The National Testing Agency (NTA) is set to release the final answer key for JEE Main 2026 Session 1 shortly on the official portal jeemain.nta.nic.in. This will follow the closure of the objection window, which ended after candidates submitted challenges to the provisional answer key. Once the final answer key is published — expected around 9 or 10 February 2026 based on past trends — NTA will use it to calculate candidates’ scores for the Session 1 result. The final answer key will reflect any changes made after reviewing objections, including questions that may be dropped or revised.
JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Result Timeline
NTA has confirmed that the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 result will be declared by 12 February 2026 on the official results portal. While an exact release date has not been formally announced, the result could be published late on 11 February or anytime on 12 February following trends from previous cycles. The result will include percentile scores for each candidate in Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry and overall aggregate, enabling applicants to assess their performance in the first attempt.
Bonus Marks and Dropped Questions
Experts have noted that the final answer key may include dropped questions from the provisional answer key. If any questions are officially dropped after review:
- Candidates who appeared in the affected shift will be eligible for bonus marks.
- Only those present in the specific shift with the dropped question will receive additional marks.
The final answer key will list any dropped questions and the revised correct answers. There will be no further challenges invited once the final key is published, and results will be based on this definitive answer key.
Toppers and Scorecard Details
Alongside the result, NTA will release the toppers list for Session 1. This list will include candidates who achieve the 100 percentile score in the examination. However:
- All India Rank (AIR) will not be issued with the Session 1 result.
- The JEE Advanced eligibility cutoff will also not be declared in the first session result.
Both AIR and final cutoff details will be available only after Session 2 result, which will be based on candidates’ combined performance across both attempts.
What Candidates Should Do Next?
Candidates who appeared for JEE Main 2026 Session 1 should:
- Monitor jeemain.nta.nic.in for final answer key release.
- Check the result portal by 12 February 2026.
- Review percentile scores and toppers list once published.
- Prepare for Session 2 (if applicable) and subsequent counselling based on performance.
Staying updated with official announcements will help candidates plan the next steps in their engineering admission journey.