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 shows that the toughest shift often tends to appear in the later 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.