JEE Mains 2025 Session 2 April 2nd Shift 1 & Shift 2 Paper Analysis – Subject-wise Difficulty, Memory-Based Questions, Cutoff Prediction

The Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) Mains 2025 Session 2 began on April 2nd, with many engineering aspirants appearing in Shift 1 (Morning) and Shift 2 (Afternoon) across various centers in India. The National Testing Agency (NTA) successfully conducted both shifts, and students, coaching institutes, and experts are now evaluating the difficulty level, topic-wise weightage, and trends observed.

This detailed analysis of JEE Mains 2025 April 2 Paper (Shift 1 and 2) will help current and future aspirants understand:

• Subject-wise difficulty

• Important chapters covered

• Memory-based questions

• Exam trends

• Expected cutoff for various categories

JEE Mains 2025 April 2 Shift Timings

The paper pattern remained consistent:

• 30 questions per subject (20 MCQs + 10 Numerical, out of which only 5 numericals were to be attempted).

• Total: 90 questions, 300 marks.

Overall Paper Difficulty Summary

JEE Mains 2025 Session 2- Detailed Paper Analysis – April 2nd Shift 1

Physics (Difficulty: Moderate)

Physics questions were balanced with a proper mix of conceptual theory and numerical calculations. Many questions were directly asked from NCERT-based or involved basic formula application.

Chapters Covered:

• Laws of Motion

• Current Electricity

• Modern Physics

• Rotational Motion

• Electrostatics

Question Types:

• Assertion-Reason (1–2 questions)

• Direct formula-based numericals

• Conceptual MCQs from Modern Physics

Sample Memory-Based Question:

“Find the magnetic field inside a long solenoid of length L and N turns, carrying current I.”

Chemistry (Difficulty: Easy)

This was the easy and scoring section in Shift 1. Around 85–90% questions were NCERT-based, specifically from Inorganic and Organic Chemistry.

Weightage:

• Organic: 6–7 questions

• Inorganic: 9–10 questions

• Physical: 8–10 questions

Chapters Highlighted:

• Coordination Compounds

• Hydrocarbons

• Chemical Kinetics

• Surface Chemistry

Sample Memory-Based Question:

“What happens when aniline is treated with HNO₂ at 0°C?”

Tip: Students who revised NCERT line-by-line could easily score 70–80% in Chemistry.

Mathematics (Difficulty: Tough)

The most time-consuming and difficult section of Shift 1. Students had to face complex calculations, lengthy integrations, and tricky probability questions.

Important Topics:

• Definite Integrals

• Limits and Continuity

• 3D Geometry

• Vector Algebra

• Quadratic Equations

• Statistics

Student Feedback:

“Maths was lengthy. Even known questions took more time. Solving all in 90 minutes was nearly impossible.”

Sample Question:

“Evaluate the integral from 0 to 2 of (x² / (1 + x⁴)) dx.”

JEE Mains 2025 Session 2- Detailed Paper Analysis – April 2nd Shift 2

Physics (Difficulty: Moderate)

Physics maintained a focus on NCERT concepts, but Shift 2 had more numericals than Shift 1. The questions required thorough understanding and application.

Chapters Covered:

• Thermodynamics

• Kinetic Theory of Gases

• Semiconductors

• Electromagnetic Induction

• Ray Optics

Question Type:

• 3–4 numericals

• 1–2 conceptual questions from semiconductors

• Application-based MCQs

Sample Question:

“What is the reverse saturation current in a p-n junction diode at room temperature?”

Chemistry (Difficulty: Moderate)

Chemistry in Shift 2 had slightly more conceptual and indirect questions than Shift 1.

High-Weightage Areas:

• Organic Chemistry (especially Name Reactions)

• Inorganic Chemistry (NCERT theory-based)

• Equilibrium & Solutions (Physical Chemistry numericals)

Tricky Parts:

• Some ambiguous MCQs in Physical Chemistry

• Application-based Organic questions required deeper understanding

Sample Question:

“Which of the following compounds gives a positive iodoform test?”

Mathematics (Difficulty: Tough)

This section remained the toughest. Many students couldn’t attempt more than 15–18 questions confidently.

