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JEE Main · Physics · Class 12

Electric Charges and Fields: JEE Main previous year questions

103 questions in 80 of the 108 JEE Main shifts Lumi analysed, asked in 7 of 8 years. Here is what this chapter tests and how.

Study this chapter
Questions
103
in 80 of 108 shifts · 7 of 8 years
Average a shift
0.7
of 25 Physics · 0.9 since 2024 0.3
Typical range
0.6–1.0
questions a shift; fewest 0.0, most 1.1
Weighted estimate
0.8
model, recent years count more · about 3.3 marks
  • Typical range (fact)
  • Average a shift (fact)
  • Weighted estimate (model)

Questions are counted per shift, out of the 25 each subject has, in the shifts Lumi analysed; papers that offered 30 a subject (2017, 2021–2024) are scaled to 25. Typical range: the middle six of the eight years (2017, 2020–2026), leaving out the single highest and lowest year. The average and the range are historical fact. The weighted estimate is a model: each year's share, with recent years counting more (half-life three years), and chapters NTA dropped from the syllabus set near zero. It is a guide to effort, not a forecast of the paper.

What to do

How to spend time on Electric Charges and Fields

Priority

Should do

One of the 10 Physics chapters that took Physics from half to 80% of its questions in the 108 shifts analysed. How bands are set

Past questions
103in 80 of 108 shifts
Study plan gives it
15 hover 12 months; 11 h over 6
Study this chapter →

Ideas asked most often

  1. Gauss Law Application6×
  2. Electric Flux Calculation6×
  3. Superposition Principle for Electric Fields6×
  4. Field of an Infinite Non-Conducting Sheet5×
  5. Cylindrical Field5×

155 of the 224 ideas in Lumi’s map of this chapter have not been asked or touched in the shifts analysed. Of its idea-tagged questions from 2024 on, 40% tested an idea not asked in an earlier year, so learn the whole chapter, not just the list above.

Within each subject, chapters in NTA's 2026 syllabus are ranked by their average questions a shift over all 8 years analysed (history, not the model). Going down that list, the chapters that together held the first half of the subject's questions are Must do; the next ones, up to 80%, are Should do; the rest are Lower priority.

Key findings

Electric Charges and Fields at a glance

  1. 01

    60%

    of its 35 questions from 2024 on that Lumi matched to an idea tested one JEE Main had asked in an earlier year; 100% came from a topic asked in an earlier year.

  2. 02

    69%

    of the 224 ideas in Lumi's map of the chapter have not been asked or touched on in the shifts analysed.

  3. 03

    29%

    of its questions asked for a numerical answer, 1.0 times the Physics average.

  4. 04

    11%

    of its questions were rated hard, against 5% across all Physics questions in the same shifts.

Questions a shift, year by year

Out of the 25 Physics questions in a shift. Years differ in how many shifts Lumi analysed, so each year is scaled to one shift.

0240’170.8’200.9’210.8’220.6’231’241.1’250.7’26

Raw count: 2017: 0 in 1 shift · 2020: 10 in 12 shifts · 2021: 25 in 24 shifts · 2022: 23 in 24 shifts · 2023: 9 in 12 shifts · 2024: 21 in 18 shifts · 2025: 9 in 8 shifts · 2026: 6 in 9 shifts.

Kind of question

SHARE OF QUESTIONS
  • Numerical answer29%
  • Application17%
  • Diagram based17%
  • Multi-step16%
  • Calculation11%
  • Conceptual6%
  • Two statements2%
  • Assertion–reason2%
  • Recall, single correct1%
  • Match the list1%

Most common asks: charge division for maximum force (2); field at centre of charged arc (2); position of maximum force on bisector of two charges (1).

Profile

This chapter in numbers

Where it ranks, how steady it is, and what it costs to study.

