NEET UG 2026 Re-Exam Answer Key Out at neet.nta.nic.in: Challenge Window Closes June 28, What to Do Now
NEET UG 2026 Re-Exam Answer Key Out at neet.nta.nic.in: Challenge Window Closes June 28, What to Do Now
By C. Thiruvenkatam | Daily Hind News | 22 June 2026
The National Testing Agency released the provisional answer key for the NEET UG 2026 re-examination on June 25, 2026. Candidates who appeared on June 21 can now download the key at https://neet.nta.nic.in, check their responses against it, and submit objections if they believe any answer is incorrect.
The challenge window closes June 28, 2026 at 11:50 PM. After that, NTA reviews all objections with subject experts and publishes the final answer key. The result follows.
One confirmed update from NTA before any objections are reviewed: in the Physics section of Question Paper Code 80, the question on characteristics of electromagnetic waves has two correct options. Both Option 1 and Option 2 have been accepted as correct. If you appeared with Code 80 and selected either of those two options, you will receive marks for that question.
Official NEET portal: https://neet.nta.nic.in NTA helpline: 011-40759000 NTA email: neetug2026@nta.ac.in
1. How the re-exam came about: what actually happened
The original NEET UG 2026 examination was held on May 3, 2026. More than 22 lakh students appeared across India in offline mode. Within days of the exam, the Rajasthan Police Special Operations Group (SOG) recovered a “guess paper” containing 140 questions that closely matched the actual question paper – a paper-leak situation that NTA could not overlook.
The Central Bureau of Investigation took over the investigation. After reviewing the evidence, NTA cancelled the May 3, 2026 NEET UG examination entirely on May 12. Not a partial re-examination for affected centres or suspected roll numbers – the entire exam for all 22+ lakh candidates was cancelled.
The re-examination was conducted on June 21, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM. 22.79 lakh candidates appeared across 5,440 centres in 551 Indian cities, plus 14 cities abroad. The paper format, total marks (720), and marking scheme remained identical to the original exam.
This context matters for one reason that affects every candidate who appeared: this re-exam is the valid NEET UG 2026. There is no option to use May 3 scores because those scores no longer exist in any official record. The June 21 result is what determines MBBS, BDS, AYUSH, and other medical admissions for 2026-27.
2. How to download the provisional answer key and check your score
- Go to https://neet.nta.nic.in
- Click the link labelled “NEET UG 2026 Re-Exam Provisional Answer Key”
- Log in with your application number and date of birth
- Your response sheet and the answer key will be displayed together – your selected option alongside the official correct option
- Note your Question Paper Series Code (50, 60, 70, or 80) from your admit card – the correct options differ by paper code
- Download and save the answer key PDF for your records
Calculating your approximate score:
- Each correct answer: +4 marks
- Each wrong answer: -1 mark (negative marking)
- Unattempted question: 0 marks
- Total questions: 180 (Physics 45, Chemistry 45, Biology 90)
- Maximum marks: 720
For the electromagnetic wave question in Code 80 specifically: if you selected Option 1 or Option 2, count it as correct (+4 marks).
This provisional score is an estimate. The final score comes after NTA reviews all objections and publishes the final answer key.
3. Challenging the answer key: process, fee, and deadline
The objection window is open from June 25 to June 28, 2026 at 11:50 PM.
Step by step:
- Log in to https://neet.nta.nic.in with your application number and date of birth
- Go to the “Answer Key Challenge” section
- Identify the specific question(s) you want to challenge by question number and paper code
- Select the question, review the current official answer, and submit your objection with supporting evidence (NCERT chapter reference, textbook, research paper, or other authoritative source)
- Pay Rs 200 per question challenged through the payment gateway
- Review your submission carefully before confirming – no modifications are allowed after submission
Refund rule: If NTA’s subject expert panel accepts your objection and the official answer changes, your Rs 200 challenge fee for that question is refunded. If the objection is not accepted, the fee is forfeited.
The key discipline for challenges: NTA evaluates objections against established scientific references, primarily NCERT textbooks for Class 11 and 12. An objection backed by an NCERT citation is far stronger than one citing only coaching institute keys or memory-based keys released on exam day. The Physics section this year was described by candidates as more application-based, which means some answer disagreements will come down to interpretation – a textbook reference makes the objection credible.
Do not challenge a question if you simply got it wrong and are hoping the key changes. Challenge only where you have a specific, supportable reason to believe the official answer is incorrect or that an alternative answer is equally valid.
4. The OMR sheet: what it is and when it comes
The provisional answer key that is currently live does not show your individual OMR response sheet yet. The OMR sheets for 22.79 lakh candidates are still being scanned.
When NTA releases the OMR sheets, you will be able to see a digital image of the actual bubble sheet you filled on June 21 – every question number and the option you darkened. This is separate from the answer key comparison and serves a specific purpose: if you believe a response sheet answer does not reflect what you actually marked (machine mis-read, faint bubble, etc.), the OMR sheet comparison is where that discrepancy appears.
NTA will announce the OMR sheet release separately on neet.nta.nic.in. Watch the portal. For most candidates, the answer key comparison in the portal login is sufficient for score estimation.
5. Fee refund: who qualifies and the June 30 deadline
Because the original May 3 exam was cancelled by NTA – not withdrawn by candidates – a fee refund process was opened. Candidates who registered and paid the NEET UG 2026 registration fee can submit their bank account details for refund processing.
