UGC NET Answer Key 2026: June Session Provisional Key Expected Anytime at ugcnet.nta.nic.in — Release Date, Download Steps, Objection Process

The National Testing Agency (NTA) is expected to release the UGC NET Provisional Answer Key 2026 anytime soon on the official website at ugcnet.nta.nic.in. The June session exam was conducted from June 22 to June 30 and on July 5. Lakhs of candidates who appeared for the eligibility test for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor, and PhD admission are now refreshing the portal daily awaiting the official key.

The NTA has not announced an official date yet, but media reports suggest the answer key can be released before 25th July 2026. Once released, the answer key will cover Paper 1 and Paper 2 across 87 subjects, including 2 new subjects: Statistics and Forestry.

UGC NET 2026 examination for the June session was conducted from June 22 to 30, 2026, and July 5, 2026 (re-exam for CT Group of institutes). The exam was held in Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode across the country.

What Will Be Released Along With the Answer Key

NTA will also upload the question paper or a PDF of questions along with the response sheet and provisional key, enabling candidates to review the exact questions asked in their session. By matching the recorded responses against the provisional key, candidates can calculate their tentative scores well before the result. Candidates should download and save the response sheet as soon as it becomes available because the download link is expected to remain active for only 3–4 days.

How to Download UGC NET Answer Key 2026 — Step-by-Step

• Step 1: Visit the official website — ugcnet.nta.nic.in
• Step 2: Click on the "UGC NET June 2026 Answer Key" link under Latest Announcements
• Step 3: Log in with your application number and date of birth or password, plus the security PIN
• Step 4: The provisional answer key, question paper, and response sheet will appear on screen
• Step 5: Download and save all three PDFs for score calculation and future reference

How to Raise Objections: Rs 200 Per Question

Candidates who spot a discrepancy can challenge the provisional key online. Objections to the provisional answer key require a non-refundable Rs 200 fee per question, payable only online via debit/credit card, net-banking or UPI. Challenges submitted without the processing fee or through any mode other than the online portal will be automatically dismissed, as per the official guidelines. Objections can be filed only against the provisional answer key; any issues raised after the final key release will not be entertained.

All valid challenges are reviewed by a panel of subject experts. If an objection is upheld, the correction is applied uniformly to all candidates, and the final answer key is prepared accordingly. Candidates are not individually informed about acceptance or rejection of their challenge.

UGC NET Result 2026: Expected Date

Based on previous years' trends, the UGC NET Result 2026 is expected to be announced in the first week of August 2026, around 15–20 days after the answer key objection window closes. Along with the result, NTA will release the scorecard and final answer key on its official website.

Marking Scheme and Qualifying Marks

There is no negative marking. Wrong or unattempted questions get zero marks. General category candidates need 40% aggregate, while reserved category candidates need 35% aggregate marks in both papers combined to qualify.