The 5 April Shift 1 exam was the fifth paper of JEE Main Session 2, conducted from 9 AM to 12 PM. The Akash team has carefully reviewed available student feedback, memory-based question data, and past
JEE Main exam trend analysis to put together this expected marks vs percentile breakdown. These are estimated figures based on the current exam’s difficulty pattern. Official percentile scores will be released by NTA along with the results.
Quick Overview of the JEE Main 2026 Shift Comparison April Attempt
Before we get into the marks vs percentile data, here is a quick snapshot of how the exam was structured and how students found it overall. This is part of our broader JEE Main 2026 shift comparison April attempt coverage.
| Particulars | Details |
| Date | 5 April 2026 |
| Shift | Shift 1 |
| Exam Time | 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM |
| Duration | 3 Hours (180 Minutes) |
| Mode | Computer-Based Test (CBT) |
| Paper | Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech.) |
| Subjects | Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics |
| Total Questions | 75 |
| Total Marks | 300 |
| Marking Scheme | +4 for correct, -1 for incorrect, 0 for unanswered |
| Overall Difficulty | Moderate |
Subject-wise Difficulty and JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile Analysis
A clear picture of the JEE Main 2026 marks vs percentile analysis starts with understanding how each subject performed. Based on student responses and expert review, here is how the three sections played out in this shift:
| Subject | Difficulty Level | Nature of Questions | Key Topics |
| Physics | Easy to Moderate | Mix of conceptual and numerical questions | Current Electricity, Thermodynamics, Modern Physics, Electrostatics, Units and Measurements, Magnetic Effects of Current |
| Chemistry | Easy | Mostly NCERT-based and direct | Coordination Compounds, Chemical Bonding, Periodicity, Thermodynamics, Inorganic and Physical Chemistry |
| Mathematics | Moderate to Tough (Lengthy) | Calculation-heavy, problem-solving intensive | Matrices and Determinants, 3D Geometry, Vectors, Sequences and Series, Probability, Calculus (Limits, Derivatives) |
Physics and Chemistry were both manageable and high-scoring for most students. Mathematics, however, was the section that required more time. On average, students spent 3 to 5 minutes per Maths question, managing around 11 to 13 questions within one hour.
The good attempt count for this shift was estimated at 60 to 70 questions out of 75, which is fairly high given the moderate difficulty.
Expected Marks vs Percentile (Shift-wise Difficulty Comparison JEE Main)
The table below gives you the expected marks vs percentile range for the April 5 Shift 1 paper. These are approximate figures prepared after considering the difficulty level, good attempt count, and shift-wise difficulty comparison JEE Main patterns observed in both Session 1 and earlier Session 2 shifts.
Note: These figures are indicative. Your actual percentile will depend on the performance of all students who appeared across all Session 2 shifts, as NTA calculates percentile on a normalised basis.
| Expected Percentile | Expected Marks (Out of 300) |
| 99.9 and above | 240 and above |
| 99.5 and above | 225 to 240 |
| 99 | Around 210 |
| 98 | 185 to 195 |
| 97 | 170 to 180 |
| 95 | 150 to 160 |
| 93 | 135 to 145 |
| 90 | 120 to 130 |
| 85 | 105 to 115 |
| 80 | 95 to 105 |
| 70 | 80 to 90 |
| 60 | 65 to 75 |
| 50 | 50 to 60 |
For context, a 99 percentile score in this shift is expected around 210 marks. The cutoff for the General category qualification (top 2,50,000 ranks for JEE Advanced) falls around the 88 to 90 percentile mark. Keep in mind these are based on approximate analysis and will be confirmed once NTA releases official results.
JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile Analysis: Shift-wise Data
One of the most common questions students ask is: which shift was easiest in JEE Main 2026? Based on the JEE Main 2026 toughest vs easiest shift data gathered so far from Session 2 (2nd to 7th April), here is a broad picture:
- April 5 Shift 1 was rated as moderate, with Chemistry being noticeably easy and Maths being the lengthiest section.
- In terms of shift-wise difficulty comparison JEE Main, this shift was broadly on par with April 4 Shift 1 but slightly easier than some of the April 2 shifts where Maths was harder.
