Shift-Wise JEE Main 2025 Marks vs Percentile: January Session Analysis & Trends

The shift-wise JEE Main 2025 marks vs percentile analysis provides crucial insights into how variation in paper difficulty across different shifts influenced candidate scores during the January session (January 22 to January 29, 2025). This analysis also serves as a reference point for aspirants preparing for JEE Main 2026 Session 1, helping them understand expected scoring trends. The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducts JEE Main in multiple shifts and applies a normalization process to ensure fairness when question paper difficulty varies across sessions.

Why Shift-Wise Marks vs Percentile Varies in JEE Main?

The relationship between marks and percentile in JEE Main is not fixed and depends on several factors:

• Variation in difficulty level between shifts
• Number of candidates appearing in each shift
• Relative performance of candidates within a shift

Due to normalization, the same raw score can result in different percentiles across shifts. For example, scoring 180 marks in a tougher shift may fetch a higher percentile than the same score in an easier shift.

JEE Main January 2025: Toughest and Easiest Shifts

Toughest Shifts

Shifts with lengthy Mathematics, complex Physics conceptual questions, and multi-step numericals were rated toughest. In such shifts, candidates achieved higher percentiles at comparatively lower marks.

Easiest Shifts

Shifts dominated by direct Chemistry questions and formula-based Physics were considered easier. In these shifts, marks required for top percentiles, such as 99 percentile, were noticeably higher.

JEE Mains 2025 Session 1: Shift-Wise Marks vs Percentile Breakdown

January 22, 2025 – Shift 1 & Shift 2

• Shift 1: Moderate overall, Chemistry scoring, Maths time-consuming
• Shift 2: Slightly tougher, especially in Mathematics

99 Percentile:

• Shift 1: 158 marks
• Shift 2: 186 marks

January 23, 2025 – Shift 1 & Shift 2

• Balanced difficulty across shifts
• Chemistry remained the most scoring section
• Maths was lengthy in both shifts

99 Percentile:

• Shift 1: 178 marks
• Shift 2: 188 marks

January 24, 2025 – Shift 1 & Shift 2

• Moderate to slightly tough papers
• Shift 2 had lengthy Maths but scoring Chemistry

99 Percentile:

• Shift 1: 183 marks
• Shift 2: 200 marks

January 28, 2025 – Shift 1 & Shift 2

• Toughest day of the January session
• Lengthy Maths and Physics reduced overall scores

99 Percentile:

• Shift 1: 148 marks
• Shift 2: 170 marks

January 29, 2025 – Shift 1 & Shift 2

• Moderate and balanced difficulty
• Similar scoring trends across both shifts

99 Percentile:

• Shift 1: 174 marks
• Shift 2: 176 marks

What This Means for JEE Main 2026 Aspirants?

• Paper difficulty matters more than raw marks
• Normalization ensures fairness across shifts
• Candidates should focus on accuracy and consistency, not just score targets
• Tougher shifts often offer percentile advantage at lower marks

Using the JEE Main 2025 shift-wise marks vs percentile analysis as a benchmark can help candidates realistically estimate their expected percentile in JEE Main 2026 Session 1 before official results are declared.