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By rohit.pandey1
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Updated on 8 Apr 2026, 14:22 IST
The JEE Main 2026 Session 2 provisional answer key has not yet been released by NTA. Based on Session 1 precedent — where the provisional key was released on February 4, just 7 days after the last exam date of January 28 — the Session 2 provisional answer key is expected between April 10 and April 12, 2026 on jeemain.nta.nic.in.
This page will be updated with the direct download link the moment NTA releases the provisional answer key. Until then, memory-based unofficial answer keys prepared by Infinity Learn expert faculty are available below for all Session 2 exam dates — April 2, 4, 5, 6, and 8 — for both shifts.
Students can use the unofficial keys to estimate their score now and prepare their objections in advance for when the official window opens.
| Event | Session 1 (Actual) | Session 2 (Expected) |
| Last exam date | January 28, 2026 | April 8, 2026 |
| Provisional answer key release | February 4, 2026 | April 10–12, 2026 |
| Challenge window opens | February 4, 2026 | April 10–12, 2026 |
| Challenge window closes | February 6, 2026 | April 13–14, 2026 |
| Final answer key release | February 16, 2026 | April 16–18, 2026 |
| Result declared | February 16, 2026 | April 20–25, 2026 |
| JEE Advanced registration opens | — | After result (last week April) |
The table below contains Infinity Learn memory-based answer keys for all Session 2 exam dates. Official NTA links will be added as soon as they go live.
The JEE Main 2026 provisional answer key is the first official version of correct answers released by NTA after all exam shifts are completed. It is published on jeemain.nta.nic.in and is available only through candidate login using the application number and date of birth.
The provisional answer key is a draft — it can be challenged by any candidate who believes an answer is incorrect. After NTA reviews all objections, the final answer key is released, which cannot be challenged further. The JEE Main 2026 result is calculated solely based on the final answer key, not the provisional one.
What the provisional answer key contains:
This is one of the most searched but least clearly answered questions in the post-exam window.
| Feature | Provisional Answer Key | Final Answer Key |
| Released by | NTA | NTA |
| When released | 2–3 days after last exam | After challenge window closes |
| Can be challenged | Yes — within 2–3 day window | No — binding and final |
| Login required to download | Yes | No — available publicly on homepage |
| Used for result calculation | No | Yes — result is based only on this |
| Challenge fee | ₹200 per question | Not applicable |
| Fee refund | Yes, if objection accepted | Not applicable |
Critical point most students miss: Your score calculated using the provisional answer key is not your final score. If NTA accepts any objection — yours or another candidate's — the final answer key will differ from the provisional one, and your score will change accordingly. Always wait for the final answer key for your confirmed score.
Once NTA releases the provisional answer key on jeemain.nta.nic.in, follow these exact steps:
JEE
NEET
Foundation JEE
Foundation NEET
CBSE
Important: The provisional answer key page is only active during the challenge window (approximately 2–3 days). After the window closes, the page goes down. Download both documents immediately when NTA releases them.
The NTA JEE Main answer key login is the same candidate portal used for admit card, response sheet, and result. Here is what each field requires:
| Login Field | What to Enter |
| Application Number | 10-digit number from your JEE Main 2026 registration |
| Date of Birth | DD/MM/YYYY format as registered |
| Password | Set during registration (alternative to DOB) |
| CAPTCHA | Alphanumeric code shown on screen |
Common login issues and fixes:
The JEE Main 2026 response sheet is released simultaneously with the provisional answer key on the same login page. It is your most important document during the challenge window.
What the response sheet contains:
Steps to download JEE Main response sheet 2026:
How to use the response sheet: Cross-reference each Question ID in your response sheet against the same Question ID in the provisional answer key PDF. If your Option ID matches the correct Option ID in the key — it is a correct answer (+4). If it does not match and is not blank — it is wrong (–1 for MCQ, 0 for numerical).
Students often confuse these two documents. They are different and both are needed to calculate your score.
| Document | What It Shows | Who Releases It | Login Needed |
| Response Sheet | Your answers — what you marked | NTA | Yes |
| Provisional Answer Key | Correct answers — what NTA says is right | NTA | Yes |
| Final Answer Key | Revised correct answers after objections | NTA | No |
To calculate your score: You need both the response sheet (your answers) and the answer key (correct answers). Neither alone gives you your score.
Follow this exact process after downloading both documents:
Step 1: Open both PDFs side by side — response sheet and provisional answer key.
Step 2: Match Question IDs. Both documents use the same Question IDs. Find each question in the answer key using the ID from your response sheet.
Step 3: Apply the marking scheme:
| Answer Type | Section A (MCQ) | Section B (Numerical) |
| Correct | +4 marks | +4 marks |
| Wrong | –1 mark | 0 marks (no negative) |
| Unattempted | 0 marks | 0 marks |
Step 4: Total your correct answers across all three subjects (max 75 questions, 300 marks).
Step 5: Subtract total wrong MCQ answers (each –1).