- This also makes April 5 Shift 1 one of the comparatively student-friendly shifts in Session 2, meaning the percentile cut-offs here are a bit higher per marks scored.
This JEE Main 2026 shift comparison April attempt is useful if you want to decide whether to use Session 2 as your final score or continue preparing for subsequent attempts.
JEE Main Exam Trend Analysis: How You Can Expect April 5 Shift 1 Session
Looking at JEE Main shift trends past years, a few patterns tend to hold consistently:
- Mathematics has historically been the most difficult and time-consuming section across most shifts, and April 5 Shift 1 follows this trend.
- Chemistry tends to be the most scoring subject, especially when it leans toward NCERT-based questions, as it did in this shift.
- Physics occupies the middle ground, usually moderate and dependent on strong conceptual understanding.
The JEE Main exam trend analysis for 2026 so far shows that Session 2 has maintained a moderate difficulty level overall. NTA has designed the papers to balance difficulty across shifts using normalisation, so students who got a tougher paper are not at a disadvantage during final percentile calculation.
When looking at marks vs percentile trend JEE Main, one thing to note is that easier shifts tend to compress percentile values in the higher score range. For example, going from 210 to 240 marks in a moderate shift may only push your percentile from 99 to 99.9, whereas in a tougher shift, a similar jump covers a wider percentile range.
JEE Main 2026 Toughest vs Easiest Shift: Where Does April 5 Shift 1 Stand?
Based on the JEE Main 2026 toughest vs easiest shift data emerging from Session 2 so far:
- April 5 Shift 1 scores among the easier shifts of this session, primarily because Chemistry was direct and Physics was manageable.
- The Mathematics section, while lengthy, had questions that were solvable for well-prepared students and was not unusually hard compared to typical JEE Maths standards.
- If you are comparing across shifts and wondering which shift was easiest in JEE Main 2026, April 5 Shift 1 would rank as a moderate-easy paper in the current session.
JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Schedule
Here are the important dates relevant to JEE Main 2026 Session 2:
| Event | Date |
| JEE Main Session 2 Exam Dates | 2 April to 8 April 2026 |
| April 5 Shift 1 Exam | 5 April 2026 (9:00 AM to 12:00 PM) |
| Answer Key Release (Expected) | To be announced by NTA |
| JEE Main Session 2 Result (Expected) | To be announced by NTA |
| JEE Advanced Registration (Expected) | After JEE Main Result |
For official dates and updates, visit the NTA JEE Main official portal at jeemain.nta.nic.in.
JEE Main 2026 April 5 Shift 1 Study Resources
The Akash team has put together useful resources to help you review your performance and plan next steps. You can access or download the following:
| Resource | Description | Link |
| JEE Main April 5 Shift 1 Question Paper PDF | Memory-based questions from the April 5 morning shift | Available on the official NTA Website |
| JEE Main 2026 Answer Key PDF Download | Official answer key once released by NTA | jeemain.nta.nic.in |
| JEE Main Marks vs Percentile Chart PDF | Expected percentile ranges for all Session 2 shifts | Check Akash’s website |
| JEE Main Previous Year Papers PDF | Practice with past papers to understand trends | Available at Akash |
If you are looking to get your hands on the April 5 Shift 1 question paper PDF or the expected marks vs percentile chart PDF, keep checking the Akash website for updated resources.
FAQs
What was the difficulty level of JEE Main 2026 April 5 Shift 1?
The overall difficulty was Moderate. Chemistry was easy, Physics was easy to moderate, and Mathematics was moderate to tough and lengthy.
What is the expected percentile for 210 marks in April 5 Shift 1?
Based on the expected JEE Main 2026 marks vs percentile analysis, a score of around 210 marks corresponds to approximately the 99 percentile. These are approximate figures and may vary once official results are out.
How many good attempts are considered safe in April 5 Shift 1?
Attempting 60 to 70 questions out of 75 is considered a good attempt count for this shift, given the moderate difficulty level.
Which shift was the easiest in JEE Main 2026 Session 2?
Based on the shift-wise difficulty comparison JEE Main data available so far, April 5 Shift 1 ranks as one of the easier shifts in Session 2, though final assessments can only be made once all shifts are complete and NTA releases normalised scores.





