JEE Main 2026 · 9 of 19 shifts analysed

JEE Main 2026 question papers

Lumi analysed 9 of the 19 JEE Main shifts held in 2026 (674 questions): 20% numerical-answer, 15% hard. Against 2025, numerical-answer questions stayed at 20% and hard ones went from 13% to 15%.

Shifts analysed: 9 / 19; 10 not in this analysis
Questions: 674; dropped questions left out
Numerical answer: 20%; typed answers, no options
Hard: 15%; easy 26%

JEE Main 2026: key findings

1
26% of the 2026 questions were easy and 15% hard (the hard share was the joint highest of the eight years analysed).
2
18% tested an idea no earlier analysed year had asked (the lowest of the seven years with an earlier analysed year).
3
29% repeated an exact idea from 2025, the analysed year before.
4
Conic Sections came 3.1 times a shift (per 25 Maths questions), against its usual 2.4.
5
Application of Derivatives came 0.3 times a shift, well under its usual 1.2.
6
The busiest topic was Lines in 3D (Three Dimensional Geometry): 13 questions across 9 of the 9 shifts.

Every 2026 shift

19 shifts held, 9 analysed

Each shift is a separate paper. Lumi analyses a shift when NTA published the full paper and its final answer key; 10 2026 papers were never published.

21 Jan 2026, Shift 1January sessionPaper not published
21 Jan 2026, Shift 2January sessionPaper not published
22 Jan 2026, Shift 1January sessionPaper not published
22 Jan 2026, Shift 2January sessionPaper not published
23 Jan 2026, Shift 1January sessionPaper not published
23 Jan 2026, Shift 2January sessionPaper not published
24 Jan 2026, Shift 1January sessionPaper not published
24 Jan 2026, Shift 2January sessionPaper not published
28 Jan 2026, Shift 1January sessionPaper not published
28 Jan 2026, Shift 2January sessionPaper not published
2 Apr 2026, Shift 175 QApril session
Easy 20Medium 42Hard 13
15 numerical · 7 with a figure
2 Apr 2026, Shift 275 QApril session
Easy 13Medium 56Hard 6
15 numerical · 6 with a figure
4 Apr 2026, Shift 174 QApril session
Easy 19Medium 42Hard 13
15 numerical · 12 with a figure
4 Apr 2026, Shift 275 QApril session
Easy 23Medium 38Hard 14
15 numerical · 13 with a figure
5 Apr 2026, Shift 175 QApril session
Easy 23Medium 45Hard 7
15 numerical · 13 with a figure
5 Apr 2026, Shift 275 QApril session
Easy 23Medium 38Hard 14
15 numerical · 6 with a figure
6 Apr 2026, Shift 175 QApril session
Easy 18Medium 45Hard 12
15 numerical · 9 with a figure
6 Apr 2026, Shift 275 QApril session
Easy 21Medium 42Hard 12
15 numerical · 11 with a figure
8 Apr 2026, Shift 275 QApril session
Easy 18Medium 44Hard 13
15 numerical · 9 with a figure

2026 in numbers

What the analysed shifts asked

Across the 9 2026 shifts Lumi analysed.

Physics

224 Q

Chemistry

225 Q

Organic Chemistry: Some Basic Principles and Techniques16 Q
Equilibrium15 Q
Coordination Compounds14 Q
Amines14 Q
The d- and f-Block Elements13 Q
Biomolecules13 Q
Thermodynamics (Chemistry)13 Q
The p-Block Elements12 Q

Maths

225 Q

Conic Sections28 Q
Three Dimensional Geometry17 Q
Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations16 Q
Sequences and Series16 Q
Integrals14 Q
Differential Equations12 Q
Determinants12 Q
Continuity and Differentiability11 Q

Difficulty

Easy 178Medium 392Hard 104

Chapters asked

71 of 81 chapters came up in 2026.

Shift by shift

Each subject in each shift

Scored questions, how many were easy, medium and hard, how many had a typed numerical answer, and the chapter that came most.

Shift	Physics	Chemistry	Maths
2 Apr, Shift 1	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 12Medium 13Hard 0 Most: Moving Charges and Magnetism (2)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 6Medium 15Hard 4 Most: Organic Chemistry: Some Basic Principles and Techniques (3)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 2Medium 14Hard 9 Most: Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations (2)
2 Apr, Shift 2	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 6Medium 17Hard 2 Most: Mechanical Properties of Fluids (2)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 4Medium 19Hard 2 Most: Equilibrium (3)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 3Medium 20Hard 2 Most: Conic Sections (4)
4 Apr, Shift 1	24 Q · 5 numerical Easy 9Medium 14Hard 1 Most: Wave Optics (3)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 8Medium 15Hard 2 Most: Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers (2)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 2Medium 13Hard 10 Most: Continuity and Differentiability (3)
4 Apr, Shift 2	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 10Medium 15Hard 0 Most: Wave Optics (2)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 8Medium 12Hard 5 Most: Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers (2)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 5Medium 11Hard 9 Most: Conic Sections (3)
5 Apr, Shift 1	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 8Medium 15Hard 2 Most: Mechanical Properties of Solids (3)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 10Medium 14Hard 1 Most: Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers (2)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 5Medium 16Hard 4 Most: Trigonometric Functions (2)
5 Apr, Shift 2	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 13Medium 9Hard 3 Most: Electromagnetic Induction (2)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 6Medium 18Hard 1 Most: Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids (2)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 4Medium 11Hard 10 Most: Conic Sections (3)
6 Apr, Shift 1	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 8Medium 15Hard 2 Most: Alternating Current (2)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 8Medium 14Hard 3 Most: Amines (3)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 2Medium 16Hard 7 Most: Conic Sections (5)
6 Apr, Shift 2	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 10Medium 13Hard 2 Most: Work, Energy and Power (2)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 8Medium 13Hard 4 Most: Amines (2)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 3Medium 16Hard 6 Most: Conic Sections (4)
8 Apr, Shift 2	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 7Medium 16Hard 2 Most: Motion in a Straight Line (2)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 7Medium 17Hard 1 Most: Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids (2)	25 Q · 5 numerical Easy 4Medium 11Hard 10 Most: Conic Sections (3)

