Trends

JEE Mains Chemistry, 2021 to 2026: 3,455 questions, and physical chemistry up from 6 to 9 a paper

Every JEE Mains Chemistry shift from 2021 to 2026, chapter by chapter and year by year. The papers changed length in 2025, so each rate is a chapter's share of that year's questions, scaled to one 25-question paper.

years analysed: 6
questions tagged: 3,455
chapters tracked: 28
chapters gone since: 8

How to read this page

The comparison is 2021–24 against 2025–26. The recent window is only two years, and one heavy year moves a chapter a long way, so read a change as a direction, not a forecast. Nothing here predicts the next paper.

What moved

Physical chemistry took the cut chapters' share

Rising

Chemical Thermodynamics: 0.76 a paper in 2021–24 → 1.39 in 2025–26

When eight chapters left the syllabus, their questions went mostly to physical chemistry. Thermodynamics grew the most, and Kinetics, Equilibrium, Solutions and Electrochemistry all rose with it.

Drill Chemical Thermodynamics from 2025–26

Chemical Kinetics nearly doubled

Rising

Chemical Kinetics: 0.75 a paper in 2021–24 → 1.37 in 2025–26

A long-tail chapter in the early papers, now a steady core one. The questions are the same shapes: the first-order law, half-life and the Arrhenius equation.

Drill Chemical Kinetics from 2025–26

Basic Principles of Organic Chemistry is now the heaviest chapter

Rising

Organic Chemistry - Some Basic Principles and Techniques: 1.65 a paper in 2021–24 → 2.05 in 2025–26

It was already large; it now leads the paper. Naming, isomers and electron effects carry it, with the laboratory methods close behind.

Drill Organic Chemistry - Some Basic Principles and Techniques from 2025–26

Coordination Compounds has grown

Rising

Coordination Compounds: 1.44 a paper in 2021–24 → 1.89 in 2025–26

Second only to Basic Principles on the recent papers. Isomer counts and spin-only moments give it many numeric answers.

Drill Coordination Compounds from 2025–26

Hydrocarbons is set more often

Rising

Hydrocarbons: 1.06 a paper in 2021–24 → 1.56 in 2025–26

It has moved up among the organic chapters. Addition to alkenes and substitution on benzene carry most of it.

Drill Hydrocarbons from 2025–26

The p-Block Elements has shrunk

Falling

The p-Block Elements: 1.43 a paper in 2021–24 → 1.09 in 2025–26

Once among the largest chapters, it is now mid-table. It still repays exact recall of structures and oxoacids, but it no longer deserves first place in revision.

Drill The p-Block Elements from 2025–26

Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers is lighter

Falling

Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers: 0.79 a paper in 2021–24 → 0.60 in 2025–26

It has slipped to the smaller end of the organic chapters. Its acidity and dehydration ideas still return inside the other reaction chapters.

Drill Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers from 2025–26

What left the syllabus

These chapters were cut from the syllabus and are no longer set. A few recent questions are still filed under them, but those are on live topics, such as salt analysis, so a recent “last set” year does not mean a chapter is back.

The s-Block Elements88 questions · last set in 2026
General Principles and Processes of Isolation of Elements74 questions · last set in 2025
Polymers46 questions · last set in 2025
Environmental Chemistry65 questions · last set in 2023
Hydrogen64 questions · last set in 2023
Surface Chemistry64 questions · last set in 2024
Chemistry in Everyday Life49 questions · last set in 2023
Solid State33 questions · last set in 2024

Every chapter, year by year

Questions per 25-question paper, one column per year, heaviest on the recent papers first. A zero is a measured zero: the chapter set no question that year.

Questions per 25-question paper for each JEE Mains Chemistry chapter, by year from 2021 to 2026
Chapter	2021	2022	2023	2024	2025	2026	Questions
Organic Chemistry - Some Basic Principles and Techniques	1.13	1.52	1.20	2.88	2.31	1.80	243
Coordination Compounds	1.46	1.05	1.69	1.52	1.86	1.91	215
Hydrocarbons	1.09	1.09	0.78	1.35	1.30	1.80	165
Some Basic Concepts of Chemistry	1.09	1.79	1.38	1.65	1.81	1.22	205
The d- and f-Block Elements	1.51	1.28	1.38	2.24	1.58	1.32	214
Chemical Thermodynamics	0.46	0.86	0.85	0.85	1.64	1.17	128
Chemical Kinetics	0.54	0.89	0.71	0.85	1.35	1.38	126
Amines	1.63	0.78	0.92	1.10	1.07	1.59	160
Equilibrium	0.54	0.93	1.02	0.72	1.24	1.38	131
Chemical Bonding and Molecular Structure	1.21	1.13	0.95	1.86	1.24	1.32	176
Structure of Atom	0.71	0.82	0.92	0.89	1.07	1.38	130
Electrochemistry	0.42	0.82	0.88	1.10	1.24	1.11	125
Biomolecules	1.09	0.93	0.81	0.85	1.13	1.17	135
Aldehydes, Ketones and Carboxylic Acids	1.80	1.05	0.92	1.18	0.96	1.27	165
Classification of Elements and Periodicity	0.67	0.78	0.64	0.93	0.96	1.27	117
The p-Block Elements	1.51	1.36	1.17	1.73	1.19	1.01	185
Solutions	0.46	0.74	0.85	0.68	1.02	1.17	110
Haloalkanes and Haloarenes	0.38	0.43	0.67	0.97	0.90	0.74	92
Alcohols, Phenols and Ethers	0.71	0.74	0.56	1.18	0.45	0.74	102
Organic Reaction Mechanisms	0.46	0.23	0.53	0.25	0.40	0.16	48
The s-Block Elements	0.79	0.82	1.48	0.08	0.11	0.11	88
General Principles and Processes of Isolation of Elements	1.09	0.89	0.78	0.04	0.11	0.00	74
Polymers	0.67	0.66	0.42	0.00	0.06	0.00	46
Environmental Chemistry	0.92	0.78	0.81	0.00	0.00	0.00	65
Hydrogen	0.96	0.70	0.81	0.00	0.00	0.00	64
Surface Chemistry	0.84	0.78	0.81	0.04	0.00	0.00	64
Chemistry in Everyday Life	0.50	0.82	0.56	0.00	0.00	0.00	49
Solid State	0.38	0.35	0.49	0.04	0.00	0.00	33
Questions that year	598	643	708	591	443	472	3455