Rank, all JEE chapters
#50
of 70 by weighted estimate
Rank in Physics
#15
of 28 chapters
Share of Physics
3.0%
of its questions, all shifts analysed
Busiest year
2025
1.1 questions a shift
Year to year
Some swing
varies by about 0.3 questions a shift
Long-run direction
+0.08
questions a shift, per year
Easy questions
30%
11% rated hard
Numerical answer
29%
1.0× the Physics rate
With a figure
38%
graph, diagram or structure
Study time
15 h
11 h on a 6-month plan
Marks per study hour
0.22
#57 of 70 chapters
Foundation for others
65%
of its ideas are used in other chapters

Difficulty, year by year

Each question rated easy, medium or hard. Each bar is that year’s split, so years compare directly; the number is the questions in that year’s analysed shifts (1 to 24 shifts a year).

  • 2017
  • 202010
  • 202125
  • 202223
  • 20239
  • 202421
  • 20259
  • 20266
  • Easy
  • Medium
  • Hard

What it asks you to do

SHARE OF QUESTIONS
  • Calculation32%
  • Multi-step28%
  • Application19%
  • Conceptual13%
  • Data or graph4%
  • Recall2%
  • Diagram reading2%

Coverage

How much of the chapter JEE Main has used

We split the chapter into 224 ideas. In the 108 shifts analysed, JEE Main built a question around 56 of them. Most of the chapter has never been the main idea of a question, so past questions alone leave most of it out.

Asked as the main idea
56
Touched on in a question
13
Never asked
155

Topics

What repeats, topic by topic

This chapter's questions per topic in each year's analysed shifts. The number is the count; the shade is scaled to one shift, so a year with more analysed shifts (1 to 24 a year) does not look darker. 4 questions had no close topic in Lumi's map and count for the chapter only.

’17’20’21’22’23’24’25’26
010+questions in that year’s analysed shifts, shaded per shift
  • Electric Field

    As a topic: 38 questions in 7 of 8 years, most often single correct, 21% numerical answer.

  • Gauss's Law

    As a topic: 29 questions in 7 of 8 years, most often single correct, 31% numerical answer.

  • Coulomb's Law

    As a topic: 30 questions in 6 of 8 years, most often single correct, 40% numerical answer.

  • Electric Dipoles

    As a topic: 16 questions in 8 of 8 years, most often single correct, 19% numerical answer.

Drill down

Topic, idea, question

Open a topic to see every idea JEE Main tested inside it, then open an idea to read the questions. Each row shows its 8 years.

  • Open35 · 34%751065

    18 ideas inside

    • OpenRepeated6 · 17%3
    • OpenRepeated5 · 14%2
    • OpenRepeated4 · 11%
    • Open2 · 6%2
    • OpenRepeated2 · 6%
    • OpenRepeated2 · 6%
    • Open2 · 6%2
    • OpenRepeated2 · 6%
    • Open1 · 3%
    • Open1 · 3%
    • Open1 · 3%
    • Open1 · 3%
    • Open1 · 3%
    • Open1 · 3%
    • Open1 · 3%
    • Open1 · 3%
    • Open1 · 3%
    • Open1 · 3%
  • Open27 · 26%274382
  • Open23 · 22%7735
  • Open9 · 9%222
  • Open4 · 4%2
  • Open1 · 1%

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.

Ideas

The exact ideas JEE Main has asked

Inside the topics, 50 different ideas were tested; 23 came more than once. These are the repeats, then the ideas new since 2024.

Dots are the 8 years with analysed shifts, 2017 to 2026.

Every question

All 103 Electric Charges and Fields questions

Newest first, shift by shift. The newest 40 show their opening words; older ones name the idea they tested. Each opens with its options and the official answer.

