The National Testing Agency (NTA) has published the provisional answer key for the JEE Main 2026 January session, triggering objections from students and coaching experts over the correctness of several questions. The challenge window for answer key objections remains open, allowing candidates to raise disputes on problematic questions by the official deadline.
JEE Main 2026: Objections Raised Against Provisional Answer Key
According to student feedback and expert assessments, nine questions in the JEE Main 2026 January session provisional answer key may contain errors or ambiguous solutions. Of these disputed items, up to seven questions could potentially be dropped from evaluation if challenges are upheld, resulting in bonus marks (+4) being awarded to all candidates who appeared in the respective exam shifts. Under the current answer key challenge rules, if a particular question is removed due to confirmed inaccuracies, NTA grants four marks to all examinees in that shift even if they did not attempt it. This process ensures fairness and accounts for errors in the provisional evaluation.
How Candidates Can Raise Objections for JEE Main 2026?
The objection window for the JEE Main 2026 provisional answer key opened on 4 February 2026 and continues until 6 February 2026 (11:50 PM). Aspirants can challenge any questionable answers by logging into the official portal at jeemain.nta.nic.in and submitting their objections with supporting evidence. Each objection requires a processing fee of INR 200 per question, and candidates are advised to upload clear justifications to strengthen their claims. Valid challenges accepted by NTA can lead to revisions in the final answer key, potentially impacting overall scores and percentiles.
Why Do Bonus Marks Matter?
Bonus marks due to dropped questions can significantly affect an aspirant’s percentile and rank, especially for those on the borderline of cut-off thresholds required for admission to top engineering institutions. With JEE Main 2026 results expected after the final answer key is prepared, even small increases in scores could influence eligibility for advanced stages like JEE Advanced 2026 or counselling round placements. Experts continue to review all objections submitted by candidates and coaching institutes. Following the closure of the challenge window, NTA will assess these disputes and release a final answer key, after which the official results for the January session are anticipated.