Formula:Raw Score = (Correct Answers × 4) – (Wrong MCQ Answers × 1)
Example: 55 correct answers, 8 wrong MCQs, 12 unattempted Raw Score = (55 × 4) – (8 × 1) = 220 – 8 = 212 marks
Use this table to estimate your expected percentile after calculating your raw score. These are based on Session 2 difficulty trends and previous year normalization patterns.
| Raw Score | Approximate Percentile | Expected Rank Range |
| 270–300 | 99.8 – 100 | Under 500 |
| 240–269 | 99.2 – 99.8 | 500 – 3,000 |
| 210–239 | 98.0 – 99.2 | 3,000 – 15,000 |
| 180–209 | 95.0 – 98.0 | 15,000 – 40,000 |
| 150–179 | 90.0 – 95.0 | 40,000 – 85,000 |
| 120–149 | 82.0 – 90.0 | 85,000 – 1,50,000 |
| 90–119 | 70.0 – 82.0 | 1,50,000 – 3,00,000 |
| Below 90 | Below 70 | Above 3,00,000 |
For a more precise estimate, use the JEE Main 2026 Rank Predictor and JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile Calculator.
If you find any answer in the provisional key that appears incorrect, you can raise a formal objection during the challenge window. NTA's expert panel reviews every objection, and if valid, the final answer key is updated.
Step-by-step challenge process:
You can also challenge your Recorded Response (if NTA has incorrectly captured your answer) through the same login under “Challenge Recorded Response.”
This is one of the most important and least understood aspects of the answer key process.
| Scenario | Fee Status |
| Objection submitted but rejected by NTA | ₹200 per question — NOT refunded |
| Objection submitted and accepted by NTA | ₹200 per question — FULLY REFUNDED |
| Objection withdrawn before window closes | Not applicable — fee is non-refundable once paid |
| Multiple questions challenged | ₹200 per question — each processed independently |
Strategic advice: Only challenge questions where you have strong reference material — NCERT, standard textbooks, or published research. NTA rejects challenges without supporting documentation regardless of whether the answer is actually wrong.
Dropped questions are questions that NTA decides to remove from evaluation — typically because the question was found to be incorrect, ambiguous, or outside the syllabus after the objection review.
What happens when a question is dropped:
This is why your final score (based on the final answer key) can be higher than your score calculated using the provisional key. Even one dropped question per subject can add up to +12 marks across three sections.
| Date | Event |
| April 8, 2026 | Session 2 last exam day concluded |
| April 10–12, 2026 | Provisional answer key + response sheet expected on jeemain.nta.nic.in |
| April 10–14, 2026 | Challenge window open (2–3 days) |
| April 16–18, 2026 | Final answer key expected |
| April 20–25, 2026 | JEE Main 2026 Session 2 result expected |
| Last week of April | JEE Advanced 2026 registration opens |
| June 2026 | JoSAA 2026 counselling begins |
Once you have estimated your score using the provisional answer key, take these steps immediately:
If your estimated score gives a rank under 2,50,000: Register for JEE Advanced 2026 the moment registration opens (last week of April). Do not wait for the official result — registration windows are short and cannot be extended.
If your estimated score gives a rank between 50,000 – 2,50,000: Start researching JoSAA counselling rounds, home state NIT cutoffs, and IIIT admission process for your rank range. Also apply for BITSAT Session 2 (registration: April 20 – May 2) if BITS Pilani is a target.
If your estimated score gives a rank above 2,50,000: Explore VITEEE (exam: April 28 – May 3), SRMJEEE Phase 2 (June), state CETs, and B.Sc programmes. Do not wait for the result to start applying — deadlines are tight.
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The JEE Main 2026 Session 2 provisional answer key is expected between April 10 and April 12, 2026 on jeemain.nta.nic.in. In Session 1, the provisional key was released on February 4 — exactly 7 days after the last exam date of January 28. Applying the same gap to Session 2 (last exam: April 8) gives an expected release of April 10–12.
Go to jeemain.nta.nic.in, click on the "Answer Key JEE Main 2026 Session 2" link on the homepage, log in using your application number and date of birth or password, and download the provisional answer key PDF. The response sheet is available on the same login page.
Visit jeemain.nta.nic.in, click on the answer key link, enter your 10-digit application number along with your registered date of birth (DD/MM/YYYY) or password, enter the CAPTCHA, and click Submit. Both the answer key and response sheet are accessible after login.
The provisional answer key is the initial version released by NTA that can be challenged by candidates. The final answer key is released after all objections are reviewed — it is binding, cannot be challenged, and is the sole basis for result calculation. The final answer key is available publicly without login.
Log in at jeemain.nta.nic.in, click "Challenge Answer Key," select the Question ID, choose your claimed answer, upload supporting documents, and pay ₹200 per question via online payment. The fee is refunded if NTA accepts your objection.
Yes, but only if NTA accepts your objection as valid. If your challenge is rejected, the ₹200 per question fee is non-refundable. Always challenge only when you have clear reference material such as NCERT pages or standard textbook solutions.
The JEE Main 2026 response sheet is your official recorded answer document — it shows exactly what you marked in the exam as captured by NTA's system. It is released with the provisional answer key on jeemain.nta.nic.in. Log in with your application number and DOB, then click "View/Download Candidate Response Sheet."
The JEE Main 2026 Session 2 final answer key is expected between April 16 and April 18, 2026 — after NTA reviews all objections raised during the challenge window. Unlike the provisional key, the final answer key PDF is available publicly on the NTA homepage without login.
If NTA drops a question after reviewing objections, all candidates in that shift receive +4 bonus marks for that question — regardless of whether they attempted it or not. Dropped questions are listed in the final answer key. This means your final score may be higher than your provisional key estimate.
The JEE Main 2026 Session 2 result is expected between April 20 and April 25, 2026, after the final answer key is released. The result will carry NTA scores, subject-wise percentile, overall percentile, and JEE Advanced qualification status. All India Rank will be released along with the result.