The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026 Session 1 began today at examination centres across several cities in India and 15 cities abroad. The examination for Paper 1 (BE/BTech) was conducted in two shifts - from 9 AM to 12 noon and from 3 PM to 6 PM. More than 14 lakh students have registered for the exam, which will continue until January 29.
According to subject experts, the overall difficulty level of the first shift paper ranged from easy to moderate, with no major deviations from previous years.
Analysing the Chemistry paper, Faisal Razaq, Faculty, PhysicsWallah (PW), said the section was fairly balanced in nature.
"The Chemistry paper was fairly balanced in nature. In Physical Chemistry, most questions were formula-based and involved low to moderate calculations, covering familiar topics such as the mole concept, kinetics, and numerical problem-solving. Overall, the section ranged from easy to moderate, and students who had prepared thoroughly should find it manageable to score well," he said.
He noted that the paper reflected the National Testing Agency's (NTA) attempt to maintain a balance between calculation-based and theory-driven questions. While Organic and Physical Chemistry featured the usual numerical problems, some questions required the application of multiple equations, demanding careful conceptual understanding. However, these questions remained well within the reach of prepared candidates.
"Across all three sections of Chemistry, the difficulty level remained easy to moderate. For upcoming shifts, students should be mindful of calculation-heavy questions and manage their time accordingly. Overall, there was no major change in the pattern or difficulty compared to last year's exam, with the paper remaining largely consistent in structure and level," he added.
Sharing his assessment of the Physics paper, Rajwant Singh, professor, PhysicsWallah (PW), said it largely followed the trend of previous years.
"The Physics paper was majorly in line with previous years in terms of structure and difficulty. The first shift was moderately challenging, with a good mix of numerical and concept-based questions, which helped students approach the section with confidence. For those who managed their time well, the paper did not feel lengthy and remained comfortable to attempt. Overall, it was a balanced paper."
He further pointed out that chapters such as Modern Physics, Rotation, and Current Electricity continued to carry significant weightage.
"In terms of topic-wise weightage, chapters such as Modern Physics, Rotation, and Current- Electricity continued to hold importance. The questions from these areas were of moderate difficulty and manageable for students who had clarity of concepts and were familiar with key formulas, in addition to questions from relatively challenging chapters. Overall, the Physics section tested both understanding and application effectively, without introducing any unexpected changes in the level of difficulty."
Assessing the Mathematics paper's difficulty level, Sachin Jakhar, faculty at PhysicsWallah (PW), said that students found the section slightly more challenging than Physics and Chemistry.
"Students found the Mathematics paper slightly on the tougher side, with the overall difficulty ranging from moderate to difficult. The questions were well distributed across key topics from both Class 11 and 12. Important chapters such as Matrices and Determinants, Vectors and 3D Geometry, Sequences and Series, Binomial Theorem, Coordinate Geometry, and Calculus were well represented," he said.
He added that while the paper was well structured, it was relatively lengthy and required strong time management skills.
"From an exam-level perspective, the paper was well structured and tested depth of understanding. While a few questions were straightforward and could be solved quickly, the Maths section was relatively lengthy and required effective time management. Students who had practiced previous years' question papers were better positioned to attempt the paper comfortably. Overall, it was a good-quality paper that appropriately assessed conceptual clarity and problem-solving ability with no surprising elements or major changes to the questions asked," he further added.