The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 provisional answer key and candidate response sheets on its official portal, jeemain.nta.nic.in. Candidates who appeared for the engineering entrance exam can now download the answer key PDFs, check their recorded responses, raise objections if needed, and estimate their probable scores before the final result announcement.
What’s New: Answer Key & Response Sheets OUT
Official Release: NTA has published the JEE Main 2026 provisional answer key along with the response sheet and question paper PDFs for Session 1.
Live Update: Candidates can now access their answers and compare them with the official key.
Objection Window: The challenge window to raise objections against the provisional key is active until February 6, 2026.
Result Timeline: Final results for Session 1 are expected by February 12, 2026 on the official website.
How to Download JEE Main Answer Key & Response Sheet 2026
Follow the steps below to access your documents:
- Visit the official JEE Main website: jeemain.nta.nic.in.
- Click on the link for “JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Answer Key & Response Sheet”.
- Login using your Application Number + Password / Date of Birth.
- Download the answer key PDF, response sheet, and question paper.
- Save the files for performance analysis and future reference.
Your response sheet shows the answers you marked, while the answer key displays NTA’s correct answers.
How to Raise Objections Against the Answer Key
If you believe an answer in the provisional key is incorrect, you can challenge it:
- Login to your candidate dashboard at jeemain.nta.nic.in.
- Click on “Challenge Answer Key” or similar option.
- Select the question(s) you want to dispute.
- Upload supporting evidence or justification.
- Pay the objection fee (usually ₹200 per question).
- Submit before the objection window closes.
Challenges without valid proof may be rejected; make sure to provide official documentation or credible sources with each objection.
Estimate Your JEE Main 2026 Score
To get a tentative idea of your performance:
- Match your recorded answers with the official answer key.
- Apply the JEE Main marking scheme: +4 for each correct answer and –1 for each incorrect answer (no marks deducted for unanswered questions).
- Add up the total to estimate your raw score before the final result.
This helps in predicting your percentile and possible cutoff for admission to NITs, IITs, and other top engineering institutes.
Important JEE Main 2026 Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Exam | January 21 – January 29, 2026 |
| Answer Key & Response Sheets Released | February 4, 2026 |
| Objection Window | February 4 – February 6, 2026 |
| Final Result | On or before February 12, 2026 |
Why This Matters for JEE Aspirants
The release of the provisional answer key and response sheet is a major milestone in the JEE Main 2026 assessment process. It:
- Helps candidates evaluate their answers quickly.
- Enables early analysis of probable scores and percentiles.
- Provides a transparent mechanism to raise concerns or corrections before final results.
- Assists in plotting future steps for engineering admissions or JEE Advanced preparation.
Official Website
jeemain.nta.nic.in — Use this portal for all official downloads including answer key, response sheet, objection submission, and result notifications.
