JEE Main 2024’s 31st January Evening was the most difficult shift. Candidates with 156 marks got 99 percentile. On the other hand, 27 January Morning was the simplest shift. In this shift, 236 marks translated to the 99th percentile, an 80-mark difference in the same percentile and the same session.
Even, 99 percentile varied between 186 marks on 9 April Morning and 215 marks on 6 April Morning, giving a shift variation of nearly 29 marks between shifts.
- In January 2024, the difference in 99 percentile for the morning and evening shift was 80 in (236 vs 156).
- In January, the score became 81 to 139 for 90 percentile.
- April 2024, 99 percentile range changed by 29 marks (186-215).
- The April 93 percentile band (117 to 150) was changed by 33 points.
This article helps you understand that the 2024 shift-wise marks vs percentile is important to set a clear target score for JEE Main 2026.
Read More:
- JEE Main Marks vs Percentile vs Rank 2026: Expected Score, Normalisation & Safe Score
- List of colleges accepting 90+ percentile in JEE Main
Key Summary
- Marks vs Percentile changes on a shift-to-shift, rather than exam-to-exam, basis.
- By 2024, the difference in the same percentile had increased by 80 marks.
- 99 percentile needed anywhere between 156 to 236 marks in January.
- In April, 99 percentile scored between 186 and 215 marks.
- Easy shifts had tighter percentiles.
- Tough shifts rewarded lower marks with higher percentiles.
- The 2024 data will be the most suitable reference point for the 2026 aspirants.
JEE Main Marks vs Percentile 2024: Why Shift Matters?
JEE Main has many shifts. All candidates do not receive the same question paper, and therefore, NTA employs a normalisation formula to change the marks into percentiles.
This means:
- If your shift is easy, then more students score high, and the percentile becomes tight
- If your shift is tough, then fewer students score high, and the percentile becomes generous
This is why students with the same marks may receive a significantly different percentile.
Ques. What is the easiest shift in JEE 2024 April?
Ans. The first shift in the April examination of JEE Main 2024 was the easiest shift. For 6 April Morning, 99 percentile was approximately 215 marks, the highest amongst the April shifts. A larger percentage required to obtain the same mark denotes a simpler paper containing more high scorers.
Check:
- Expected Rank and Percentile for 190 Marks in JEE Main 2026
- Expected NITs for 100 marks in JEE Main 2026
JEE Main 2024 January Session: Shift-wise Analysis
January 2024 had the largest shift-wise gap.
- 99 percentile was between 236 marks (27 Jan Morning). For the same percentile, it was 156 marks (31 Jan Evening).
- Difference = 80 marks
- A student scoring 160 marks could be:
- Around 93 percentile in the early shift
- Around 99 percentile in the late shift
This happened not only due to paper difficulty, but also due to how strongly students were distributed across shifts.
| Percentile | 27 Jan M | 27 Jan E | 29 Jan M | 29 Jan E | 30 Jan M | 30 Jan E | 31 Jan M | 31 Jan E | 1 Feb M | 1 Feb E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99 | 236 | 218 | 208 | 212 | 192 | 194 | 171 | 156 | 162 | 174 |
| 98.5 | 224 | 199 | 192 | 200 | 180 | 180 | 159 | 144 | 150 | – |
| 98 | 212 | 184 | 180 | 189 | 169 | 165 | 148 | 133 | 139 | 150 |
| 97 | 198 | 170 | 166 | 176 | 155 | 152 | 134 | 122 | 127 | 134 |
| 96 | 183 | 161 | 152 | 163 | 142 | 138 | 122 | 111 | 115 | 113 |
| 95 | 174 | 150 | 143 | 153 | 132 | 130 | 114 | 104 | 106 | 109 |
| 93 | 156 | 134 | 127 | 136 | 117 | 112 | 101 | 91 | 93 | 94 |
| 90 | 139 | 123 | 112 | 117 | 104 | 98 | 91 | 81 | 83 | 84 |
Easiest Shift: 27 January Morning | Toughest Shift: 31 January Evening
Source: YOUTUBE
Check: How Many Marks for 99 Percentile in JEE Mains 2025?
Ques. Which was the easiest shift in JEE Main 2024 January?
Ans. The easiest shift in JEE Main 2024 January was on 27 January Morning. 99 percentile got you 236 marks (the highest among all January shifts). Higher marks needed for the same percentile indicate an easier paper with more students scoring high.
Ques. Is it fair to compare marks across different January shifts?
Ans. No, comparing raw marks across shifts is misleading. The same marks in January 2024 may vary by up to 80 marks worth of percentile impact; therefore, percentile and not marks will accurately reflect the actual performance of a student.
JEE Main 2024 April Session: Shift-wise Analysis
April 2024 was more stable than January. Some big differences were:
- Evening shifts were usually tougher.
