The National Testing Agency (NTA) successfully conducted the JEE Main 2026 Session 2 exam on 21 January 2026, 3–6 PM for Paper 1 (BE/BTech). Candidates appeared across centres nationwide, completing their shift in a structured schedule. Students and coaching institutes have already started sharing shift-wise analysis, feedback, and expected cutoff trends.
Session 2 Paper Analysis and Difficulty Level
Early reports indicate that the Session 2 exam maintained a similar pattern to Session 1:
- Physics: Moderately challenging, testing conceptual understanding and problem-solving speed.
- Chemistry: Mostly scoring, with questions from Physical, Organic, and Inorganic chemistry appearing straightforward.
- Mathematics: Most time-consuming, with questions on Calculus, 3D Geometry, and Vectors considered tough by many candidates.
Overall, candidates described the paper as moderate to slightly difficult, requiring careful time management and accuracy.
Unofficial Answer Key and Student Score Estimation
Coaching institutes released provisional answer keys shortly after the shift concluded:
- Shift 2 PDFs cover Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics.
- Candidates can estimate tentative scores using these keys before the official NTA answer key is released.
These unofficial solutions help students anticipate performance and prepare for percentile calculation.
Expected Cut-Off Trends for Session 2
Based on current student responses and historical trends:
- General category: Expected cutoff may be slightly higher due to the moderate difficulty level.
- Reserved categories: Cutoff percentiles align with previous year trends but may vary after normalization across shifts.
These estimates allow aspirants to gauge chances for admission into preferred engineering institutes.
Student Reactions and Feedback
Students shared their experiences post-exam:
- Mathematics remained time-intensive, while Chemistry offered scoring opportunities.
- Physics was balanced but required careful attention to formulas.
- Many candidates emphasized time management as the key to attempting all questions accurately.
Real-time reactions are helping aspirants understand subject weightage and difficulty patterns.
Next Steps: Official Answer Key and Result
The NTA will soon release the official answer key, followed by the result declaration and cutoff percentile notification. Students should monitor the official JEE Main portal for updates to verify scores and proceed with admissions.
