JEE Main 2026 Paper Analysis Day 3 Shift 1: Difficulty Level, Good Attempts & Review

The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026 Session 1 continued on Day 3, January 23, 2026, with the BE/BTech paper conducted in two shifts across examination centres in India. The National Testing Agency (NTA) is organising the exam in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode. The Shift 1 (forenoon session) was held from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM, while Shift 2 is scheduled from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM.

JEE Main 2026 Paper Analysis (Day 3): Shift 1 Difficulty Level, Student Reactions & Expert Opinion

Lakhs of engineering aspirants appeared for the exam today as part of JEE Main 2026 Session 1, which plays a crucial role in admission to NITs, IIITs, GFTIs, and also serves as the qualifying exam for JEE Advanced 2026.

Overall Difficulty Level - Shift 1

As per initial student feedback and early expert reviews, JEE Main 2026 Day 3 Shift 1 was rated moderate overall. While the paper followed the standard NTA pattern, the difficulty level varied section-wise.

Physics: Moderate to slightly tricky
Chemistry: Easy to moderate
Mathematics: Moderate to difficult

Students reported that time management, especially in Mathematics, was a key challenge.

Section-wise Analysis

Physics:

The Physics section was described as conceptual and calculation-based. Questions were mainly asked from Current Electricity, Modern Physics, Laws of Motion, Thermodynamics, and Semiconductors. Numerical-based questions required careful calculations but were mostly formula-driven.

Chemistry:

Chemistry emerged as the easiest section in Shift 1. A majority of questions were from NCERT textbooks, especially in Inorganic and Organic Chemistry. Topics such as Coordination Compounds, Chemical Bonding, Hydrocarbons, and Biomolecules were prominent. Physical Chemistry had a balanced mix of numerical and theory-based questions.

Mathematics:

Mathematics was considered lengthy and time-consuming. Questions were mainly asked from Calculus, Coordinate Geometry, Vectors & 3D Geometry, and Matrices & Determinants. Students found this section tougher compared to Chemistry and Physics.

Good Attempts

Based on expert feedback:

Average good attempts: 55-65 questions
High score range: 70+ attempts with good accuracy

Student Reactions

Many candidates shared that the paper was well-balanced but required strong conceptual clarity, particularly in Mathematics. Students who practiced previous year question papers (PYQs) found the exam more manageable.

Expert Opinion

Education experts believe that Day 3 Shift 1 paper maintained the difficulty trend of previous days and remained in line with the JEE Main 2026 syllabus. Candidates with a strong NCERT foundation and regular mock test practice are expected to score well.

What's Next?

The JEE Main 2026 Day 3 Shift 2 paper analysis will be available after the completion of the afternoon session. Candidates are advised to wait for the official answer key, which will be released by NTA after the completion of all session exams.