainly followed the NCERT books. The most important lesson is that the test focused on a deep understanding of the basics, not just on remembering facts. Doing well depended on managing time properly and focusing on being correct rather than trying to answer too many questions. Future students should make their basic concepts very strong, stay calm during the exam, and use this analysis to understand the pattern without letting it completely control their study plan."

The National Testing Agency (NTA) released a comprehensive advisory for candidates on January 20, 2026, via the official JEE Main website. This document provides essential guidelines on exam day protocols, prohibited and permitted items, and specific subject-wise instructions to ensure a smooth examination process.

• Official Website for Reference: All candidates are advised to download the full advisory from.

• Mandatory Documents: Ensure you carry a clear printout of your Admit Card (A4 size), an original valid Photo ID, and one passport-size photograph identical to the one on your application.

• Permitted Items: Only a simple transparent ballpoint pen, a transparent water bottle, and a personal hand sanitizer (50ml) are generally allowed.

• Strictly Prohibited: Electronic gadgets (phones, calculators, smartwatches), metallic items, handbags, and textual material are strictly forbidden inside the hall.

• Reporting Time: Candidates should arrive at the exam center at least 2 hours before the commencement of the exam for mandatory frisking and biometric registration.

Attention all candidates for the JEE Main 2026 January 21, Shift 2 examination:

The entry gates to the examination centers will close sharply at 2:30 PM IST. Candidates who fail to report and complete the necessary verification procedures before 2:30 PM will not be permitted to enter the examination hall under any circumstances, including traffic delays or personal issues.

The most asked topics: Gravitation, Semiconductor, EMF, Current Electricity, Heat & Thermodynamics, Atoms & Nuclies, AC, SHM

In the Maths section today in shift 1, these were the most asked topics: Sets and Relations, Vectors & 3D, Matrices, Limits, Differentiability, Probability

In the chemistry section today in shift 1, these were the most asked topics: Isomerism, Organic and Physical Chemistry Questions, Coordination Chemistry, p-block, General Organic Chemistry, Chemical Thermodynamics, Chemical Bonding, Molecular Structure, Electrochemistry, Redox Reactions, Ionic Equilibrium

The reporting for the JEE Main 2026 shift 2 exam has underway. The candidates who are scheduled for shift 2 exam today, must reach the exam hall by 1 pm and the gates will close at 2:30 pm sharp.

As per NTA official guidelines, apart from the biometric attendance and frisking at the JEE Main 2026 centre entry, if a candidate goes bio-break/toilet, they have to undergo the mandatory frisking and biometrics again.

Candidates can check here the memory based JEE Main 2026 questions and answers. The immediate reaction of the students regarding the difficulty level of the shift, types of questions asked, weightage of topics, and more will also be made available here. JEE Main 2026 expected cutoff to qualify for JEE Advanced will also be shared after analysis of the exam by experts. Stay tuned for all updates.

Candidates cannot carry the below items:

• Pencil/Geometry Box or any other stationery

• Handbag

• Purse

• Any kind of paper or printed material

• Eatables and Water (loose or packed)

• Electronic items and instruments such as Mobile Phone, Ear Phone, Microphone, Pager, Calculator

• Instruments such as DocuPen, Slide Ruler, Log Tables, Camera, Tape Recorder

• Any type of watch including electronic watches with a calculator, any metallic item or electronic gadgets/ devices in the examination hall/room

Candidates have to carry the below items:

• Self-Declaration Undertaking: Candidates will have to carry a printed copy of the self-declaration undertaking, which is a part of admit card downloaded from NTA’s website.

• Ball Point Pen: This time candidates have to carry a ballpoint pen to the exam hall.

• Photograph: Candidates are also requested to carry one passport-size photograph to the test centre. This should be the same as uploaded while filling the online application form. The photograph needs to be pasted on a specific space in the attendance sheet at the examination hall.

• Any one of the authorized photo IDs (must be original, valid and non-expired) –

  • PAN card

  • Driving license

  • Voter ID

  • Passport

  • Aadhaar Card (with the photograph)

  • Aadhaar enrolment number/Ration card

Only one hour remaining for Shift 2 Exam. Our team is preparing to receive the second batch of student feedback and detailed expert analysis for Shift 2 immediately after the exam concludes. Stay tuned for real-time updates on the paper's difficulty, subject breakdown, and initial cut-off predictions.

• For the shift 2 JEE Main 2026 Jan session exam today, candidates must report by 1:00 pm.

Candidates are strongly advised to secure their JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Admit Card, even after the initial exam attempt.

The reporting for the JEE Main 2026 shift 2 exam has started. The candidates who are scheduled for shift 2 exam today, must reach the exam hall by 1 pm and the gates will close at 2:30 pm sharp.

At first, most students are saying the exam was Medium hard. Physics and Maths were difficult. But, a few students also said the Maths section, even though it took a long time, was easier to understand than the exam last year.
This is confusing because most students still thought Maths was the hardest and took the most time. The easier questions were probably only on a few topics within the hard Maths section. We are waiting for more detailed reports from experts to understand why students have different opinions.

This article will provide you with a detailed list of the JEE Main questions that were asked today (January 21) in both Shift 1 and Shift 2. The JEE Min shift 1 exam is underway till 12 noon. This will let them compare their performance and understand the difficulty level of the exam.

Check| JEE Main 2026 Memory Based Questions

According to the student’s feedback, organic chemistry has the highest weightage among the Chemistry section. Questions were asked about Chemical Bonding and Organic Chemistry.