JEE Main 20266 questions

  1. 2 Apr 2026, Shift 1 · Q34Two charged conducting spheres S1S_1 and S2S_2 of radii 88 cm and 1818 cm are connected to each other by a wire. After equilibrium is…EasySingle correct
  2. 2 Apr 2026, Shift 1 · Q36Two short electric dipoles AA and BB having dipole moment p1p_1 and p2p_2 respectively are placed with their axis mutually perpendicular…MediumSingle correctHas a figure
  3. 2 Apr 2026, Shift 2 · Q40Two point charges 8 μ\muC and −2-2 μ\muC are located at x=2x = 2 cm and x=4x = 4 cm, respectively on the xx-axis. The ratio of electric…EasySingle correct
  4. 4 Apr 2026, Shift 2 · Q36A rigid dipole undergoes a simple harmonic motion about its centre in the presence of an electric field E⃗1=E0 x^\vec E_1=E_0\,\hat x. If another…MediumSingle correct
  5. 6 Apr 2026, Shift 1 · Q38A thin half ring of radius 35 cm is uniformly charged with a total charge of QQ coulomb. If the magnitude of the electric field at centre…MediumSingle correct
  6. 8 Apr 2026, Shift 2 · Q41Two point charges q1=3 μq_1 = 3\,\muC and q2=−4 μq_2 = -4\,\muC are placed at points (2i^+3j^+3k^)\left(2\hat{i} + 3\hat{j} + 3\hat{k}\right) and…EasySingle correct

JEE Main 20259 questions

  1. 2 Apr 2025, Shift 1 · Q34A small bob of mass 100 mg and charge +10 μC+10\ \mu\mathrm{C} is connected to an insulating string of length 1 m. It is brought near to an…MediumSingle correctHas a figure
  2. 2 Apr 2025, Shift 1 · Q37Consider two infinitely large plane parallel conducting plates as shown below. The plates are uniformly charged with a surface charge…EasySingle correctHas a figure
  3. 2 Apr 2025, Shift 1 · Q39A point charge +q+q is placed at the origin. A second point charge +9q+9q is placed at (d,0,0)(d, 0, 0) in Cartesian coordinate system. The…EasySingle correct
  4. 2 Apr 2025, Shift 2 · Q44Consider a circular loop that is uniformly charged and has a radius a2a\sqrt{2}. Find the position along the positive zz-axis of the…MediumSingle correct
  5. 4 Apr 2025, Shift 2 · Q38A metallic ring is uniformly charged as shown in figure. AC and BD are two mutually perpendicular diameters. Electric field due to arc AB…MediumDiagram basedHas a figure
  6. 7 Apr 2025, Shift 2 · Q38Given below are two statements : one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R). Assertion (A) : The outer body…EasyAssertion–reason
  7. 7 Apr 2025, Shift 2 · Q50The electric field in a region is given by E⃗=(2i^+4j^+6k^)×103\vec{E}=\left(2\hat{i}+4\hat{j}+6\hat{k}\right)\times10^3 N/C. The flux of the field through…EasyNumerical value
  8. 8 Apr 2025, Shift 2 · Q36An infinitely long wire has uniform linear charge density λ=2\lambda = 2 nC/m. The net flux through a Gaussian cube of side length…MediumSingle correct
  9. 8 Apr 2025, Shift 2 · Q38Two metal spheres of radius R and 3R have same surface charge density σ\sigma. If they are brought in contact and then separated, the…EasySingle correct

