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By rohit.pandey1
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Updated on 4 Apr 2026, 13:03 IST
The JEE Main 2026 April 4 paper has been analysed for both shifts based on student feedback collected after the exam and memory-based questions reviewed by Infinity Learn experts. Students who appeared on April 4 can use this analysis to estimate their performance and understand where they stand before the official result is declared.
The overall verdict for April 4: Shift 1 was moderate, with Mathematics being the lengthiest section. Shift 2 was moderate to difficult, with Physics tougher than Shift 1 and Mathematics the most time-consuming section of the day.
Also check: JEE Main 2026 Rank and College Predictor
The National Testing Agency (NTA) conducted the JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Day 2 exam on April 4, 2026. The exam was held in two shifts at centres across India. Given below is a quick overview.
| Exam Details | Information |
| Exam Name | JEE Main 2026 Session 2 |
| Exam Date | April 4, 2026 |
| Conducting Body | National Testing Agency (NTA) |
| Shift 1 Timing | 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon |
| Shift 2 Timing | 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM |
| Mode | Computer Based Test (CBT) |
| Official Website | jeemain.nta.nic.in |
| Result Date | Expected by April 20, 2026 |
Candidates who appeared on April 4 were advised to report well before the gate closing time. Late reporting resulted in denial of entry. The complete reporting and exam schedule for both shifts is given below.
| Particulars | Shift 1 | Shift 2 |
| Exam Time | 9:00 AM to 12:00 Noon | 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM |
| Entry Time at Centre | 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM | 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM |
| Instructions by Invigilator | 8:30 AM to 8:50 AM | 2:30 PM to 2:50 PM |
| Candidate Login Time | 8:50 AM | 2:50 PM |
| Exam Starts | 9:00 AM | 3:00 PM |
The April 4 paper followed a pattern similar to what was seen on April 2 — moderate overall, with Mathematics deciding how easy or tough each shift felt for individual students. Here is the subject-wise difficulty verdict at a glance for both shifts.
| Subject | Difficulty Level | Key Topics Asked |
| Physics | Moderate | Rotational Motion, Thermodynamics, Atoms and Nuclei, Fluid Mechanics, Electrostatics |
| Chemistry | Easy to Moderate | P-Block Elements, D-Block Elements, Hydrocarbons, Coordination Compounds, Alcohols and Phenols |
| Mathematics | Moderate to Lengthy | Integration, Permutation and Combination, Coordinate Geometry, Quadratic Equations, Matrices |
| Subject | Difficulty Level | Key Topics Asked |
| Physics | Moderate to Difficult | Modern Physics, Work-Power-Energy, Fluid Mechanics, Thermodynamics, Electromagnetic Induction |
| Chemistry | Easy | Physical Chemistry, D-Block Elements, Chemical Bonding, Thermodynamics (Chem), Biomolecules |
| Mathematics | Moderate to Difficult | Vectors and 3D Geometry, Limits and Continuity, Integration, Matrices and Determinants, Probability |
The Shift 1 exam was held from 9 AM to 12 Noon. Based on student feedback collected outside exam centres and memory-based questions reviewed by Infinity Learn faculty, here is the detailed subject-wise breakdown.
Overall difficulty: Moderate. Good attempts: 58–65 out of 75.
Physics in Shift 1 was moderate in difficulty. The section was manageable for students who had covered both Class 11 and Class 12 chapters thoroughly. Questions were a mix of direct formula-based and concept-application types.
Class 11 topics had slightly higher visibility in this shift. Rotational Motion, Thermodynamics, and Fluid Mechanics together accounted for a significant portion of the Physics paper. Electrostatics and Atoms and Nuclei came from the Class 12 side.
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Students who attempted Physics first reported spending around 50 to 55 minutes on the section. Most described it as manageable, though a few multi-concept numerical questions required careful step-by-step solving.
What students said:
"Physics was fine. Nothing unexpected. The Rotational Motion question was tricky but the rest was straightforward formula-based." — Student from Delhi centre
| Chapter | Approx. No. of Questions | Difficulty |
| Rotational Motion | 3 | Moderate |
| Thermodynamics | 2–3 | Moderate |
| Atoms and Nuclei | 2 | Easy |
| Fluid Mechanics | 2 | Moderate |
| Electrostatics | 2 | Easy to Moderate |
| Kinematics | 1–2 | Easy |
| Gravitation | 1 | Easy |
| Magnetism | 1–2 | Moderate |
Chemistry was the most scoring section in Shift 1 and the easiest among the three subjects. Students who had revised from NCERT Solutions thoroughly would have found this section very comfortable.
