A quick but important note before you proceed: NTA does not publish an official marks vs percentile chart before the results are declared. Every figure you see here is based on expert analysis and is approximate. However, treat these estimates as a reference point for planning, not as a final verdict.
JEE Main Rank Predictor 2026
JEE Main April 2 Shift 1 Marks vs Percentile: What to Expect
For a more granular view, here is the full JEE Main April 2 Shift 1 marks vs percentile table. This covers the entire scoring range, so you can look up any score and find your approximate standing.
| JEE Main Marks (out of 300) | Expected Percentile |
| 292–275 | 99.99–99.99 |
| 273–250 | 99.99–99.95 |
| 249–228 | 99.95–99.86 |
| 227–200 | 99.85–99.58 |
| 199–170 | 99.56–98.88 |
| 169–145 | 98.85–97.83 |
| 144–123 | 97.79–96.26 |
| 122–100 | 96.22–93.80 |
| 99–81 | 93.68–90.47 |
| 80–68 | 90.28–86.72 |
| 67–54 | 86.43–80.97 |
| 53–41 | 80.06–70.27 |
| 40–27 | 69.58–50.21 |
| 26–16 | 48.72–28.31 |
| 15–7 | 27.10–12.94 |
| 6–0 | 12.16–5.71 |
Note: These are expected values based on student feedback and expert analysis. Refer to the official NTA scorecard once released.
JEE Main April 2 Shift 1 Difficulty Level: Subject-Wise Analysis
Understanding the JEE Main April 2 Shift 1 difficulty level is key to interpreting your expected percentile. Here is what experts noted after reviewing the paper:
- Physics: Easy to moderate. Questions were primarily concept-based, with no overly tricky problems. Students with a strong grip on NCERT concepts found this section manageable.
- Chemistry: Easy to moderate. This was the most scoring section of the paper. Most questions were directly NCERT-based, particularly from Physical and Inorganic Chemistry.
- Mathematics: Moderate to tough. Maths was the most challenging section, with lengthy questions that required heavy calculations. Time management was a major factor here.
- Overall: Moderate. The paper was balanced, though Maths was the primary differentiator.
| Subject | Shift 1 Difficulty | Shift 2 Difficulty |
| Physics | Easy to Moderate | Easy to Moderate |
| Chemistry | Easy to Moderate (NCERT-heavy) | Moderate to Tough |
| Mathematics | Moderate to Tough (lengthy) | Moderate to Tough (lengthy) |
| Overall | Moderate | Easy to Moderate |
Marks Required for 99 Percentile in JEE Main April 2 Shift 1
This is one of the most looked-up questions after any JEE Main shift. Based on the moderate difficulty of today’s paper, the marks required for 99 percentile in April 2 Shift 1 are estimated to be in the range of 175 to 185. Some estimates extend this to 188, but 175 to 185 is the more widely agreed-upon range.
For context, in JEE Main January 2026, the 99th percentile threshold across shifts ranged from 158 to 171 marks. The April 2 paper appears to have been slightly easier overall, which typically pushes the marks needed for the top percentile a bit higher.
Keep in mind that the marks required for 99 percentile April 2 Shift 1 are not fixed. The exact cutoff depends on how the normalisation process treats this shift relative to others in Session 2.
Expected Percentile for 150 Marks in JEE Main April 2
If you scored around 150 marks in the April 2 Shift 1 exam, the expected percentile for 150 marks in April 2 JEE Main falls approximately in the 96 to 98.5 range. Given the paper’s moderate difficulty, this score puts you in a reasonably competitive position.
Here is what a score of 150 marks means for your overall prospects:
- Safe percentile expectation: Around 97.5+
- Best case scenario: Up to 98.5, if the normalisation process works in your favour
- Expected rank range: 18,000 to 35,000
Session 2 has a slightly stronger competition pool, so your percentile may be marginally compressed compared to January
| Marks Range | Expected Percentile | Expected AIR |
| 160+ | 99+ | Up to ~13,000 |
| 150–159 | 96–98.5 | ~13,000–45,000 |
| 140–149 | 95.5–96 | ~45,000–75,000 |
| 130–139 | 94.5–95 | ~75,000–1,00,000 |
With a score around 150 marks, you stand a good chance at core engineering branches such as ECE, EE, and Mechanical at top NITs. Home state candidates and students from reserved categories also have a realistic shot at CSE at several NITs.
April 2 Shift 2 vs Shift 1 JEE Main Difficulty: A Quick Comparison
When comparing April 2 Shift 2 vs Shift 1 JEE Main difficulty, the most notable difference lies in Chemistry. While Shift 1 Chemistry was largely NCERT-based and straightforward, the JEE Main April 2 Shift 2 analysis reveals that Chemistry was noticeably harder. This makes Shift 1 the relatively easier outing of the two.
For Maths, both shifts were on the tougher and lengthier end, which is consistent with the trend seen through the January 2026 session. Physics remained conceptual and accessible in both shifts.
