JEE Main 2026 January 22 Exam Analysis: The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Main 2026 Session 1 entered its second day today. The Session 1 exams began on January 21 and will continue till January 29. Following the completion of the morning shift, candidates and aspirants tracking India's most competitive engineering entrance exam are keen to understand the subject-wise difficulty level and the overall paper trend.
Several faculty members and academic experts have shared their analysis of the January 22 morning shift paper.
Physics: Moderate and Manageable
According to Manish Singh Tak, Faculty at PhysicsWallah (PW), the Physics section was of moderate difficulty, primarily due to a few lengthy questions that required careful reading and precise calculations.
"Overall, the Physics section was of moderate difficulty. The paper included questions from both Class 11 and Class 12, offering a balanced mix of conceptual and numerical problems. While some numerical questions demanded additional focus, they were well within reach for adequately prepared students," Tak said.
He added that the section aligned closely with the prescribed syllabus and followed trends seen in previous JEE Main papers.
"The topic-wise distribution was fairly even, with no single chapter dominating the paper. With effective time management, students should have been able to complete the section comfortably," he noted.
Chemistry: Moderate Difficulty
Amitabh Sharma, Faculty at PhysicsWallah (PW), said the Chemistry section was of moderate difficulty and covered almost all major areas of the syllabus.
"The Chemistry section showed increased emphasis on reaction-based questions. Topics such as Coordination Compounds and Chemical Bonding featured prominently, along with questions from Hybridisation and Salt Analysis," Sharma said.
He further highlighted the continued importance of name reactions.
"In both Organic and Inorganic Chemistry, name reactions once again played a significant role. The paper maintained a good balance across Organic, Physical, and Inorganic Chemistry, underlining the need for comprehensive preparation rather than selective study."
Mathematics: Easier Overall, Few Lengthy Questions
Ashish Agarwal, Faculty at PhysicsWallah (PW), described the Mathematics section as largely on the easier side and manageable for most candidates.
"Calculations were straightforward and not overly time-consuming. However, a few questions were lengthy and required careful execution, where minor errors could affect final answers," he said.
The paper included questions from Differential Equations, Probability, Vectors and 3D Geometry, Integrals, Area Under the Curve, and Inverse Trigonometric Functions.
"Out of 25 questions, nearly 17 to 20 were relatively easy. Overall, the Mathematics paper allowed well-prepared students to score confidently," Agarwal added.
Expert View: Overall Paper Assessment
The National Academic Director (Engineering) at Aakash Educational Services Limited termed the paper moderate to difficult.
"The JEE Main paper conducted on January 22, 2026 (morning shift) was balanced and comparable to last year's papers. Physics was the easiest section, followed by Chemistry, while Mathematics was relatively more challenging," the expert said.
Subject-Wise Highlights (Aakash)
- Physics: Rated easy by most students; Class 12 topics such as Optics, Electromagnetism, and Modern Physics carried more weightage.
- Chemistry: Moderate to difficult; Inorganic Chemistry dominated, with strong representation from the p-block.
- Mathematics: Moderate to difficult; Calculus, Algebra, and Conic Sections featured prominently.
Overall Difficulty Order (Based on Student Feedback)
Mathematics > Chemistry > Physics
