JEE Main 2026 January 22 Exam Analysis: Shift 1 & 2 Paper Review, Student Reactions, Difficulty Level

Q: When was the JEE Main 2026 January 22 exam conducted?

The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 exams were held on January 22, 2026 (Shift-1 and Shift-2), with students across India appearing for the national engineering entrance test. (Based on your provided link context; exact date confirmed there.)

Q: What do students report about the paper pattern and questions?

Reviews from students suggest that the Maths section was comparatively tougher, while Chemistry was balanced and Physics was moderate, reflecting the usual pattern of JEE Main.

Author :

Nisha Sharma

Last Updated on : 22 Jan 2026 12:09PM

The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026 Session 1 is (or was) underway today, January 21, 2026, with tests being held in two shifts. You get a detailed, assessment of the exam paper, along with the level of difficulty and a division of the subjects (Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics).

The wait is finally over and the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 has officially gone live today, January 21st . That's right, the long, awaited engineering entrance exam has been released in full and the 1st shift will be finishing this afternoon. And 2nd shift is scheduled to follow later today.

Thousands of candidates are taking the BE/B.Tech (Paper 1) exam at present. It is the exam that opens the doors to the top tech colleges in India like NITs, IIITs and the GFTIs among others.

JEE Main 2026 – Jan 21 | Shift 2 Exam Day Guidelines

Category	Instructions
Punctuality & Entry	• Reach the exam centre strictly as per the reporting time mentioned on the JEE Main 2026 admit card. • Late entry will not be permitted under any circumstances.
Aadhaar Biometrics	• Ensure your Aadhaar biometric authentication is UNLOCKED before reaching the centre to avoid verification issues.
Mandatory Documents	Carry ALL of the following: • Printed Admit Card with self-declaration filled • Original valid photo ID proof (same as uploaded in the application) • Photo verification document (only if requested by NTA via email) • Two identical passport-size photographs (same as application form) • PWD certificate (if applicable)
Allowed Items	• One transparent ballpoint pen • One transparent water bottle
Prohibited Items	Do NOT carry: • Any stationery items (pen box, paper, notes, textual material) • Electronic devices (mobile phone, calculator, smartwatch, camera, earphones) • Metallic items, handbags, purses • Any food items (except as permitted for diabetic candidates)
For Diabetic Candidates	Allowed: • Sugar tablets • Fruits (banana, apple, orange) • Transparent water bottle Not Allowed: • Packed or processed foods (chocolates, biscuits, sandwiches, etc.)

Expected Cutoff Trend After JEE Main 2026 – January 21 Exam

The expected qualifying cut-off (NTA Score) for JEE Advanced, as per student feedback on its difficulty level, expert analysis and moderate to tough rating given by students.

Category	Predicted JEE Main 2026 Qualifying Cutoff (NTA Score)	Remarks / Trend Analysis
General	90 – 92	Likely to remain stable or slightly higher due to increased competition and paper difficulty balance.
OBC-NCL	73 – 75	Expected to stay consistent with previous years’ trends.
EWS	78 – 80	Minor fluctuations possible, depending on total EWS candidate count and score distribution.
SC	50 – 52	Traditionally lower but stable, with limited session-wise variation.
ST	35 – 38	Least variation expected among all categories.