JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Final Answer Key, 9 Questions Dropped, +4 Marks Announced
The NTA released the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Final Answer Key on Feb 16, 2026. It confirms 9 dropped questions across shifts (Jan 21–28). All candidates in affected shifts get +4 marks per dropped question. Check your score at jeemain.nta.nic.in
Final Answer Key for B.E. and B.Tech papers as of February 16, 2026. This definitive document incorporates corrections made after an expert review of candidate objections during the provisional phase.
With the final key now published on the official website (jeemain.nta.nic.in), the JEE Main normalisation system will be applied to prepare the official results, which are expected to be announced imminently.
JEE Main Dropped Questions 2026
A critical update in the final answer key is the confirmation that 9 questions have been removed from evaluation across various shifts.
Specific Dropped Questions
| Specific Dropped Questions | ||||
| Date | Shift | Subject | Domestic Question ID | Correct Answer shown |
| 21.01.2026 | Shift-II | Mathematics | 860654995 | Drop |
| 21.01.2026 | Shift-II | Physics | 8606541010 | Drop |
| 21.01.2026 | Shift-II | Physics | 8606541017 | Drop |
| 22.01.2026 | Shift-I | Physics | 444792191 | Drop |
| 23.01.2026 | Shift-I | Physics | 8606541395 | Drop |
| 23.01.2026 | Shift-II | Physics | 444792476 | Drop |
| 23.01.2026 | Shift-II | Physics | 444792479 | Drop |
| 24.01.2026 | Shift-II | Physics | 444792647 | Drop |
| 28.01.2026 | Shift-I | Mathematics | 444792698 | Drop |
Official JEE Main Scoring Method for Dropped Questions
Aspirants should note the specific marking rules applied by the NTA for these changes:
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Full Marks for Dropped Questions: When a question is "Dropped," full marks (+4) are awarded to all candidates who appeared in that specific shift, regardless of whether they attempted the question.
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Standard Marking:
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Correct Answer: +4 Marks.
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Incorrect Answer: -1 Mark.
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Unattempted: 0 Marks.
How to Calculate Your Score Using the Final Key
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Download the PDF: Visit the official NTA website to download the 10-page final answer key.
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Match Shift and Question IDs: Locate your specific exam date and shift (e.g., Jan 21 Shift-I or Jan 22 Shift-II).
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Verify Answers: Compare your recorded response IDs with the "Correct Answer" IDs listed in the official table.
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Final Calculation: Use the formula: (Correct Responses × 4) + (Dropped Questions × 4) – (Incorrect Responses × 1) = Total Raw Score.
What Happens Next?
The NTA will now convert these raw scores into a normalized NTA Percentile Score to ensure fairness across shifts with varying difficulty levels. Over 13.6 lakh candidates registered for this session, with a recorded attendance of approximately 96.15% during the early phase.
Stay Alert: Keep your Application Number and Date of Birth ready for the JEE Main 2026 scorecard download as the result link is expected to be activated shortly.