JEE Main 202421 questions

  1. 4 Apr 2024, Shift 1 · Q40An infinitely long positively charged straight thread has a linear charge density λ\lambda Cm−1^{-1}. An electron revolves along a…HardDiagram basedHas a figure
  2. 4 Apr 2024, Shift 1 · Q55An infinite plane sheet of charge having uniform surface charge density +σs C/m2+\sigma_s\ \mathrm{C/m^2} is placed on xx-yy plane. Another…MediumNumerical value
  3. 4 Apr 2024, Shift 2 · Q41A charge qq is placed at the center of one of the surface of a cube. The flux linked with the cube is:MediumSingle correct
  4. 5 Apr 2024, Shift 2 · Q58The electric field at point p due to an electric dipole is E. The electric field at point R on equatorial line will be Ex\frac{E}{x}. The…MediumNumerical valueHas a figure
  5. 6 Apr 2024, Shift 1 · Q38σ\sigma is the uniform surface charge density of a thin spherical shell of radius RR. The electric field at any point on the surface of…MediumSingle correct
  6. 6 Apr 2024, Shift 1 · Q59Three infinitely long charged thin sheets are placed as shown in figure. The magnitude of electric field at the point PP is…MediumNumerical valueHas a figure
  7. 6 Apr 2024, Shift 2 · Q42Two identical conducting spheres PP and SS with charge QQ on each, repel each other with a force 16 N. A third identical uncharged…MediumSingle correct
  8. 8 Apr 2024, Shift 1 · Q55An electric field, E⃗=2i^+6j^+8k^6\vec{E}=\frac{2\hat{i}+6\hat{j}+8\hat{k}}{\sqrt{6}} passes through the surface of 4 m2^2 area having unit vector…EasyNumerical value
  9. 8 Apr 2024, Shift 2 · Q55If the net electric field at point P along Y axis is zero, then the ratio of ∣q2q3∣\left|\frac{q_2}{q_3}\right| is 85x\frac{8}{5\sqrt{x}},…MediumNumerical valueHas a figure
  10. 9 Apr 2024, Shift 2 · Q42Five charges +q+q, +5q+5q, −2q-2q, +3q+3q and −4q-4q are situated as shown in the figure. The electric flux due to this configuration through…EasySingle correctHas a figure
  11. 9 Apr 2024, Shift 2 · Q56An electric field E⃗=(2xi^) NC−1\vec{E}=(2x\hat{i})\ NC^{-1} exists in space. A cube of side 22m is placed in the space as per figure given below.…MediumNumerical valueHas a figure
  12. 1 Feb 2024, Shift 1 · Q55Two identical charged spheres are suspended by strings of equal lengths. The strings make an angle θ\theta with each other. When…MediumNumerical value
  13. 1 Feb 2024, Shift 2 · Q31Match List - I with List - II. List - I (Number) List - II (Significant figure) (A) 1001 (I) 3 (B) 010.1 (II) 4 (C) 100.100 (III) 5 (D)…EasyMatch the list
  14. 1 Feb 2024, Shift 2 · Q40C1C_1 and C2C_2 are two hollow concentric cubes enclosing charges 2Q and 3Q respectively as shown in figure. The ratio of electric flux…EasyDiagram basedHas a figure
  15. 1 Feb 2024, Shift 2 · Q55Suppose a uniformly charged wall provides a uniform electric field of 2×1042\times10^4 N/C normally. A charged particle of mass 2 g being…MediumNumerical value
  16. 27 Jan 2024, Shift 1 · Q55A thin metallic wire having cross sectional area of 10−410^{-4} m2^2 is used to make a ring of radius 30 cm. A positive charge of 2π2\pi C…HardNumerical value
  17. 29 Jan 2024, Shift 1 · Q40Two charges of 5Q5Q and −2Q-2Q are situated at the points (3a,0)(3a, 0) and (−5a,0)(-5a, 0) respectively. The electric flux through a sphere of…EasySingle correct
  18. 29 Jan 2024, Shift 1 · Q55An electron is moving under the influence of the electric field of a uniformly charged infinite plane sheet S having surface charge…HardNumerical value
  19. 30 Jan 2024, Shift 2 · Q55Two identical charged spheres are suspended by strings of equal lengths. The strings make an angle of 37∘37^\circ with each other. When…HardNumerical value
  20. 31 Jan 2024, Shift 1 · Q40Two charges qq and 3q3q are separated by a distance 'r ' in air. At a distance xx from charge qq, the resultant electric field is zero.…EasySingle correct
  21. 31 Jan 2024, Shift 2 · Q40Force between two point charges q1q_1 and q2q_2 placed in vacuum at 'r' cm apart is FF. Force between them when placed in a medium having…EasySingle correct