- Morning shifts generally needed higher marks.
- Difference for the same percentile = 25-35 marks.
- 99 percentile ranged between 186 and 215 marks
- 93 percentile ranged between 117 and 150 marks
- A difference of about 30-33 marks for the same percentile
| %ile | 4 Apr M | 4 Apr E | 5 Apr M | 5 Apr E | 6 Apr M | 6 Apr E | 8 Apr M | 8 Apr E | 9 Apr M | 9 Apr E |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 99 | 192 | 200 | 187 | 210 | 215 | 200 | 198 | 208 | 186 | 194 |
| 98 | 170 | 179 | 165 | 190 | 194 | 179 | 177 | 183 | 164 | 173 |
| 97 | 156 | 165 | 153 | 177 | 181 | 165 | 165 | 165 | 150 | 160 |
| 95 | 136 | 146 | 134 | 159 | 163 | 147 | 146 | 142 | 131 | 142 |
| 93 | 124 | 132 | 120 | 145 | 149 | 133 | 132 | 124 | 117 | 129 |
| 90 | 108 | 115 | 105 | 129 | 132 | 116 | 115 | 107 | 102 | 114 |
Easiest Shift: 6 April Morning | Toughest Shift: 9 April Morning
Source: YOUTUBE
Check:
- JEE Main 2026 Registrations Surge
- JEE Main 2025 Session 1 & 2: Best of Two Attempts Strategy | How It Affects Your Final Rank & Percentile
Ques. What was the toughest shift in JEE Main 2024 April?
Ans. 9 April 2024 Morning was the most difficult shift. For 99 percentile, you got about 186 marks. Reduced marks at the same percentile means fewer students scored high. This means the paper was challenging.
Ques. How many marks were needed for 99 percentile in April 2024?
Ans. In April 2024, 99 percentile was between 186 and 215. The easy shift, 6 April Morning, required more than 210 marks. The difficult shift, that is 9 April Morning, got you 99 percentile with less than 190 marks.
Overall Rank vs Percentile (2024 Approx)
| Percentile | Approx Rank |
|---|---|
| 99.9 | 170 – 1,760 |
| 99.5 | 8,100 |
| 99.0 | 16,800 |
| 97.0 | 47,000 |
| 95.0 | 76,000 |
| 93.2 | 1,00,000 |
Check:
- What is 240 Marks in JEE Mains Percentile
- What is 120 Marks in JEE Mains Percentile
- What is 250 Marks in JEE Mains Percentile
Ques. Can two students with the same marks get different percentiles?
Ans. Yes, two students with the same marks can get very different percentiles if they are in different shifts. In 2024, the same marks differed by up to 30–80 marks worth of percentile impact, depending on shift difficulty and competition.
Why You Must Study Marks vs Percentile JEE Mains 2024 Shift Wise
When you understand the Marks vs Percentile JEE Mains 2024 shift-wise, you can:
- Secure realistic targets for 90/95/97/99 percentiles
- Avoid panic after the exam by knowing the shift effect
- Understand why the same marks get different results
- Plan a safer score margin
- Avoid comparing marks with friends from other shifts
Because:
- Easy shift means More competition, and the Percentile becomes tight
- Tough shift means Less competition, and Lower marks still give a high percentile
So shift-wise analysis matters more than year-wise comparison.
Shift-Wise Difficulty Trend for JEE Main 2026 (Based on 2024)
Based on the 2024 pattern, experts expect:
| Shift Type | Probability | Subjects Likely Tough |
|---|---|---|
| Easy | 20–25% | Chemistry |
| Moderate | 50–60% | Mixed |
| Difficult | 20–30% | Mathematics |
So aspirants should not panic during the exam and must focus on solving accurately rather than thinking about the difficulty.
Check:
- How many marks to qualify JEE Mains for ST category
- Minimum Marks Required for Top NITs in JEE Main 2026
Ques. What pattern did JEE Main 2024 show about shift difficulty?
Ans. JEE Main 2024 showed that shift difficulty varied widely. January had extreme variation, with up to 80 marks' difference for the same percentile. April had a more balanced score. However, a 25-30 mark difference existed between the easy and difficult shifts.
Ques. Is January 2026 going to be more unpredictable than April 2026?
Ans. January sessions usually show more variation because students are less prepared. April sessions are more stable, as students improve after the January attempt. So January 2026 is expected to have wider shift-wise gaps than April 2026.
So to sum up, JEE Main 2024 made it quite clear that marks do not determine performance. The same year, 156 marks may go either to the 93 to 99 percentile or 150 marks may be 92 percentile in one shift and 97+ percentile in another.
What every JEE Main aspirant needs to know is that you should not assess your result by marks alone. You should not compare the scores in different shifts, and don't panic before the final percentile is announced. Normalisation by shift determines your real position and ultimately, your real competition is only in your own shift.
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