JEE Main 2026 (23 Jan, Shift 2) paper analysis

JEE Main 2026 (23 Jan, Shift 2) was moderately tough compared with all 163 JEE Main papers since 2019, and the 1st easiest of the 10 shifts of the January 2026 session, by our question ratings.

Difficulty by subject

  • Physics: Tough
  • Chemistry: Moderately tough
  • Mathematics: Easy

Difficulty is Autonise's own rating, not NTA's. Every question in our bank has a difficulty rating. We work out the marks a well-prepared student would expect in every JEE Main paper and rank this shift against all of them: the easiest fifth is "Easy", the toughest fifth "Tough". NTA works percentiles out within each shift, so the same marks give a higher percentile in a tougher shift; the percentile predictor uses this level.

Physics chapter-wise questions

  • Capacitor: 2
  • Electromagnetic Induction: 2
  • Electrostatics: 2
  • Nuclei: 2
  • Refraction & Prisms: 2
  • Thermodynamics: 2
  • Centre of Mass & Collisions: 1
  • Circular Motion Dynamics: 1
  • Current Electricity: 1
  • Diffraction & Polarization: 1
  • Fluid Statics: 1
  • Kinematics in 1D & 2D: 1
  • Kinetic Theory of Gases: 1
  • Laws of Motion & Friction: 1
  • Magnetic Effect of Current & Moving Charge: 1
  • Rotational Dynamics: 1
  • Semiconductor Devices: 1
  • Units, Dimensions & Error Analysis: 1
  • Viscosity & Surface Tension: 1

Chemistry chapter-wise questions

  • Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers: 3
  • Amines, Nitro, Diazonium Salts: 2
  • Atomic Structure: 2
  • Chemical Kinetics: 2
  • Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties: 2
  • Coordination Compounds: 2
  • Aldehydes and Ketones: 1
  • Biomolecules: 1
  • Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure: 1
  • Chemical Equilibrium: 1
  • Electrochemistry: 1
  • General Organic Chemistry: 1
  • Hydrocarbons (Alkanes, Alkenes, Alkynes): 1
  • Liquid Solutions & Colligative Properties: 1
  • Mole Concept & Stoichiometry: 1
  • Practical Organic Chemistry (POC): 1
  • d & f-block Elements: 1
  • p-block Elements: 1

Mathematics chapter-wise questions

  • Circles: 3
  • Logarithms & Basic Inequalities: 2
  • Permutations and Combinations: 2
  • Trigonometric Ratios, Identities & Compound Angles: 2
  • Vector Algebra (Fundamentals & Products): 2
  • Application of Derivatives: 1
  • Complex Numbers: 1
  • Definite Integration: 1
  • Determinants: 1
  • Hyperbola: 1
  • Indefinite Integration: 1
  • Limits, Continuity & Differentiability: 1
  • Matrices: 1
  • Probability: 1
  • Rectangular Cartesian Coordinates & Straight Lines: 1
  • Sequence and Series: 1
  • Sets: 1
  • Statistics: 1
  • Three-Dimensional (3D) Coordinate Geometry: 1

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