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JEE Main 2026 Session 2 (April): Complete Analytical Guide
JEE Main 2026 Session 2 (April attempt) is a crucial phase for engineering aspirants across India. With exams being conducted from April 2 to April 8, candidates are closely tracking exam difficulty, expected scores, and admission chances.
Official Exam Schedule & Shift Timings
According to the official NTA notice (Page 1 of PDF):
Exam Dates & Papers
- April 5 & 6, 2026 → Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech)
- April 7, 2026 → Paper 2A (B.Arch), Paper 2B (B.Planning) or both
- April 8, 2026 → Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech)
Shift Timings (IST)
- First Shift: 09:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Second Shift: 03:00 PM – 06:00 PM
- Paper 2A & 2B (Combined): 03:00 PM – 06:30 PM
Admit Card Update (April 5–8 Exams)
The JEE Main 2026 Session 2 admit card has been released for candidates appearing on April 5, 6, 7, and 8.
Important Instructions (Official Notice)
- Admit card must be downloaded from the official website
- QR code and barcode must be visible on the admit card
- Candidates must carry valid photo ID proof
- Follow all subject-specific and exam-day instructions carefully
Note: In case of issues, candidates can contact NTA helpline or email support (as mentioned in the official notice).
April 2 Shift 1 Exam Analysis
The first shift conducted on April 2 was rated moderate in difficulty by students and teachers, with a slightly easier tone compared to Session 1.
Overall Difficulty
- Moderate level
- Balanced mix of conceptual and formula-based questions
- Slightly easier than Session 1
Subject-Wise Analysis
Physics
- Easy to moderate
- Mostly formula-based
- Topics: Thermodynamics, Fluids, Energy, EM Waves, Gravitation, Wave Optics
Chemistry
- Easy and most scoring
- NCERT-based questions
- Topics: Coordination Compounds, Amines, Chemical Bonding, GOC
Mathematics
- Moderate but less lengthy
- Improved attemptability
- Topics: Coordinate Geometry, Calculus, Probability, Matrices
Student & Teacher Feedback
- Paper was manageable and moderate
- Chemistry was the easiest section
- Mathematics was less lengthy than usual
- Good mix of easy to moderate questions
- Difficulty variation expected in upcoming shifts
Expected Marks vs Percentile (Session 2)
Understanding the relationship between correct attempts, marks, and percentile helps students predict rank and college opportunities.
| Correct Attempts | Marks | Percentile | College Expectation |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45+ | 180+ | 99.2–99.5+ | Top NITs (CSE/IT), IIITs |
| 40 | 160 | 98.6+ | Mid-tier NITs |
| 35 | 140 | 97.4+ | Lower NITs |
| 30 | 120 | 95.4+ | GFTIs |
| 25 | 100 | 92.4+ | JEE Advanced (Gen) |
| 20 | 80 | 88.6+ | State Colleges |
Detailed Score Analysis
20–24 Correct Attempts
- 80–96 marks
- 88.6+ to 91.6+ percentile
25–29 Correct Attempts
- 100–116 marks
- 92.4+ to 94.9+ percentile
30–34 Correct Attempts
- 120–136 marks
- 95.4+ to 97.0+ percentile
35–39 Correct Attempts
- 140–156 marks
- 97.4+ to 98.4+ percentile
40–44 Correct Attempts
- 160–176 marks
- 98.6+ to 99.1+ percentile
45–49 Correct Attempts
- 180–196 marks
- 99.2+ to 99.55+ percentile
Marks Required for 99 Percentile
- Safe Score: 180–190 marks
- High difficulty shift: 170+ marks
- Low difficulty shift: 200+ marks
Achieving 45+ correct attempts with high accuracy is the most reliable strategy.
JEE Main 2026 Marking Scheme
- Correct Answer: +4 marks
- Incorrect Answer: -1 mark
- Unattempted: 0 marks
- Numerical Questions: +4 / 0 or -1
Normalization Process
- Hard shift → Lower marks can give higher percentile
- Easy shift → Higher marks required
- Percentile ≠ Percentage
What is a Good Score in JEE Main 2026?
- 250+ marks: 99.5+ percentile (Top NITs/IIITs)
- 180+ marks: Very good score
- 120+ marks: Likely JEE Advanced qualification
- 90–110 marks: Average, state colleges
Expected Trends for Upcoming Shifts
- Variation in difficulty expected
- Mathematics and Physics may fluctuate
- Chemistry likely to remain scoring
- Overall pattern expected to remain consistent
Conclusion
JEE Main Session 2 2026 has begun with a moderate and balanced paper, with Chemistry emerging as the most scoring section. Alongside this, the expected marks vs percentile analysis provides a clear benchmark for students to evaluate their performance and plan their next steps.
With admit cards released for upcoming exams and more shifts yet to be conducted, students should stay updated with shift-wise trends and focus on accuracy to maximize their percentile.
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