The National Testing Agency (NTA) released the NEET UG 2026 provisional answer key on 6 May, three days after the exam. The answer key PDF covers all four test booklet codes (11, 12, 13, and 14) in a single document.
Download the provisional answer key PDF from NTA
The exam was held on 3 May across centres in India and abroad. According to NTA’s pre-exam data, 22.79 lakh candidates were registered across 5,400+ centres in 551 Indian cities and 14 cities outside India.
Three days from exam to answer key is the shortest gap in recent NEET history. The 2025 key took 30 days, 2024 took 24, and 2022 took 45.
How to check your answers
- Download the answer key PDF or find it at neet.nta.nic.in.
- Locate your booklet code (11, 12, 13, or 14) in the PDF.
- Compare each question number against the listed correct option (1, 2, 3, or 4).
Estimate your score
The answer key lists 180 questions across Physics, Chemistry, and Biology, for a maximum of 720 marks. Marking scheme: +4 for a correct answer, −1 for an incorrect answer, 0 for unanswered or multiple-marked questions.
OMR sheets and challenge window
Per the NTA notice, candidates can challenge the provisional answer keys only after scanned OMR answer sheets are uploaded on the website. The schedule for the OMR upload and the challenge round will be notified separately. Neither date has been announced yet.
When the challenge window opens, a panel of subject experts will review all objections. If any challenge is accepted, NTA revises the key and recalculates scores for every candidate.
What comes next
NTA will publish the final answer key once challenges are processed. The NEET UG 2026 result, with scores and All India Rank (AIR), will be calculated from this final key.
For updates, check nta.ac.in and neet.nta.nic.in. For queries: 011-40759000 / 011-69227700 or neetug2026@nta.ac.in.