JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile vs Rank Shift-Wise – 21 to 28 January Analysis
Understanding JEE Main 2026 marks vs percentile vs rank is crucial for students analysing their performance after Session 1 exams. Since JEE Main is conducted across multiple days and shifts, the difficulty level varies from shift to shift, making raw marks alone an unreliable indicator of rank.
This page provides a shift-wise JEE Main 2026 marks vs percentile vs rank analysis for Session 1, covering exams held between 21 January and 28 January 2026. The data is based on student feedback, expected normalisation trends, and past-year patterns, helping candidates understand how tougher and easier shifts affect percentile and rank outcomes.
By comparing marks vs percentile across different shifts, students can clearly see why candidates from tougher shifts may score lower marks but still achieve similar or higher percentiles due to the NTA normalization process. This detailed analysis also helps aspirants estimate their expected All India Rank (AIR) and plan their counselling and college preferences more effectively.
JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile – Shift Wise Analysis (21–28 January)
JEE Main 2026 shift-wise marks vs percentile analysis explains how paper difficulty affects scores across different exam shifts. Since JEE Main Session 1 was conducted from 21–28 January in multiple shifts, raw marks vary by difficulty. NTA uses percentile-based normalisation so candidates from tougher shifts can achieve the same percentile and rank at lower marks, while easier shifts require higher scores.
JEE Main 21 Jan 2026 Shift 1 – Marks vs Percentile
The 21 January Shift 1 paper was considered moderate and scoring, which is reflected in the relatively higher marks required to achieve top percentiles.
Analysis:
Students with strong accuracy and speed performed well, as the paper rewarded consistent problem-solving.
JEE Main 21 Jan 2026 Shift 2 – Marks vs Percentile
The 21 January Shift 2 exam was slightly easier than Shift 1, resulting in higher cut-off marks for the same percentile.
Analysis:
Due to increased competition, candidates needed higher scores to secure top percentiles.
JEE Main 22 Jan 2026 Shift 1 – Marks vs Percentile
The 22 January Shift 1 paper is widely regarded as one of the easiest shifts of JEE Main 2026 Session 1.
Analysis:
High marks were required even for mid-range percentiles, indicating a scoring paper.
JEE Main 22 Jan 2026 Shift 2 – Marks vs Percentile
Compared to Shift 1, the 22 January Shift 2 paper was tougher, allowing candidates to secure similar percentiles at lower marks.
Analysis: Normalisation benefited students due to the comparatively higher difficulty level.
JEE Main 23 Jan 2026 Shift 1 – Marks vs Percentile
The 23 January Shift 1 paper maintained a balanced difficulty level, neither too easy nor overly tough.
Analysis:
Marks vs percentile followed expected trends, making this shift neutral in difficulty.
JEE Main 23 Jan 2026 Shift 2 – Marks vs Percentile
The 23 January Shift 2 exam was the toughest shift of JEE Main 2026 Session 1, mainly due to lengthy Mathematics and conceptual Physics.
Analysis:
Lower marks fetched the same percentile, giving students a clear normalization advantage.
JEE Main 24 Jan 2026 Shift 1 – Marks vs Percentile
The 24 January Shift 1 paper was moderate but time-consuming, especially for students attempting all questions.
Analysis:
Consistent performance across all subjects was essential in this shift.
JEE Main 24 Jan 2026 Shift 2 – Marks vs Percentile
The 24 January Shift 2 paper leaned slightly towards the tougher side compared to Shift 1.
Analysis:
Candidates benefited from normalization due to increased difficulty.
JEE Main 28 Jan 2026 Shift 1 – Marks vs Percentile
The 28 January Shift 1 paper was moderate to difficult, largely influenced by lengthy and calculation-heavy Mathematics.
Analysis:
Time management played a crucial role in overall performance.
JEE Main 28 Jan 2026 Shift 2 – Marks vs Percentile
The 28 January Shift 2 paper was comparatively tougher, requiring fewer marks to achieve the same percentile.
Analysis:
Normalisation helped balance outcomes for candidates from this shift.
JEE Main 2026 Percentile vs Expected Rank (Session 1)
In JEE Main 2026, percentile—not raw marks—determines your All India Rank (AIR). Due to varying difficulty levels across shifts, the NTA applies a normalisation process so that candidates from tougher shifts are not disadvantaged. As a result, students with the same percentile receive nearly the same rank, irrespective of the shift they appeared in.
Based on past-year trends and Session 1 performance patterns, the table below shows the expected rank range corresponding to different percentile brackets. These ranges help students realistically estimate their position and plan counselling strategies.
