JEE Main 2026 Jan 24 Shift 1 Ends: Paper Analysis, Difficulty Level & Reactions

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• Updated on 24 Jan, 2026, 12:00 PM, by Ishita Tanwar

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has successfully concluded the JEE Main 2026 January 24 Shift 1 examination for BE and BTech aspirants today. The exam was conducted as part of Session 1 Day 4 in computer-based test (CBT) mode at centres across the country. The morning shift was held from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon.

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has successfully concluded the JEE Main 2026 January 24 Shift 1 examination for BE and BTech aspirants today. The exam was conducted as part of Session 1 Day 4 in computer-based test (CBT) mode at centres across the country. The morning shift was held from 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon, following strict security measures including biometric authentication, identity verification, and frisking before entry into the examination halls.

JEE Main 2026 January 24 Shift 1: Exam Schedule

The examination was conducted as per the official schedule released by NTA:

Reporting Time: 7:00 AM
Entry Window: 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM
Gate Closing Time: 8:30 AM
Candidate Login: 8:50 AM
Exam Timing: 9:00 AM to 12:00 noon

Late entry was not permitted under any circumstances.

JEE Main 2026 Jan 24 Shift 1: Section-Wise Paper Analysis (Initial)

Based on early student feedback and expert inputs, the overall difficulty level of the paper was reported as easy to moderate.

Physics

Difficulty Level: Moderate
Questions were mostly formula-based
Major topics included Modern Physics, Ray Optics, Electrostatics, Magnetic Effects of Current, Capacitors, and Semiconductors
Several questions were direct and time-manageable

Chemistry

Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate
Largely NCERT-based
Higher weightage observed in Organic Chemistry
Questions from D-Block Elements and Chemical Kinetics were also reported
Considered the most scoring section by many candidates

Mathematics

Difficulty Level: Moderate to Tough
Lengthy and calculation-intensive questions
Topics included Vectors and 3D Geometry, Matrices, Conic Sections, and Sequences & Series
Time management was a key challenge

Student Reactions from JEE Main 2026 Jan 24 Shift 1

Initial reactions from candidates indicated that the paper was balanced and in line with the NTA exam pattern seen in previous shifts. Many students felt confident about attempting a good number of questions in Physics and Chemistry, while Mathematics required more time due to longer calculations.

What Happens After JEE Main 2026 Shift 1 Ends?

Following the conclusion of the morning shift, the following updates are expected:

Detailed paper analysis with difficulty level
Student reactions from exam centres
Memory-based questions and unofficial answer keys
Expert solutions prepared by coaching institutes

A combined analysis of Shift 1 and Shift 2 will be published after the completion of the afternoon session.

JEE Main 2026 January 24 Shift 2 Exam Today

The Shift 2 examination for January 24 will be conducted from 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM, with reporting starting at 1:00 PM. Candidates must ensure they reach the exam centre well before the gate closing time of 2:30 PM.

Upcoming Updates by NTA

After the completion of all January session exams, NTA is expected to release the provisional answer key on the official website jeemain.nta.nic.in, followed by the objection window and result declaration. The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 scores will be used for admission to NITs, IIITs, and other participating institutions.

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