The JEE Main Paper 1 held in Shift 1 on 11th January 2019 was part of the first phase of online exams conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA). It included 90 questions – 30 each from Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics – to be solved within 3 hours. The overall difficulty level was moderate. Chemistry was relatively easier and mostly direct from NCERT, while Mathematics was lengthy and calculation-heavy. Physics had a mix of tricky and scoring questions, especially from Mechanics and Modern Physics. This shift is considered one of the more balanced papers of the 2019 January session.
I chose to write about this particular shift because it is one of the lesser-discussed papers but very useful for students preparing for JEE Main. Practising this specific paper helps you understand the distribution of topics and the depth of concepts required. Often, students make the mistake of solving only the most popular sets, but Shift 1 of 11th January gives a solid combination of theory and numericals. I’ve reviewed this paper myself, and it’s ideal for mock tests, revision sessions, or concept brushing. Even for aspirants appearing next year, this paper serves as a great checkpoint to assess how exam-ready they actually are.
Paper Pattern and Highlights
- Date of Exam: 11 January 2019
- Shift: Morning (Shift 1)
- Total Questions: 90 (30 in each subject)
- Full Marks: 360
- Exam Mode: Online (CBT)
- Duration: 3 hours
- Marking Scheme: +4 for correct, -1 for wrong answer
Subject-Wise Breakdown
Physics
Physics was moderate in difficulty with a few challenging numerical problems. Questions tested clarity of concepts rather than formula-based repetition.
Frequently Asked Topics:
- Mechanics
- Electrostatics
- Ray Optics
- Laws of Motion
- Thermodynamics
Tips: Go through concept-based questions; avoid mugging up formulas without clarity.
Chemistry
As usual, Chemistry turned out to be the scoring section. Inorganic questions were NCERT-based. Physical Chemistry involved basic numericals, and Organic was based on name reactions and mechanisms.
Key Topics:
- Chemical Kinetics
- Coordination Compounds
- p-block Elements
- Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers
- Biomolecules
Tips: Focus on NCERT and revise previous years’ patterns in Organic and Inorganic.
Mathematics
Maths had a higher difficulty level compared to the other two subjects. While the questions were from standard chapters, they involved multi-step calculations and demanded speed.
Covered Topics:
- Definite Integration
- Probability
- 3D Geometry
- Matrices and Determinants
- Binomial Theorem
Tips: Time management is key here. Prioritise short problems first, then move to lengthier ones.
Download PDF
Click here to download JEE Main 2019 Paper 1 Shift 1 (11th Jan) PDF
