The JEE Main 2026 Mathematics exam, which ended on Jan 24, Shift 1, was found to be tough by a majority of students. The main reason is the lengthy nature of the questions. While the conceptual difficulty stayed moderate, the paper needed significant time and detailed calculations, making it difficult to attempt a big number of questions within the given time.
According to student responses and experts, time management played a necessary role in this shift. Even well-prepared students found difficulty in maximizing attempts because most problems involved multi-step solutions and careful numerical handling.
Overall Difficulty Level of JEE Main 2026 24 January Maths Exam Shift 1
- Difficulty Level: Tough (due to length)
- Conceptual Level: Easy to Moderate
- Time Consumption: Significantly High
Many students agreed that the paper was not conceptually tough, but its length decreased scoring opportunities, highlighting the importance of the question selection strategy.
Topics Covered in Maths Exam (JEE Main 2026 Jan 24)
The Mathematics section is found as a balanced distribution from the syllabus, with high weightage on calculation areas:
- In Calculus: Integration and Differentiation
- Algebra Topics: Matrices, Sequences & Series
- Vectors and 3D Geometry
- Probability: Medium difficulty level
- Coordinate Geometry: Lengthy and numerical-based
- Calculus and Coordinate Geometry questions, in special, required step-by-step calculations, making them time-consuming.
Student reactions to the Mathematics section on JEE Main Jan 24, 2026 shift 1
“Maths was not conceptually very hard, but seriously very lengthy. Selecting the right questions was very necessary.”
This feedback shows a common opinion among Students, highlighting that smart question selection was essential to performing well in this shift 1.
Expert Opinion on JEE Main shift 1 Jan 24 examination
JEE candidates who concentrated on accuracy over attempts had a higher chance of scoring well. The paper awarded students with strong calculation skills, patience, rather than speed alone.
FAQs
Q1. Was JEE Main 2026 Maths tough on January 24 Shift 1?
Yes, the Maths section was considered tough mainly due to lengthy questions, though concepts were manageable.
Q2. Which topics dominated the Maths paper?
Calculus, Algebra, Vectors & 3D Geometry, Probability, and Coordinate Geometry dominated the paper.
Q3. Was the paper more conceptual or calculation-based?
The paper was heavily calculation-based with multi-step numerical problems.
Q4. What was the key challenge for students?
Time management and selecting the right questions were the biggest challenges.