Against other years

2026 next to the other years

Share of each year's analysed questions. 2026 is in navy. The change is against 2025 (the analysed year before) and against the average of all 8 years.

Easy

26%

29%’17 27%’20 34%’21 33%’22 34%’23 36%’24 27%’25 26%’26

vs 2025: -1 ptsvs average: -4 pts

Hard

15%

14%’17 11%’20 10%’21 14%’22 15%’23 12%’24 13%’25 15%’26

vs 2025: +3 ptsvs average: +2 pts

Numerical answer

20%

0%’17 20%’20 33%’21 33%’22 34%’23 33%’24 20%’25 20%’26

vs 2025: 0 ptsvs average: -4 pts

Multi-step

44%

36%’17 37%’20 28%’21 32%’22 29%’23 30%’24 41%’25 44%’26

vs 2025: +3 ptsvs average: +9 pts

Statement, assertion–reason, match

0%’17 2%’20 6%’21 6%’22 9%’23 8%’24 9%’25 9%’26

vs 2025: 0 ptsvs average: +3 pts

New idea

18%

–’17 95%’20 67%’21 36%’22 25%’23 23%’24 23%’25 18%’26

vs 2025: -5 ptsvs average: -23 pts

Repetition and surprises

What came back, and what moved

Repeats count against every earlier analysed year. Chapter moves are questions a shift, per 25 questions a subject, against the chapter's own average across the analysed years.

Asked before

Share of questions

Same chapter100%
Same topic100%
Same exact idea82%
Same idea as 202529%

Same idea as the year before, across the years: 5%, 32%, 55%, 57%, 39%, 50%, 29%.

Above its usual

Conic Sections · Maths+0.73.1 a shift, usual 2.4
Equilibrium · Chemistry+0.61.7 a shift, usual 1.1
Wave Optics · Physics+0.61.5 a shift, usual 0.9
Mechanical Properties of Solids · Physics+0.61.2 a shift, usual 0.6

Below its usual

Application of Derivatives · Maths−0.80.3 a shift, usual 1.2
Current Electricity · Physics−0.61.0 a shift, usual 1.6

Busiest topics

150 topics asked

Lines in 3D · Three Dimensional Geometry · 9 shifts13 Q
AP and GP · Sequences and Series · 8 shifts12 Q
Quadratic Roots · Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations · 7 shifts12 Q
Elasticity · Mechanical Properties of Solids · 7 shifts12 Q
Periodic Trends · Classification of Elements and Periodicity in Properties · 9 shifts11 Q
Permutations and Combinations · Permutations and Combinations · 9 shifts11 Q
Crystal Field Theory · Coordination Compounds · 8 shifts10 Q
d-Block Elements · The d- and f-Block Elements · 8 shifts10 Q

How the questions were asked

Format

Single correct61%
Numerical value20%
Other5%
Two statements5%
Diagram based5%
Match the list3%
Assertion–reason1%

What they tested

Skill

Multi-step44%
Calculation28%
Application11%
Conceptual8%
Recall6%
Data or graph1%
Diagram reading1%

Drill down

What 2026 asked, and its history

Every chapter the 9 analysed 2026 shifts asked, with all its topics and ideas. Counts and squares cover every analysed year; rows 2026 did not ask are faded. Each row lists its 2026 questions with the most recent from other years; open a shift for the full question text.

subjectAskedShareYears’17’20’21’22’23’24’25’26

Open225 in 20263092 · 33%33%8/830299720720358540200225
Open225 in 20263065 · 33%33%8/829299715710354533200225
Open224 in 20263084 · 33%33%8/830298716720359538199224

Squares are the 8 years with analysed shifts, 2017 to 2026. A number is the questions that year when there is more than one; the shade is scaled to one shift, so a year with more analysed shifts (1 to 24 a year) does not look darker. Share is of the level above.

Questions

About JEE Main 2026

How many JEE Main 2026 shifts are analysed here?

9 of the 19 shifts held in 2026. Lumi analyses a shift when NTA published the full paper and its final answer key. It covers 108 of the 174 JEE Main shifts held from 2017 to 2026 (9,285 Paper 1 questions), not every shift.

Was JEE Main 2026 harder than 2025?

By Lumi's rating, 15% of the analysed 2026 questions were hard against 13% in 2025, and 26% easy against 27%. Difficulty is a rating, so read small changes as noise.

Which chapters came most in JEE Main 2026?

Conic Sections (28), Three Dimensional Geometry (17), Organic Chemistry: Some Basic Principles and Techniques (16), Complex Numbers and Quadratic Equations (16), Sequences and Series (16), across the 9 analysed shifts.