JEE Main 2026 January 23 Shift 2 Paper Analysis – Difficulty, Weightage & Student Reactions

The JEE Main 2026 January 23 Shift 2 exam was conducted in the afternoon session by NTA. Based on student feedback collected after the exam and observed paper trends, this shift followed the standard JEE Main pattern with a balanced mix of conceptual and calculative questions.

This analysis highlights:

• Overall paper level
• Subject-wise difficulty
• Important chapter focus
• Student reactions
• Expected performance trends

Overall Difficulty Level – Jan 23 Shift 2

📌 Most students reported that time management played a crucial role, particularly due to lengthy Mathematics questions.

Subject-wise Paper Analysis

Physics – Jan 23 Shift 2

Difficulty Level: Moderate

Physics was concept-based with a mix of numerical and theory questions. Students with strong fundamentals found it manageable.

Important Topics Asked:

• Electrostatics
• Current Electricity
• Magnetic Effects of Current
• Ray Optics
• Modern Physics

Student Reaction:

Physics was balanced and not very tricky, but required clarity of concepts.

Chemistry – Jan 23 Shift 2

Difficulty Level: Easy to Moderate

Chemistry was largely NCERT-oriented, with direct questions from theory and factual concepts.

Important Topics Asked:

• Coordination Compounds
• Biomolecules
• Chemical Kinetics
• Thermodynamics
• Organic Reaction Mechanism

Student Reaction:

Chemistry was scoring for students who had revised NCERT properly.

Mathematics – Jan 23 Shift 2

Difficulty Level: Moderate to Tough

Mathematics emerged as the most time-consuming section. Questions were lengthy and required multiple steps.

Important Topics Asked:

• Vector & 3D Geometry
• Matrices and Determinants
• Integration
• Differential Equations
• Sequences & Series

Student Reaction:

Maths was lengthy and calculation-heavy, making it difficult to attempt all questions.

Chapter-wise Weightage Trend (Observed)

Physics

• Electrostatics & Magnetism
• Optics
• Modern Physics

Chemistry

• Inorganic Chemistry (NCERT-based)
• Physical Chemistry numericals
• Organic reaction concepts

Mathematics

• Calculus
• Vector & 3D
• Algebra
• Coordinate Geometry

Good Attempts & Expected Score Trend

Expected Marks vs Percentile (Indicative)

👉 To understand how marks convert into percentile, refer to the JEE Mains Marks vs Percentile analysis.

Student Reactions – Jan 23 Shift 2

What Students Liked 👍

• Familiar paper pattern
• Physics and Chemistry were manageable
• No out-of-syllabus questions

What Students Found Difficult 👎

• Lengthy Mathematics
• Time pressure
• Multi-step calculations

Overall Feedback:

“Paper was balanced, but Maths decided the final attempt count.”

Comparison with Other Shifts

📌 Jan 23 Shift 2 was slightly tougher than Shift 1, mainly due to Mathematics length.

What Students Should Learn from Jan 23 Shift 2

• Speed and accuracy in Maths are crucial
• NCERT remains the key for Chemistry
• Concept clarity matters more than tricks
• Time-based mock practice is essential

For students preparing for upcoming sessions or JEE Advanced, enrolling in a focused JEE Crash Course can help improve performance in a short time.

Final Verdict – Jan 23 Shift 2

The JEE Main 2026 Jan 23 Shift 2 paper followed the expected NTA pattern with:

• Moderate Physics
• NCERT-based Chemistry
• Lengthy and decisive Mathematics

Students with strong fundamentals and good time management were able to attempt a higher number of questions confidently.

FAQs – 

Q1. What was the difficulty level of Jan 23 Shift 2?
Overall moderate to moderately tough.

Q2. Which section was toughest?
Mathematics was the most time-consuming section.

Q3. Was Chemistry NCERT-based?
Yes, most questions were directly from NCERT concepts.

Q4. Is Jan 23 Shift 2 tougher than Shift 1?
Slightly tougher due to lengthy Mathematics.

Q5. How can I predict my percentile?
You can use the JEE Mains Marks vs Percentile guide.