JEE Main 2026 Day 4 Analysis: Shift 1 and Shift 2 Live Updates, JEE Main 2026 Jan 24 Paper Analysis: Subject-Wise Difficulty, Answer Key, and Memory-Based Questions, JEE Main 2026 Day 4 Shift 1 & 2 Analysis: Expected Cut-Off and Marks vs Percentile Trends

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has successfully concluded Day 4 of the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 examination. With exams held in two shifts—9 AM to 12 PM and 3 PM to 6 PM—today’s papers followed the established trend of being moderate in difficulty but exceptionally lengthy, particularly in the Mathematics and Physics sections.

As the January session nears its final days, over 7.7 lakh candidates have already appeared, maintaining a high attendance rate of approximately 96%.

Subject-Wise Analysis for January 24 (Shift 1 & 2)

Mathematics: The "Time Trap"

Continuing the pattern from previous days, Mathematics was rated as Moderate to Difficult. The primary challenge was not the complexity of the concepts, but the lengthy calculations.

Key Topics: High weightage was seen in Calculus (Integration and Differentiation), Vectors & 3D Geometry, Matrices, and Conic Sections.
Student Reaction: Many students spent upwards of 80–90 minutes on this section, leaving less time for other subjects.

Physics: Moderate and Calculative

Physics remained Easy to Moderate but was reported to be more "formula-heavy" than in previous sessions.

Key Topics: Focus remained on Mechanics (Kinematics and Gravitation), Electrostatics, Magnetism, and Modern Physics.
Student Reaction: While questions were predictable and based on NCERT, the inclusion of multi-step application problems made it slightly more time-consuming than the Day 1 and Day 2 papers.

Chemistry: Scoring and NCERT-Based

Chemistry continues to be the most "student-friendly" section, rated Easy to Moderate.

Key Topics: Balanced distribution across Organic, Inorganic, and Physical Chemistry. Inorganic questions were primarily statement-based and pulled directly from NCERT textbooks.
Student Reaction: Most students completed this section in 30–45 minutes, using the saved time to tackle the tougher Mathematics problems.

JEE Main 2026 Admit Card for January 28 and 29

For candidates scheduled to appear on the final days of the session (January 28 and 29), the NTA is expected to release the admit cards shortly.

Status: Admit cards for Jan 21–24 are out. Jan 28–29 hall tickets are expected by late evening on January 24 or January 25.
Official Link: jeemain.nta.nic.in
Required Details: Application Number and Password/Date of Birth.

Important Exam Day Guidelines (NTA Advisory)

To avoid disqualification or entry delays, candidates must adhere to the following:

Mandatory Documents: Printed Admit Card, valid original Photo ID (Aadhaar/Passport/PAN), and two passport-sized photographs.
Barred Items: Metallic items (jewellery, belts), electronic gadgets (smartwatches, calculators), and thick-soled shoes.
Reporting Time: Arrive at least 60–90 minutes before the shift starts for biometric and Aadhaar verification.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q: Was the Jan 24 Shift 2 paper tougher than Shift 1?

A: Early feedback suggests both shifts were comparable, with Shift 1 being slightly more calculation-heavy in Physics and Shift 2 having a trickier Chemistry section.

Q: What is a "safe score" for the 99th percentile based on today’s difficulty?

A: Given the lengthy nature of the paper, experts predict that a score of 180–195+ marks could be sufficient for a 99th percentile rank in this shift.

Q: When will the official answer key for the January session be released?

A: The NTA typically releases the provisional answer key and student response sheets 3–5 days after the final day of the session (tentatively by February 2–3, 2026).

Q: Are there questions from the Class 11 syllabus?

A: Yes, today's paper had a balanced 50-50 mix of Class 11 and Class 12 topics, with a strong focus on Class 11 Mechanics in Physics.

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Official NEET & JEE Resources

https://neet.nta.nic.in — NEET UG Hub: The primary portal for NEET registration, downloading the information bulletin, and checking exam city intimation.
https://jeemain.nta.nic.in — JEE Main Hub: The central website for Session 1 and Session 2 registration, admit cards, and the official result link.
https://jeeadv.ac.in — JEE Advanced Hub: The official portal managed by the organizing IIT (IIT Roorkee for 2026) for JEE Advanced registration and IIT admissions.
https://nta.ac.in — NTA Official Site: The main agency website where all public notices, press releases, and exam schedule updates are posted first.
https://mcc.nic.in — Medical Counselling (MCC): The portal used after NEET results for 15% All India Quota (AIQ) seat allotment and counselling.
https://josaa.nic.in — JoSAA Counselling: The joint platform for seat allocation in IITs, NITs, and IIITs based on JEE ranks.