JEE Main 2026 Session 1, Shift 1 wrapped up on January 21, across India, after the 9 am to 12 noon slot. The first wave of reactions landed fast, reflecting updates seen across Latest News in India. Many candidates walked out saying the paper felt “moderate to difficult”, with time pressure doing most of the damage. That’s the mood on the ground.
Student Reactions And Early Paper Mood
Early feedback points to a familiar pattern: Maths ate the clock, Physics demanded clear concepts, and Chemistry felt the safest scoring area. Not everyone agrees, of course.
- Mathematics: lengthy sets, especially calculus and algebra, with a few questions that pulled time.
- Physics: mixed bag, largely concept-led, some tricky twists in mechanics and electrodynamics.
- Chemistry: closer to NCERT expectations, so many students marked it as the confidence booster.
Moneycontrol’s early desk report also tagged Shift 1 as “moderate to difficult” overall, with Maths flagged as the toughest section. The same report noted Chemistry as the most scoring, which matches what candidates kept repeating outside centres. That’s how it looked today.
Why Many Called Maths The Time-Thief
Candidates said the challenge was not only difficult, but pacing. A few described spending too long on two or three problems, then rushing later. It happens, even to strong students.
What To Watch Next For Answer Keys And Normalisation
NTA has already shared admit-card and exam-day instructions via its official handle, including shift timings and basic rules. See the post here: NTA’s admit-card update on X.
After this, the focus shifts to memory-based questions, provisional keys, and normalisation. The next shifts may feel different, and that is the tricky part.
