The JEE Main 2026 January session has concluded today, January 29, marking the end of Paper 1 (BE/B.Tech) exams on January 28 and Paper 2A (B.Arch) and 2B (B.Planning) today. Over 13 lakh candidates appeared for Paper 1, setting a record turnout with high attendance around 96%.
Exam Schedule
The session spanned January 21, 22, 23, 24, and 28 for Paper 1 (BE/B.Tech) in two shifts daily: 9 AM-12 PM and 3 PM-6 PM. Paper 2 exams occurred today in a single morning shift. Conducted as computer-based tests (CBT) except B.Arch drawing, it covered around 300 cities in India and abroad.
Participation Stats
Approximately 13,00,368 candidates appeared for Paper 1 out of over 13.5 lakh registered, with cumulative daily figures rising to this peak by January 28. This exceeds last year’s January session by notable margins, signaling intense competition for NITs, IIITs, and JEE Advanced eligibility.
Paper Analysis
Overall difficulty trended moderate to tough across shifts, deemed one of the toughest recent sessions due to multi-concept, reasoning-heavy questions. Physics and Mathematics emphasized analytical problems over rote; Chemistry stayed NCERT-focused but lengthy. Toughest shift: January 23 Shift 2; January 29 Paper 2 was easy-moderate overall, with moderate Maths and easy-moderate Aptitude/Drawing/Planning.
| Subject | Difficulty Trend | Key Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Physics | Moderate-Balanced | Conceptual, fewer surprises |
| Chemistry | Moderate-Lengthy | NCERT-based, tricky statements |
| Mathematics | Moderate-Tough | Lengthy calculations, multi-step |
Results and Answer Key
Provisional answer keys expected around February 1-2, with objections soon after; final results by February 12 (Session 1 percentiles only, no AIR yet). Full AIR after April session based on best scores. Access via jeemain.nta.nic.in using application number and password.
Cutoff Predictions
Expected qualifying cutoffs reflect high competition and tougher papers: General 93-95 percentile, EWS/OBC 79-82, SC 60-62, ST 48-51. Safe scores for top ranks around 280-300 marks in General.
Next Steps
Await results, analyze performance via memory-based papers/solutions from coaching sites. Top performers prepare for JEE Advanced; others opt for Session 2 (April), JoSAA counseling, or alternatives like BITSAT. No major syllabus changes from 2025—focus remains on reduced topics like no Communication Systems (Physics).
JEE Main 2026 January Session Concludes Today Amid Record Turnout and Tough Papers added by AdminEdu on
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