How to Solve JEE Main Previous Year Papers Effectively? Check Tips and Tricks

Are you aware that students who consistently practice with JEE Main past year papers stand a 40% greater chance of achieving the highest scores in the exam? But, how to solve JEE Main previous year's question papers to achieve high scores? Well, try to complete the paper within the given time limit, mark yourself based on the marking scheme, track your progress, and revise to improve.

The JEE Main 2026 exam will be scheduled in January 2026. With only a few days left at hand, the JEE Main 2026 preparation might seem a big task. But aspirants can enhance their chances of scoring better by significantly utilising the right plans.

One of the best ways to soar higher in your preparation strategy is by solving JEE Main Previous Year Papers (PYQs). For those of you contemplating whether there are efficient methods to approach these papers, look no further! This article will help them enhance their preparation.

Tips and Tricks to Solve JEE Main Past Year's Papers

When attempting the JEE Main past papers, You are not merely practising answering questions but instead preparing for success on the exam. However, learning how to correctly solve the JEE Main previous year's question papers comes first. The following are some effective tips to solve the JEE Main past papers in the right manner:

1) Understand the JEE Main 2026 Exam Pattern and Marking Scheme

Before starting with any JEE Main previous year papers, one has to understand the JEE Main 2026 exam pattern first. Knowing how many questions there are in each section and how the exam is going to be scored can assist you in performing better when taking the exam. Here's a quick overview of the JEE Main 2026 exam pattern and marking scheme:

JEE Main 2026 Marking Scheme

Section	Number of Questions	Marks per Question	Total Marks	Negative Marking
Physics	25 (20 MCQs + 5 NAT)	+4 for correct answer	100	-1 for incorrect answer
Chemistry	25 (20 MCQs + 5 NAT)	+4 for correct answer	100	-1 for incorrect answer
Mathematics	25 (20 MCQs + 5 NAT)	+4 for correct answer	100	-1 for incorrect answer
Total	75		300

Also Read: Preparing for JEE Main 2026 Without the Option to Choose Questions in Section B

2) Break Down the Paper into Manageable Sections

There are times when you might feel intimidated when confronted with a whole JEE Main paper, and this feeling is unavoidable, particularly for first-time test takers. Nonetheless, simplifying the JEE Main previous year's question paper into manageable chunks makes it easier to solve questions. Here's how you can consider every portion:

• Physics: It is always best to start with the theoretical questions and then answer the numerical-based questions. Physics can be difficult in some cases, but after doing a few papers, you can spot some basic themes.
• Chemistry: Questions in the JEE Main chemistry section are typically quite simple as they involve mostly organic and inorganic branches of chemistry. What's important is to memorize the formulae and the reactions. Remember that time is important here, so do not spend more than 3- 5 minutes on a question.
• Mathematics: This is the worst part for most students. The JEE Main mathematics problem gives them a headache. Thus, it is advisable to start with the questions you are familiar with and finish off with the unfamiliar ones later.

3) Time Management is the Key to Success

Opting for the JEE Main time management techniques is essential to ensure the timely completion of the exam. If you do not get into the habit of attempting the papers in the allotted time, they will be time-restricted on the real exam. So, begin the preparation when solving the JEE Main previous year's question papers. Here is how to work on this:

JEE Main Section-Wise Time Management

Section	Time to Spend (Approx.)
Physics	45 minutes
Chemistry	45 minutes
Mathematics	90 minutes
Total	3 hours (180 minutes)

The normal threshold duration for the JEE Main 2026 exam is 3 hours. You are expected to correctly respond to 70-80% questions within the threshold time. Thus, avoid making the following mistakes when attempting to answer the JEE Main previous question so that the same is not repeated during the exam:

• Avoid spending too long on one question: You must skip the questions they are unable to answer. If there is still time, try answering it again.
• Train yourself using a stopwatch: When attempting the JEE Main previous year's question papers, use a stopwatch. It approximates a real exam and teaches your mind to function under great stress.

4) Analyze Your Mistakes

When learning how to solve the JEE Main previous year's question papers, one of the most crucial things to keep in mind is analysing the mistakes. Completing the paper is only half the job; there comes unprecedented importance in analyzing JEE Mains previous year solutions.