Inorganic Chemistry had the highest weightage in this shift, with P-Block and D-Block Elements forming a significant part of the MCQ section. Organic Chemistry questions were mostly reaction-based and required identifying products from standard named reactions. Physical Chemistry was largely confined to numerical-type questions in Section B.
Students spent an average of 45 to 50 minutes on Chemistry in Shift 1. Most described it as an easy to easy-moderate experience.
What students said:
"Chemistry was NCERT-based as expected. P-Block came with two questions and the Coordination Compound question was direct." — Student from Mumbai centre
| Chapter | Approx. No. of Questions | Difficulty |
| P-Block Elements | 2–3 | Easy |
| D-Block Elements | 2 | Easy |
| Coordination Compounds | 2 | Easy to Moderate |
| Alcohols and Phenols | 2 | Moderate |
| Hydrocarbons | 1–2 | Easy |
| Chemical Bonding | 2 | Easy |
| Electrochemistry | 1–2 | Moderate |
| Mole Concept | 1 | Moderate |
Mathematics was the toughest and most time-consuming section in Shift 1, as has been the trend across all JEE Main 2026 Session 2 shifts so far. The paper was moderate in conceptual difficulty but required lengthy calculations, which put students under time pressure.
Calculus dominated the paper with questions from Integration, Differential Equations, and Limits. Algebra was the second largest contributor with questions from Matrices and Determinants, Permutation and Combination, and Quadratic Equations. Coordinate Geometry questions were present but not as lengthy as the Calculus section.
Students reported spending well over 70 minutes on Mathematics and described it as the most time-consuming section of the paper by a significant margin.
What students said:
"Maths was doable but very lengthy. Integration took a lot of time. If you managed time well, you could attempt 18 to 20 out of 25." — Student from Bengaluru centre
Topic-wise weightage — Mathematics Shift 1
| Chapter | Approx. No. of Questions | Difficulty |
| Integration | 3–4 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Permutation and Combination | 2 | Moderate |
| Coordinate Geometry | 3–4 | Moderate |
| Matrices and Determinants | 2 | Moderate |
| Quadratic Equations | 1–2 | Easy to Moderate |
| Differential Equations | 1–2 | Moderate |
| Probability | 1–2 | Moderate |
| Vectors | 1 | Easy |
The Shift 2 exam was held from 3 PM to 6 PM. Based on student feedback collected after the exam and expert review of memory-based questions, Shift 2 was marginally tougher than Shift 1 on April 4. Physics was more conceptual and Mathematics more difficult compared to the morning session.
Overall difficulty: Moderate to Difficult. Good attempts: 54–62 out of 75.
Physics in Shift 2 was the toughest subject of the afternoon session and tougher than Shift 1 Physics. The section had a stronger Class 12 focus, with Modern Physics, Electromagnetic Induction, and Thermodynamics each carrying significant weightage.
Questions required deeper conceptual clarity rather than direct formula application. A few questions were multi-concept — linking two chapters together — which increased the time required per question. Students who had practised past year papers from Session 1 and January would have found several familiar question types, but the execution required more steps.
Students reported spending 55 to 65 minutes on Physics in Shift 2 on average.
What students said:
"Physics was definitely harder in the afternoon. The Modern Physics question was concept-heavy and there were two questions from Thermodynamics. Took me longer than expected." — Student from Hyderabad centre
Topic-wise weightage — Physics Shift 2
| Chapter | Approx. No. of Questions | Difficulty |
| Modern Physics | 3 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Thermodynamics | 2–3 | Moderate |
| Fluid Mechanics | 2 | Moderate |
| Electromagnetic Induction | 2 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Work, Power and Energy | 2 | Moderate |
| Ray Optics | 1–2 | Easy to Moderate |
| Simple Harmonic Motion | 1 | Moderate |
| Current Electricity | 1–2 | Moderate |
Chemistry in Shift 2 was easy and the most scoring section of the afternoon paper. The section was largely NCERT-based and rewarded students who had done thorough text revision. Physical Chemistry had more numerical questions in the integer-type section, while the MCQ section was dominated by Inorganic Chemistry.