JEE Main 20239 questions

  1. 6 Apr 2023, Shift 2 · Q50A dipole comprises of two charged particles of identical magnitude q and opposite in nature. The mass 'm' of the positive charged particle…HardSingle correct
  2. 8 Apr 2023, Shift 1 · Q50Graphical variation of electric field due to a uniformly charged insulating solid sphere of radius R, with distance r from the centre O is…EasyDiagram basedHas a figure
  3. 10 Apr 2023, Shift 2 · Q55An electron revolves around an infinite cylindrical wire having uniform linear charge density 2×10−82\times10^{-8} C m−1^{-1} in circular path…MediumNumerical valueHas a figure
  4. 11 Apr 2023, Shift 1 · Q55As shown in the figure, a configuration of two equal point charges (q0=+2μq_0 = +2\mu C) is placed on an inclined plane. Mass of each point…MediumNumerical valueHas a figure
  5. 11 Apr 2023, Shift 2 · Q50Gauss Law Application · Medium · Single correct
  6. 12 Apr 2023, Shift 1 · Q41Electric Flux of an Enclosed Dipole · Easy · Assertion–reason
  7. 13 Apr 2023, Shift 1 · Q54Superposition Principle for Electric Fields · Medium · Numerical value
  8. 13 Apr 2023, Shift 2 · Q41Maximizing Force via Charge Division · Easy · Single correct
  9. 13 Apr 2023, Shift 2 · Q55Superposition of Forces · Medium · Numerical value · has a figure

JEE Main 202223 questions

  1. 25 Jul 2022, Shift 1 · Q56Field of a Solid Non-Conducting Sphere · Medium · Numerical value
  2. 26 Jul 2022, Shift 2 · Q57Superposition of Forces · Medium · Numerical value
  3. 27 Jul 2022, Shift 1 · Q40Small Oscillations of a Displaced Charge · Medium · Single correct
  4. 27 Jul 2022, Shift 1 · Q56Cylindrical Field · Easy · Numerical value · has a figure
  5. 27 Jul 2022, Shift 2 · Q40Maximizing Force via Charge Division · Easy · Single correct
  6. 28 Jul 2022, Shift 1 · Q56Torque in Uniform Field · Easy · Numerical value
  7. 28 Jul 2022, Shift 2 · Q10Charged Particle Trajectory in E-Field · Medium · Single correct · has a figure
  8. 29 Jul 2022, Shift 1 · Q40Field of Non-uniform Spherical Charge · Hard · Single correct · has a figure
  9. 29 Jul 2022, Shift 2 · Q31Charge Redistribution via Conduction · Medium · Single correct
  10. 30 Jul 2022, Shift 2 · Q10Charged Arc Field · Medium · Single correct
  11. 24 Jun 2022, Shift 1 · Q38Equilibrium of Suspended Charges · Easy · Single correct
  12. 24 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q34Charge Equilibrium Analysis · Medium · Single correct
  13. 24 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q46Cylindrical Field · Medium · Single correct
  14. 25 Jun 2022, Shift 1 · Q38Field of an Infinite Non-Conducting Sheet · Easy · Diagram based · has a figure
  15. 26 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q40Surface Charge Distribution · Medium · Single correct
  16. 27 Jun 2022, Shift 1 · Q44Field of Parallel Charged Sheets · Medium · Single correct
  17. 27 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q41Flux Through a Hemisphere · Medium · Single correct · has a figure
  18. 27 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q42Superposition of Forces · Easy · Single correct · has a figure
  19. 28 Jun 2022, Shift 1 · Q38Superposition Principle for Electric Fields · Medium · Two statements
  20. 28 Jun 2022, Shift 1 · Q39Superposition Principle for Electric Fields · Medium · Single correct · has a figure
  21. 28 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q40Superposition Principle for Electric Fields · Easy · Single correct
  22. 29 Jun 2022, Shift 1 · Q48Charged Particle Trajectory in Uniform Field · Easy · Single correct
  23. 29 Jun 2022, Shift 2 · Q33Superposition of Forces · Medium · Single correct