Expected JEE Main 2026 Rank vs Percentile (Session 1)
How to Use This Percentile vs Rank Data
Use this table to estimate your AIR, not to predict exact ranks
Minor variations may occur depending on the total number of candidates and normalization
Always prioritise percentile over marks when analysing performance
Important: Even if two students score very different marks, their ranks will be similar if their percentiles match.
Shift-Wise Rank vs Percentile Comparison: JEE Main 2026 (Session 1)
Note: Rank is decided by percentile. This table compares marks required to achieve the same percentile across shifts, highlighting relative difficulty.
JEE Main Normalisation Process – How Percentile Is Calculated
Since JEE Main is conducted in multiple shifts with varying difficulty levels, the National Testing Agency (NTA) uses a normalisation process to ensure fairness. Instead of raw marks, percentile scores are used to prepare the final merit list, so that candidates from tougher shifts are not disadvantaged and those from easier shifts do not gain an unfair advantage.
This process ensures that performance is judged relative to candidates in the same shift, and then aligned across all shifts.
JEE Main Percentile Calculation Formula
In JEE Main, a percentile score represents the percentage of candidates who scored equal to or less than a particular candidate in the same shift.
The formula used is:
Percentile = (Number of candidates scoring ≤ your score ÷ Total number of candidates in that shift) × 100
Percentiles are calculated separately for each shift and for each subject, and then combined to prepare the overall percentile used for ranking.
Why Raw Marks are Not Used for Ranking
Raw marks are not used for ranking because different shifts do not have identical difficulty levels. A score that is easy to achieve in one shift may be very difficult in another.
If ranking were based only on raw marks:
Students from tougher shifts would be unfairly penalised
Students from easier shifts would gain an unintended advantage
Using percentiles removes this imbalance and ensures that rank reflects relative performance, not just marks.
Role of Shift Difficulty in Normalisation
Shift difficulty plays a crucial role in the normalisation process. In a tough shift, fewer candidates score high marks, so even a relatively lower score can result in a high percentile. In contrast, an easy shift sees many high scorers, which pushes percentiles up only for higher marks.
This is why:
Candidates from tougher shifts often secure similar percentiles at lower marks
Candidates from easier shifts need higher marks for the same percentile
Ultimately, normalisation balances out shift-wise difficulty, ensuring that all candidates compete on a level playing field in JEE Main 2026.
FAQs on JEE Main 2026 Shift-Wise Marks vs Percentile vs Rank – Session 1 Detailed Analysis
1. How does marks vs percentile differ from shift to shift in JEE Main 2026?
In JEE Main 2026, marks vs percentile varies shift-wise because each paper has a different difficulty level. Tougher shifts generally require lower marks to achieve the same percentile, while easier shifts require higher marks for the same percentile due to the NTA normalisation process.
2. Why did some shifts require higher marks for the same percentile?
Shifts that were easier or more balanced had higher average scores. As a result, candidates needed more marks in those shifts to reach the same percentile compared to tougher shifts.
3. Which shift required the lowest marks for the same percentile in JEE Main 2026 Session 1?
Based on shift-wise analysis, January 23 Shift 2 required comparatively lower marks for the same percentile, indicating it was one of the toughest shifts of JEE Main 2026 Session 1.
4. Did the toughest shift of JEE Main 2026 get any advantage in rank?
Yes. Students appearing in a tougher shift may score fewer raw marks but still receive a similar or better rank, as ranks are decided using normalised percentile scores, not raw marks.
5. Can two candidates with different marks but same percentile get the same rank?
Yes. If two candidates from different shifts secure the same percentile, they will receive nearly the same rank, even if their raw marks are different.
6. Why do easier shifts show higher cutoff marks for the same percentile?
In easier shifts, more students score higher marks. This pushes the marks required for a given percentile upward, making cutoffs appear higher compared to tougher shifts.
7. Is shift-wise marks vs percentile more important than overall marks?
Yes. For JEE Main, shift-wise marks vs percentile analysis is more important than raw marks because final ranking is based entirely on percentile normalisation across shifts.
8. Does shift difficulty affect counselling chances?
Indirectly, yes. Shift difficulty affects marks vs percentile, but counselling is based on final rank. If normalisation works in your favour, tougher shifts do not reduce counselling chances.
9. Will the shift-wise marks vs percentile change after official results?
The exact mapping may change slightly after official results are released, but the overall shift-wise trend (tough shifts needing lower marks, easy shifts needing higher marks) usually remains consistent.
10. Should students compare marks only within their own shift?
Yes. Students should compare marks and percentile within the same shift for realistic analysis. Cross-shift mark comparison without normalisation can be misleading.
11. Will the same shift-wise pattern repeat in Session 2?
Session 2 also follows shift-wise normalisation, but the exact marks vs percentile pattern depends on paper difficulty and candidate performance in that session.
