JEE Mains 2026 Session 1 Expected Toughest Shift: The NTA is set to conduct the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Exam from January 21, 2026. According to the reports, around 14.5 lakhs of candidates will appear for the session exam. Aspirants can check the JEE Mains 2026 Session 1 Expected Toughest Shift to plan their strategy and stay ahead of the competition. With exams approaching, a three-year trend of NTA patterns, weightage, and difficulty levels will help candidates identify the Expected Toughest Shift for the January session 1 JEE MAIN 2026 exam. This will help candidates optimize their preparation level and time management.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced the exam dates of JEE Mains 2026 Session 1 for both Paper 1 (BE/BTech) and Paper 2 (BArch/BPlan) Exams. Paper 1 will be conducted in 10 shifts in total for over 5 days i.e., on January 21, 22, 23, 24, and 28, 2026 and Paper 2 is scheduled for January 29, 2026. Candidates have been informed about their exam city and shifts allotted through the JEE Main 2026 City Intimation Slip.
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JEE Mains 2026 Session 1 Expected Toughest Shift
Considering past trends, the NTA data indicate that the toughest shift often occurs in the latter half of the exam schedule. The JEE Mains 2026 Session 1 Expected Toughest Shift could be for candidates scheduled for Days 2, 4, and 5. JEE Main 2026 aspirants should be prepared for a potential subject difficulty, particularly in Physics and Mathematics paper. According to the trends, the Physics and Mathematics papers are usually on the tougher side with lengthier and calculative questions.
| Which Day is Expected to be Difficult in JEE Main Session 1 2026 Exam? | As per the previous years' trends, either Day 2 or 4 can be difficult in the Session 1 Exam |
JEE Mains 2026 Session 1 Expected Toughest Shift: Last 3 Years Analysis
Candidates can check the last three-year’s JEE Main Session 1 Exam Analysis to break down the predicted toughest shift for JEE Main 2026 Session 1:
| Year | Most Difficult Exam Shift | Details |
| 2025 | January 28, 2025 (Day 4) Shift 1 | Mathematics and Physics papers were tough and lengthy. This led to lower attempt rates. |
| 2024 | February 1, 2024 (Day 5) Shift 1 | Mathematics and chemistry papers were the most difficult ones. |
| 2023 | January 25, 2023 (Day 2) Shift 1 | Mathematics was difficult as well as the lengthy paper. Whereas, Physics paper stood at the moderate level. |
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Key Observations From Last 3 Years JEE Mains Session 1 Toughest Shift Analysis
- Maths sections are mostly lengthier and tough in later shifts.
- The physics part mostly includes longer calculations.
- Chemistry questions are NCERT-based and of easy to moderate level across all shifts.
In JEE Main 2025 Session 1, Day 4, January 28, Shift 1 was as the most challenging shift. This shift showed a very difficult Physics section alongside lengthy Mathematics questions, resulting in the lowest raw marks required for a higher percentile. Also, in the JEE Main 2024 Session 1 exam, Day 5, February 1, Shift 1 was identified as the toughest.
The paper included conceptual questions in Physics and a heavy Mathematics section. Considering the past three years’ trends, the most challenging shifts often occur during the mid-to-late stages of the examination. The JEE Mains 2026 Session 1 Expected Toughest Shift is most likely to be on Day 3, 4, or 4.