Once you have solved the paper, they must go through the solutions to the questions and understand why they could not attempt it correctly. Here's what they need to keep in mind when analysing their mistakes:

• Find out if there are other areas of improvement: There are some recurrent topics; do these topics seem to appear after every few attempts?
• Know the reasons for marking an answer: You often misread or just made one tiny mistake with the calculations; there could be any reasons for the cause and they had to be learned about to avoid similar situations in the future.
• Do not underestimate a simple question: At times, there might be a lack of focus and time management, and this leads to simple questions being left unanswered; most students just make mistakes by grabbing these. Ensure that the set of questions to be attempted does not lag because of potato pow.

5) Use the "Mark and Review" Strategy

When solving the JEE Main previous year's question papers, prepare using some style of markers. This style can consist of marking or circling the queries that you are unsure about, which can be used later in the exam or during practice. Here's a suggested approach:

JEE Main 2026 Mark & Review Strategy

Status	Action
Easy Questions	Answer quickly and move on
Medium Questions	Spend more time and ensure you understand the concept
Hard Questions	Mark for review and move on. Try later.

6) Simulate Exam Conditions

To solve the JEE Main previous year's question papers effectively, one of the best methods is to stimulate exam-like conditions. Take a 3-hour window and try doing it without distractions and no breaks. You can utilise the following approach to prepare well using the JEE Main past year's papers:

• Make use of the timer: Setting aside a specific time for practice helps in the management of time.
• Eliminate distractions: Billboards can often lead to unnecessary panic, hence, it's important to get rid of any modes of distraction before an exam.

7) Track Progress

Over some time, performance can be measured accordingly and improvements can be noted. Different practice papers are ideal for measuring the strengths and weaknesses of a hold.

You are advised to make a note of the areas of improvement and revise them accordingly. This will allow them to cover the entire JEE Main 2026 syllabus comprehensively.

Further, they can again practice the same JEE Main past paper to check the improvements. This way you will also be able to improve you speed and accuracy in answering the JEE Main questions.

Also Read: JEE Main Maths Important Formulas 2026 - Download PDF

Why is it Important to solve JEE Main Previous Year Papers?

Now that we have established how to solve the JEE Main previous year's question papers, let us understand the importance of these papers. Here's why solving the JEE Main previous papers is crucial:

• Familiarizing with Question Patterns: In every exam, there is mostly a marking scheme that follows. By solving the JEE Main past year's questions, you can get a sense of what the exam is like, such as how many questions will be from each subtopic, the proportion of MCQs to NATs, and the level of difficulty.
• Increasing Speed and Accuracy: A tricky part of the JEE Main exam is the time limit set. However, solving the JEE Main previous years' papers regularly helps improve speed and accuracy, minimising the chances of errors.
• Recognizing Key Components: Over the years, some topics have been asked repeatedly more than others. A look at the JEE main previous year solutions allows you to spot these themes and the most important chapters to focus on.
• Gaining Self-Confidence: Every past paper helps in boosting confidence. You start developing ease with the kind of questions coming their way and dealing with the exam environment.

JEE Main Exam 2026 Preparation Tips and Tricks

Apart from solving JEE Main previous years papers, there are a few more JEE Main exam tips and tricks that can come in handy for preparation for the exam. The following are some tips and tricks for an effective JEE Main 2026 preparation:

• Identify high-weightage chapters: Try answering more and more previously answered questions. Get insights on JEE Main high-weightage chapters to score well in the exam.
• Watch out for timing: Remember, solving the JEE Main previous year's papers is one thing, but regularly revising concepts and formulas is another. So, revise before practising any paper.
• Stay Calm: If one gets anxious about examinations, it can have negative effects. Always find a way to stay relaxed by concentrating on answering a single question instead of the entire paper. Try learning strategies to overcome JEE Main 2026 exam anxiety. Self-spotting any moment when one feels overwhelmed will make the problem easier to tackle.
• Breaks: After finishing a few JEE Main mock tests, you must take tiny breaks. They must take a walk around the room or do something else besides staring at a screen for a longer period of time. This prevents the brain from burning out.

Also Read: How to Improve Accuracy in JEE Main 2026?

As mentioned in the previous section, practising JEE Main's past years' questions is a good way to prepare for the exam. However, you must know how to solve JEE Main previous year's question papers effectively for better results. With the right strategies and tips, they will always develop better, accurate answers and manage time in a manner that one is already aware of the examination format.