Candidates preparing for JEE Main 2026 often wonder about the expected difficulty level of the session 1 exam. While the actual difficulty will only be clear after the exam is conducted and analysed, looking at past years’ trends offers valuable guidance on what students might expect.
JEE Main Difficulty Trends (2021–2025)
A review of the JEE Main papers from the last five years shows a pattern in subject-wise difficulty levels:
Year-wise difficulty trends:
- 2021: Moderately difficult overall with varying subject levels across multiple sessions.
- 2022: Mathematics was notably challenging, while Physics and Chemistry remained moderate.
- 2023: Overall moderate with Chemistry and Physics relatively easier and Mathematics moderately difficult.
- 2024: Continued moderate difficulty with consistent student responses, especially in Mathematics.
- 2025: Mathematics emerged as the most challenging section in session 1, with Physics moderately difficult and Chemistry comparatively easier.
Over the years, Chemistry has mostly remained the most scoring and NCERT-aligned section, while Mathematics repeatedly posed greater challenge due to its length and complex problem-solving questions. Physics tends to vary between moderate and somewhat challenging depending on the mix of numerical and conceptual questions
Expected JEE Main 2026 Difficulty Level
Based on these past trends, experts expect the JEE Main 2026 session 1 paper to be moderate to slightly difficult overall:
- Mathematics may remain the most time-intensive and tricky section, featuring multi-step application-based problems.
- Physics is likely to be moderate, with questions from core topics such as Modern Physics and Electromagnetism requiring clear conceptual understanding.
- Chemistry is expected to be easier to moderate, with a strong emphasis on NCERT-based theory and reactions.
These expectations reflect long-term patterns where the paper balance tends toward a mix of easy-to-moderate and challenging questions, requiring consistent preparation and time management.
Why Trend Analysis Matters?
Analysing the last five years helps aspirants:
- Understand which subjects typically dominate difficulty levels
- Strategise revision priorities—for instance, strengthening mathematics problem-solving skills
- Plan time management techniques for exam day
- Set realistic score targets based on past safe attempt ranges
Following these trend insights, aspirants can shape their preparation to improve performance across all sections while adjusting expectations based on known patterns.
Final Thoughts for JEE Main 2026 Aspirants
While historical trends give a good prediction framework, actual difficulty can vary between shifts and sessions. Students are advised to:
- Practice previous years’ papers thoroughly
- Take mock tests under timed conditions
- Focus on core concepts in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics
With smart preparation aligned to past paper trends and consistent practice, candidates can approach JEE Main 2026 with confidence and readiness.