Two to three questions came from D-Block Elements, which is consistent with the pattern seen across all April 2026 shifts. Chemical Bonding questions were factual and directly answerable from NCERT. Organic Chemistry had fewer questions than Shift 1 in terms of MCQ weightage.
Students reported comfortably finishing Chemistry in 40 to 45 minutes in Shift 2.
What students said:
"Chemistry was a gift in the afternoon. All NCERT-based. D-Block came, Chemical Bonding came. If you read NCERT, you scored here." — Student from Chennai centre
Topic-wise weightage — Chemistry Shift 2
| Chapter | Approx. No. of Questions | Difficulty |
| D-Block Elements | 3 | Easy |
| Chemical Bonding | 2–3 | Easy |
| Physical Chemistry (Numericals) | 3–4 | Moderate |
| Thermodynamics (Chem) | 2 | Moderate |
| Biomolecules | 1–2 | Easy |
| Electrochemistry | 1–2 | Moderate |
| Coordination Compounds | 1–2 | Easy to Moderate |
| GOC (General Organic Chemistry) | 1 | Moderate |
Mathematics was the most difficult section in Shift 2 and harder than the Shift 1 Mathematics paper. Questions from Vectors and 3D Geometry, Limits and Continuity, and Integration required precise multi-step solving with little room for shortcuts.
Algebra contributed the highest number of questions overall, including questions from Matrices, Probability, and Sequences and Series. The numerical section in Mathematics required extended calculation chains, which added to the time pressure.
Students who attempted Mathematics last — a common strategy — reported running out of time for 4 to 6 questions at the end.
What students said:
"Maths in Shift 2 was tough. Vectors and 3D together were lengthy. I could not attempt 5 questions. Time management was the biggest issue." — Student from Pune centre
Topic-wise weightage — Mathematics Shift 2
| Chapter | Approx. No. of Questions | Difficulty |
| Vectors and 3D Geometry | 3–4 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Integration | 3 | Difficult |
| Limits and Continuity | 2–3 | Moderate |
| Matrices and Determinants | 2 | Moderate |
| Probability | 2 | Moderate to Difficult |
| Sequences and Series | 1–2 | Moderate |
| Complex Numbers | 1 | Moderate |
| Differential Equations | 1 | Moderate |
One of the most searched questions after every JEE Main shift is how many questions to attempt to secure a given percentile. Based on the difficulty level of April 4 and patterns from previous Session 2 shifts, here are the estimated good attempts and marks vs percentile ranges.
What is the good attempt for 99 percentile in JEE Main April 4?
For Shift 1 (moderate difficulty), attempting 62 to 67 questions correctly with minimal wrong answers is expected to put a candidate in the 99 percentile range. For Shift 2 (moderate to difficult), a correct attempt count of 58 to 64 is expected to correspond to 99 percentile.
| Shift | Overall Difficulty | Good Attempts Range | Expected Score Range |
| Shift 1 | Moderate | 58–65 out of 75 | 190–230 marks |
| Shift 2 | Moderate to Difficult | 54–62 out of 75 | 175–215 marks |
| Marks | Expected Percentile | Shift |
| 230–300 | 99.5+ percentile | Shift 1 |
| 200–229 | 97–99 percentile | Shift 1 |
| 170–199 | 93–97 percentile | Shift 1 |
| 140–169 | 87–93 percentile | Shift 1 |
| 100–139 | 75–87 percentile | Shift 1 |
| 220–300 | 99.5+ percentile | Shift 2 |
| 185–219 | 96–99 percentile | Shift 2 |
| 155–184 | 90–96 percentile | Shift 2 |
| 120–154 | 80–90 percentile | Shift 2 |
| 85–119 | 65–80 percentile | Shift 2 |
These ranges are based on expert estimates and current session trends. The final percentile depends on NTA's normalisation process across all Session 2 shifts.
Students who appeared on both days or are tracking difficulty trends across Session 2 often compare shifts. Based on expert analysis of both days:
April 4 Shift 2 was slightly tougher than both April 2 shifts, driven primarily by a more conceptual Physics section and a harder Mathematics paper. April 4 Shift 1 was broadly comparable to April 2 Shift 1 in overall difficulty.
| Parameter | April 2 Shift 1 | April 2 Shift 2 | April 4 Shift 1 | April 4 Shift 2 |
| Overall | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate to Difficult |
| Physics | Easy to Moderate | Moderate | Moderate | Moderate to Difficult |
| Chemistry | Easy | Easy to Moderate | Easy to Moderate | Easy |
| Mathematics | Moderate, Lengthy | Moderate to Difficult | Moderate, Lengthy | Difficult, Lengthy |
| Good Attempts | 60–67 | 55–63 | 58–65 | 54–62 |
Students appearing in upcoming shifts on April 5, 6, and 8 should note that Mathematics has been the toughest section on every day of Session 2 so far. Allocating no more than 70 minutes to Mathematics and starting with Chemistry or Physics will help in managing the paper efficiently.
The JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Answer Key will be released by NTA on jeemain.nta.nic.in in the third week of April 2026. Until then, students can use the memory-based answer key available on this page to estimate their score.
Follow these steps to calculate your expected marks:
| Response Type | Marks |
| Correct MCQ answer | +4 marks |
| Wrong MCQ answer | –1 mark |
| Correct Numerical answer | +4 marks |
| Wrong Numerical answer | 0 marks |
| Unattempted question | 0 marks |
The score calculated using the memory-based key is an estimate. The actual score may differ after the official NTA answer key is released.
Given below is the exam pattern for JEE Main 2026 Paper 1, which students appeared for on April 4.
| Paper | Section | Number of Questions | Total Marks | Duration |
| Paper 1 | Physics | 20 MCQs + 5 Numerical | 100 | 3 Hours |
| Paper 1 | Chemistry | 20 MCQs + 5 Numerical | 100 | 3 Hours |
| Paper 1 | Mathematics | 20 MCQs + 5 Numerical | 100 | 3 Hours |
| Paper 1 Total | — | 75 Questions | 300 | 3 Hours |
Know where you stand. The difficulty level analysis helps you understand how your performance compares to other students who appeared in the same shift. Before the official JEE Main 2026 Result is declared, the analysis gives you a realistic indication of where your score might land.
Understand topic trends. Knowing which chapters were asked most heavily in April 4 is useful for students appearing in April 5, 6, and 8. The session-level patterns from previous days give a strong indication of what NTA tends to prioritise.
Plan your next steps. Use the JEE Main 2026 Paper Analysis along with the rank and college predictor to set a realistic expectation for your rank and eligible colleges. This helps in starting counselling preparation early.
Improve for the next attempt. If you are planning to appear again in a future JEE Main session, the subject-wise breakdown of this shift helps you identify exactly which chapters to prioritise in the time available.
Given below are the paper analysis and answer key links for all JEE Main 2026 Session 2 exam dates.
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The April 4 Shift 1 paper was moderate in overall difficulty. Shift 2 was moderate to difficult, with Physics and Mathematics being tougher than in the morning session. Chemistry was easy in both shifts and was the most scoring section of the day.
For Shift 1 (moderate difficulty), a correct attempt of 62 to 67 questions is expected to correspond to the 99 percentile range. For Shift 2 (moderate to difficult), a correct attempt of 58 to 64 questions is expected for 99 percentile. These are expert estimates based on difficulty level and past session trends.
Physics in Shift 2 was moderate to difficult. It covered Modern Physics, Thermodynamics, Fluid Mechanics, and Electromagnetic Induction. Most questions came from the Class 12 syllabus. A few questions were multi-concept and required more time than typical formula-based questions.
Mathematics in both shifts covered Calculus (Integration, Differential Equations, Limits), Algebra (Matrices, Permutation and Combination, Probability), Coordinate Geometry, and Vectors with 3D Geometry. Shift 2 had heavier weightage on Vectors and 3D Geometry compared to Shift 1.
April 4 Shift 2 was slightly tougher than both April 2 shifts, primarily due to a more conceptual Physics section and a harder Mathematics paper. April 4 Shift 1 was broadly comparable to April 2 Shift 1 in difficulty.
The final cutoff for JEE Main 2026 Session 2 will be calculated after all exam dates are complete. Based on April 4 difficulty, the general category cutoff is expected to remain in the 89 to 93 percentile range, consistent with April 2 trends.
Based on the moderate difficulty of Shift 1, approximately 165 to 180 marks out of 300 are expected to correspond to the 95 percentile range. For Shift 2 (slightly tougher), around 155 to 170 marks may correspond to 95 percentile. These are expert estimates and may vary after NTA normalisation.
The official JEE Main 2026 Session 2 provisional answer key is expected to be released by NTA on jeemain.nta.nic.in in the third week of April 2026, after all Session 2 exam dates are completed. The final answer key and result are expected by April 20, 2026.