In terms of the easiest and toughest shift on April 2 JEE Main, Shift 1 takes the edge as the easier shift. However, the overall difficulty across both shifts was close enough that the normalisation process should account for the difference when computing percentiles.
Students who appeared for Shift 2 should not be alarmed by a slightly lower raw score. The JEE Main April 2 Shift 2 marks vs percentile will be calibrated by NTA’s normalisation model, meaning a tougher Shift 2 will typically adjust percentiles upward for those students.
JEE Main April 2 Marks vs Percentile vs Rank
Your percentile tells you your relative position among all candidates, while your All India Rank (AIR) tells you your position in absolute terms. Here is an expected JEE Main April 2 marks vs percentile and corresponding rank breakdown:
| JEE Main Marks | Expected All India Rank (AIR) |
| 292–275 | Up to 16 |
| 273–250 | 109–704 |
| 249–228 | 733–2,069 |
| 227–200 | 2,278–6,269 |
| 199–170 | 6,488–16,524 |
| 169–145 | 16,942–31,964 |
| 144–123 | 32,539–55,179 |
| 122–100 | 55,737–91,426 |
| 99–81 | 93,240–1,40,526 |
| 80–68 | 1,43,434–1,95,874 |
| 67–54 | 2,00,165–2,80,763 |
Note: These rank estimates are based on a projected candidate pool for Session 2. Your actual rank will be announced with the official result.
How Does NTA Calculate JEE Main Percentile?
NTA uses a normalisation process to calculate percentile scores. This is done to ensure fair comparison across different shifts, each of which may vary in difficulty. The formula is:
Percentile Score = (No. of candidates with raw score equal to or less than yours / Total candidates in that session) x 100
This formula applies separately to each subject (Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics) and to your overall score. All four percentile values appear on your scorecard, but only the Total Percentile is used to generate the All India Rank.
What this means in practice: your raw score and your percentile are not the same thing. A student who scores 150 in a tough shift may achieve the same percentile as someone who scores 165 in an easier shift. This is exactly why comparing raw marks across shifts is not meaningful.
According to NTA’s official methodology, the percentile is calculated session-wise and then a combined merit list is prepared using the best of the two session percentiles.
Factors That Affect JEE Main April 2 Marks vs Percentile
Several factors come together to determine the final JEE Main 2026 April 2 marks vs percentile outcome:
Difficulty level: A tougher paper shifts the percentile curve. More students score lower, so even a moderate score can yield a high percentile.
Total number of candidates: A larger candidate pool increases competition at every percentile level.
Session 2 competition: The April session attracts students who are revisiting the exam after January, meaning the pool includes many serious and well-prepared candidates.
Normalisation: NTA adjusts scores across shifts to iron out difficulty differences. A relatively tough shift may benefit candidates through this adjustment.
Previous year trends: Experts factor in historical marks vs percentile data to calibrate their current estimates.
Key Dates and Documents: JEE Main 2026 Session 2
Here is a quick reference for all important JEE Main 2026 Session 2 dates and downloadable resources:
| Event | Date / Detail |
| JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Exam Dates | 2 April to 8 April 2026 |
| April 2 Shift 1 (Morning) | 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM |
| April 2 Shift 2 (Afternoon) | 3:00 PM to 6:00 PM |
| Answer Key Release (Official) | After exam concludes |
| Result / Scorecard Declaration | To be announced by NTA |
| JoSAA Counselling (Tentative) | After result declaration |
You can access the official JEE Main 2026 information bulletin, answer key, and response sheet directly on the NTA portal at jeemain.nta.nic.in.
FAQs
- Is the JEE Main 2026 April 2 Shift 1 marks vs percentile data official?
No. NTA does not release an official marks vs percentile chart before results are declared. The figures provided here are estimated by subject experts and are approximate.
- What is the expected percentile for 150 marks in April 2 JEE Main?
Based on the moderate difficulty of April 2 Shift 1, a score of 150 marks is expected to yield a percentile in the range of 96 to 98.5. The exact figure depends on the normalisation process and the total number of candidates.
- Which was the easiest and toughest shift on April 2 JEE Main?
Overall, both shifts were easy to moderate. Shift 1 was slightly easier due to its more straightforward Chemistry section. Mathematics was the toughest subject in both shifts.
- How does JEE Main April 2 Shift 2 analysis compare to Shift 1?
The JEE Main April 2 Shift 2 analysis indicates that Chemistry was harder than in Shift 1. Maths was tough and lengthy in both shifts. Students from Shift 2 should expect their percentile to be normalised accordingly by NTA.
- What marks are required for 99 percentile in JEE Main April 2 Shift 1?
Experts estimate that 175 to 185 marks are required for the 99th percentile in JEE Main April 2 Shift 1. Some estimates go up to 188, but given the moderate difficulty of the paper, 175 to 185 is the more commonly cited range.