JEE Main 202125 questions

  1. 3 Aug 2021, Shift 1 · Q10Suspended Charge Mechanics · Hard · Diagram based · has a figure
  2. 4 Aug 2021, Shift 1 · Q27Open the question · Medium · Numerical value
  3. 26 Aug 2021, Shift 1 · Q13Field of Concentric Conducting Shells · Medium · Diagram based · has a figure
  4. 27 Aug 2021, Shift 1 · Q11Axial Field of a Charged Disc · Medium · Single correct
  5. 27 Aug 2021, Shift 2 · Q10Charged Arc Field · Medium · Single correct · has a figure
  6. 31 Aug 2021, Shift 1 · Q12Null Point Location Calculation · Medium · Single correct · has a figure
  7. 31 Aug 2021, Shift 2 · Q20Electric Flux Calculation · Easy · Other
  8. 24 Feb 2021, Shift 1 · Q15Missing Charge Superposition Trick · Medium · Diagram based · has a figure
  9. 24 Feb 2021, Shift 2 · Q10Small Oscillations of a Displaced Charge · Medium · Single correct
  10. 24 Feb 2021, Shift 2 · Q26Flux via Cube Symmetry · Medium · Numerical value · has a figure
  11. 25 Feb 2021, Shift 1 · Q26Electric Flux Calculation · Easy · Numerical value
  12. 25 Feb 2021, Shift 2 · Q9Flux via Cube Symmetry · Medium · Diagram based · has a figure
  13. 25 Feb 2021, Shift 2 · Q26Suspended Charge Mechanics · Medium · Numerical value
  14. 25 Feb 2021, Shift 2 · Q27Charge Redistribution via Conduction · Easy · Numerical value
  15. 26 Feb 2021, Shift 1 · Q12Finite/Infinite Line Field · Medium · Diagram based · has a figure
  16. 26 Feb 2021, Shift 2 · Q11Flux of Enclosed Dipoles · Medium · Two statements
  17. 26 Feb 2021, Shift 2 · Q19Motion Down a Rough Incline · Hard · Diagram based · has a figure
  18. 22 Jul 2021, Shift 2 · Q8Dipole Force in a Radial Field · Hard · Single correct
  19. 22 Jul 2021, Shift 2 · Q26Open the question · Medium · Numerical value
  20. 25 Jul 2021, Shift 1 · Q28Small Oscillations of a Displaced Charge · Medium · Numerical value
  21. 25 Jul 2021, Shift 2 · Q12Electric Field on Axial Line · Medium · Diagram based · has a figure
  22. 16 Mar 2021, Shift 2 · Q19Finite/Infinite Line Field · Medium · Single correct
  23. 17 Mar 2021, Shift 2 · Q26Electric Flux Calculation · Easy · Numerical value
  24. 18 Mar 2021, Shift 1 · Q1Open the question · Medium · Single correct
  25. 18 Mar 2021, Shift 2 · Q22Superposition of Forces · Medium · Numerical value

JEE Main 202010 questions

  1. 8 Jan 2020, Shift 1 · Q10Superposition Principle for Electric Fields · Medium · Single correct · has a figure
  2. 8 Jan 2020, Shift 1 · Q13Selection of Gaussian Surface · Medium · Single correct
  3. 8 Jan 2020, Shift 2 · Q13Charged Particle Trajectory in Uniform Field · Medium · Diagram based · has a figure
  4. 9 Jan 2020, Shift 1 · Q10Field Inside a Spherical Cavity · Hard · Diagram based · has a figure
  5. 9 Jan 2020, Shift 1 · Q11Electric Field on Equatorial Line · Medium · Single correct
  6. 9 Jan 2020, Shift 2 · Q22Electric Flux Calculation · Medium · Numerical value · has a figure
  7. 2 Sep 2020, Shift 1 · Q11Charge Trajectory in Uniform Field · Medium · Diagram based · has a figure
  8. 2 Sep 2020, Shift 2 · Q3Charge Trajectory in Uniform Field · Medium · Diagram based · has a figure
  9. 4 Sep 2020, Shift 1 · Q10Field of an Infinite Non-Conducting Sheet · Hard · Diagram based · has a figure
  10. 6 Sep 2020, Shift 2 · Q11Field of a Spherical Shell · Easy · Single correct

Questions from the official JEE Main papers published by NTA. Chapter, topic and idea tags, counts and notes are Lumi’s. Pattern: Asked most years.

More Physics, Class 12

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