JEE Main 2026 Live Updates: Session 1 Exam, Guidelines & Paper Analysis

The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 examination is in progress, with BE/BTech (Paper 1) tests being conducted across India and overseas in multiple shifts. Live updates from the ongoing examination highlight shift timings, attendance statistics, exam-day guidelines, required documents, and early trends in paper analysis as shared during the January 22 schedule.

Shift Timings, Reporting Rules & Attendance

The JEE Main 2026 Paper 1 for BE/BTech is being held in two shifts daily across designated exam cities:

• Shift 1: 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM
• Shift 2: 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM

Candidates are required to report well before the gate closing time as mentioned on their admit cards and adhere strictly to reporting time and entry instructions. The morning shift reporting and gate-closure rules are enforced to ensure smooth and fair conduct of the exam. On January 22, the Shift 1 exam concluded in the morning, and candidates are set to appear for Shift 2 in the afternoon. On the previous day (January 21), attendance figures were strong with over 95 percent of registered candidates present in both shifts, reflecting high participation levels across exam sessions.

Required Documents and Exam Day Checklist

As per NTA guidelines, candidates must carry the following to their examination centre before entering the hall:

• A printed copy of the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 admit card
• One original valid government-issued photo ID (such as Aadhaar card, passport, voter ID, etc.)
• A passport-size photograph affixed to the admit card and extras if required

Proper verification of these documents, biometric attendance, frisking, and live photo capture are mandatory before entering the exam hall. Candidates without proper documentation or those reporting after gate closure are not permitted entry.

NTA Advisory on Question Paper Claims

During the live exam coverage, the National Testing Agency (NTA) issued a strong advisory warning students against fake paper leak claims circulating on social media platforms. The agency clarified that these posts are misleading, fraudulent, and not connected to the official exam process, urging candidates not to engage with such content or provide any personal details in response to them.

Early Paper Analysis and Structure

Live updates also touch upon early insights into paper patterns and marking schemes:

• Raw marks will be converted into normalized percentiles to ensure fairness across shifts.
• The exam pattern consists of multiple questions with four marks for each correct answer, minus one for incorrect responses, and no marks deducted for unattempted questions.

Subject-wise question trends, where available, will be shared as more candidate reactions and expert analysis are compiled. On the previous exam date (January 21), early reports indicated balanced papers with moderate difficulty overall, with sections like Mathematics seen as lengthy and Physics and Chemistry varying from moderate to easier segments.

Exam Calendar and Organisation

The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 exams are being conducted across multiple days—January 21, 22, 23, 24 and 28, 2026—with thousands of centres operating under strict supervision and security protocols. Over 14 lakh candidates registered for Paper 1 this year, prompting the National Testing Agency to expand capacity with additional examination centres.