Important Topics:

• Application of Derivatives

• Trigonometric Equations

• Probability

• Permutations & Combinations

• Determinants

Student Feedback:

“Mathematics in Shift 2 was a speed test. Some problems required intense calculations and there was no time to double-check.”

Sample Memory-Based Question:

“From a group of 10 boys and 5 girls, in how many ways can 4 be selected such that at least 2 are girls?”

Section-wise Student Reactions – Summary

Expected JEE Mains 2025 Cutoff – April Session (Tentative)

These are tentative cutoffs based on student performance and difficulty level of April 2nd paper. The official cutoff will be announced by NTA after all Session 2 shifts are completed.

JEE Mains 2025 Session 2- What These Shifts Reveal?

April 2’s paper firmly proves that JEE Mains 2025 pattern is in favor of conceptual clarity rather than learning through rote. Chemistry favors those students who read NCERT text very carefully, but Physics and Math are becoming application-based.

There is also an apparent trend towards higher complexity levels  in Mathematics, perhaps to distinguish highly performing applicants. As engineering admissions become increasingly competitive annually, this trend challenges students to ace in time management and mental endurance as much as knowledge in the subjects.

Furthermore, the growth of assertion-reason and conceptually multi-number problems in Physics can be indicative that NTA is assessing merged comprehension instead of single facts. The future entrants must prepare themselves by studying inter-topic correlations and cumulative logical thinking.

JEE Mains 2025 Session 2- Normalization and Effect on Percentile

Because of the difference in difficulty between shifts, the NTA normalizes to maintain equality. For instance, if Shift 2 on April 2nd was much harder than Shift 1 or any other day, students in this shift could be given a very small increase in their percentile scores after normalization.

This becomes particularly critical for borderline applicants aiming for high-profile institutions such as NIT Trichy, NIT Warangal, and IIIT Hyderabad, where a margin of 1–2 percentile points can either make or break admission opportunities. Applicants should hence not worry about more difficult shifts but rather aim to maximize their raw score to remain competitive.

Preparation Tips for Upcoming Shifts

1. Revise NCERT Thoroughly – Especially for Chemistry.

2. Time Management Practice – Don’t get stuck on long Math problems.

3. Focus on Formulae + Concepts – Especially in Physics numericals.

4. Solve Previous Year Questions (PYQs) – Many questions were asked from JEE 2023/2024 patterns.

Conclusion

The JEE Mains 2025 April 2nd Shift 1 and 2 papers continued the trend of moderate to difficult levels, with Mathematics emerging as the most tough in both shifts. Chemistry remained a scoring section, especially for those who attempted to follow NCERT. Physics was balanced, with numericals and conceptual theory in equal numbers.

Students appearing in upcoming shifts should:

• Analyze the trend of previous days

• Focus on speed and accuracy

• Stay calm and confident during the exam

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Q1. What was the overall difficulty level of JEE Mains 2025 April 2nd Shift 1 and Shift 2?
A: Both shifts were moderate to tough overall. Shift 1 was slightly easier in Chemistry, while Shift 2 had more conceptual depth and complex numerical problems in both Physics and Mathematics.

Q2. Which section was the most difficult in April 2nd JEE Mains papers?
A: Mathematics was unanimously reported as the most difficult and time-consuming section in both shifts.

Q3. Was there any major change in the paper pattern for April 2nd?
A: No, the paper followed the standard pattern:

• 30 questions per subject (20 MCQs + 10 numerical, out of which 5 were to be attempted).
• Total: 90 questions, 300 marks.

Q4. Which topics were frequently asked in Physics in both shifts?
A:

• Shift 1: Laws of Motion, Rotational Motion, Electrostatics
• Shift 2: Thermodynamics, Ray Optics, Electromagnetic Induction

Both shifts focused on NCERT-based conceptual and numerical problems.

Q5. How was Chemistry in both shifts?
A:

• Shift 1: Easy and highly NCERT-based; scoring for most students
• Shift 2: Slightly more conceptual; trickier Organic and Physical Chemistry questions

Q6. What kind of questions were asked in Mathematics?
A: Mathematics had lengthy calculations and high-level problems in topics like Definite Integrals, Probability, and 3D Geometry. Students reported time pressure and difficulty in completing all questions.