The initial reports from students exiting the exam center provide a clear picture of the paper's structure and difficulty.

Initial reports from candidates suggest that the average number of questions students were able to attempt within the three-hour duration was in the range of 50 to 55 questions. This is consistent with the reported difficulty—a manageable number of attempts given the challenging nature of the Physics and Mathematics sections.

Initial student consensus indicates that the JEE Main 2026 January 21, Shift 1 paper was Moderate to Tough in overall difficulty, largely driven by the challenging Physics and Mathematics sections.

As per the students, the organic part of the chemistry subject has less weightage. Overall exam was balanced, and questions were there from all topics.

Initial feedback from candidates exiting the JEE Main 2026 Shift 1 exam suggests an unusual change in the multiple-choice question format within the Chemistry section. While the standard JEE Main pattern features four options for all MCQ-type questions (A, B, C, D), a number of students are reporting that some Chemistry questions contained five or even six options.

This is a significant, reported deviation from the norm. Our experts are currently investigating this claim and its potential implications for marking and difficulty. We will provide an official clarification on the question format as soon as possible.

• The candidates of shift 1 exam are leaving the exam hall. The JEE Main 2026 student reactions for the shift 1 exam today will be out soon and will be covered here. Stay tuned for live reactions from students here.

JEE Main 2026 Shift 1 examinees, with only three minutes remaining until the official conclusion of the paper at 12:00 PM IST. Students across all centers are in the final moments of attempting their questions. As soon as the gates open, our team will be on-site to collect the first batch of student reactions, detailing their overall experience, section-wise difficulty, and initial insights into the JEE Main 2026 January 21 paper. Stay locked on this live blog for the immediate post-exam analysis.

The JEE Main 2026 January 21, Shift 1 exam will be concluded at 12:00 PM IST. Candidates are exiting the exam centers, and our team is gathering immediate feedback.

Here's what you can expect next:

• Student Reactions: Quick reports on the paper's difficulty, which sections were tough/easy, and overall experience.

• Memory-Based Questions & Answer Keys: Shortly, we will publish the unofficial questions and answers based on student recall. These are prepared by coaching experts.

• Expert Analysis: A detailed review of the paper's structure, topic weightage, and subject-wise difficulty (Physics, Chemistry, Maths).

• Expected Cutoff: Initial predictions for the JEE Main 2026 qualifying cutoff (for JEE Advanced).

• Sikh Candidates: As an exception to the "no metallic items" rule, Sikh candidates are permitted to wear religious articles, specifically the KARA and KIRPAN.

• Security Screening: All candidates are advised to wear lightweight, breathable cotton fabrics to ensure comfort during long exam hours and to facilitate easy security frisking.

• Reporting Time: You should arrive at the exam center at least 2 hours before the commencement of the test to allow for timely document verification and biometric registration. 

Check| JEE Main 2026 Dress Code for Male & Female Candidates

The time is running out for students taking the JEE Main 2026 Shift 1 exam today, January 21st. There is only one hour left until the exam finishes at 12:00 PM IST. The students are working hard in the exam halls. As soon as they leave, our team will start collecting their first thoughts and doing a full review of the paper. Keep following this live blog to quickly find out how hard the paper was, how each subject was, and what experts first think about the Shift 1 paper.

The JEE Main January 21 Shift 1 Exam Analysis 2026 will be shared here once the exam concludes. The JEE Main Jan 21 shift 1 exam will conclude at 12 PM.

JEE Main Shift-wise Exam Analysis 2026 can be accessed in the table below once updated.

Alongside the comprehensive JEE Main Exam Analysis 2026 for January 21, we will also provide the JEE Main Unofficial Answer Key 2026. These answer keys are meticulously prepared by expert faculty from various reputable coaching institutions. The overall JEE Main paper analysis 2026, including subject-wise reviews, will also be crafted with the detailed input and assessment of experienced subject matter experts.

As the JEE Main 2026 shift 1 exam has commenced across the nation today, January 21, all the candidates who are due to appear for the shift 2 exams have already started to report at the centre. Parents and students are waiting outside the centres.

The JEE Main 2026 January Session, Day 1, Shift 1 examination for Paper 1 (BE/B.Tech) is currently underway. This shift, which commenced at 9:00 AM IST, is scheduled to conclude at 12:00 PM IST.

Candidates are expected to exit their respective examination centres shortly after 12:00 PM. Immediately following the conclusion of Shift 1, our live coverage will pivot to provide:

• First-hand student reactions and feedback.
• A detailed, section-wise analysis of the paper's difficulty level.
• Compilation of memory-based questions and initial answer keys from coaching experts.

Keep refreshing this page for the most immediate updates on the JEE Main 2026 Jan 21, Shift 1 paper review.

Cities are allotted based on availability and the candidate's preferences and current/permanent address linked to their Aadhaar card, with an automated process prioritizing candidates' chosen cities from the four options provided.

Late Arrival Strictness: Candidates will not be permitted to enter the examination center after the gate closure time, regardless of the reason (e.g., traffic, public transport issues, personal delays). Candidates must arrive at the center well in advance of the reporting time.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially commenced the JEE Main 2026 January 21, Shift 1 examination for Paper 1 (BE/B.Tech). The Computer-Based Test (CBT) began sharply at 9:00 AM IST and is scheduled to conclude at 12:00 PM IST. Candidates are required to remain in the examination hall for the full duration of the test.