Deadline to submit bank account details: June 30, 2026.
This is done through the official NTA portal at neet.nta.nic.in under a separate section for refund account details. The refund process is not automatic – you must log in and enter your bank account information within the June 30 window.
This applies to registration fees paid for NEET UG 2026, not to any coaching or preparation expenses. The refund amount is the registration fee (approximately Rs 1,700 for General/OBC candidates; Rs 1,000 for SC/ST/PwBD/others – confirm exact amount in the official refund notice on neet.nta.nic.in).
6. When to expect the result and what it will contain
After the June 28 objection window closes, NTA’s panel reviews all challenges and prepares the final answer key. The final answer key is released before the result declaration.
Expected result date: Second week of July 2026, with July 15, 2026 cited by NTA as the tentative date.
Your NEET UG 2026 result will contain:
- Subject-wise marks: Physics, Chemistry, Biology separately
- Total score out of 720
- Percentile score
- All India Rank (AIR)
- Category-specific rank (your rank within your reserved category, if applicable)
- Qualification status: whether you meet the minimum qualifying percentile
Results will be accessible at neet.nta.nic.in using your application number and date of birth. Download and save the scorecard immediately – it is the primary document for counselling.
7. After the result: AIQ counselling vs state quota
This is where most NEET guides leave students without enough clarity, and where a wrong assumption can cost weeks of time.
How medical admissions actually work:
NEET UG 2026 rank determines your eligibility. It does not directly give you a college seat. Two parallel counselling processes distribute those seats:
All India Quota (AIQ) – 15% of government seats, all deemed university seats: Conducted by the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) at https://mcc.nic.in. AIQ covers 15% of MBBS seats in all government medical colleges across India, plus all seats at AIIMS institutions, JIPMER, Deemed universities, Central universities, ESIC medical colleges, and AFMC Pune.
MCC AIQ counselling typically opens 2-3 weeks after the NEET result. It runs in multiple rounds. Registration is done through mcc.nic.in. Candidates register, fill college-course preferences in order, and seats are allocated based on rank, category, and preferences. Rounds 1 and 2 are the main rounds; a mop-up round and stray vacancy round follow.
State Quota – 85% of government seats: Conducted separately by each state’s Directorate of Medical Education (DME) or equivalent body. Tamil Nadu AIQ counselling goes through the Tamil Nadu Health and Family Welfare Department. Maharashtra runs its own NEET-based CET Cell counselling. Every state has its own portal, schedule, document requirements, and eligibility conditions (some states have domicile requirements for state quota seats).
Both processes happen simultaneously and require separate registrations. A candidate can participate in both. If you get a seat through AIQ counselling but later get a better seat in state quota, you can withdraw from one and join the other – subject to each authority’s withdrawal rules and deadlines.
Parallel to this: private medical college admissions also use the NEET score. These are handled either through MCC (for deemed universities) or directly through the institution/state authority.
8. What score realistically leads to a government MBBS seat
There is a large gap between the NEET qualifying cut-off and what actually gets a candidate into a government medical college. Most articles cite the qualifying percentile without explaining what it means in practice.
The qualifying percentile (minimum to be eligible for counselling):
- General / EWS category: 50th percentile (approximately 135-150 marks out of 720 in most years)
- SC / ST / OBC: 40th percentile (approximately 107-127 marks)
- PwBD (General): 45th percentile
Qualifying means you are eligible to participate in counselling. It does not mean you will get a government MBBS seat.
What AIR range realistically reaches government MBBS seats:
The closing AIR for a government MBBS seat in the last round of MCC AIQ counselling in 2025 was approximately 9,50,000 for General category in less-competitive states. For competitive states and top colleges, General category closing ranks in AIQ were under 1,50,000.
State quota typically reaches a higher AIR – state DMEs often fill seats up to AIR 15-20 lakh in later rounds for home state domicile candidates, particularly in states with fewer applicants per seat.
In practical terms:
- AIR under 50,000 (General): Strong chance of MBBS at a decent government medical college through AIQ
- AIR 50,000-2,00,000 (General): Government MBBS possible through AIQ in less-competitive states or state quota
- AIR 2,00,000-10,00,000 (General): Government MBBS possible through state quota in certain states; private/deemed university MBBS becomes the realistic path
- Above AIR 10,00,000 (General): Private medical college is the primary realistic option for MBBS
These are patterns from 2025 data. The 2026 cut-offs will be published by MCC during counselling.
[Editor: Update these AIR ranges with the actual 2026 opening/closing ranks when MCC publishes the counselling data. These are approximations based on 2025 patterns and should not be treated as guarantees.]
Frequently asked questions
I did not appear for the re-exam on June 21 because I was sick. Can I still get admitted?
No. The June 21 re-exam is the valid NEET UG 2026 examination. Students who did not appear have no score. There is no further make-up option within this cycle. Students in this situation would need to appear in NEET UG 2027 to attempt medical admissions next year.
I appeared on May 3 and also on June 21. Which score counts?
The June 21 score only. The May 3 examination was cancelled entirely and those scores do not exist officially. The June 21 re-exam is the only valid examination for this cycle.
The provisional key shows a different answer for a Biology question than what I expected. Should I challenge it?
Only if you have a specific, supportable reason – ideally an NCERT textbook citation that directly supports an alternative answer. Many Biology questions involve interpretation of concepts that NTA marks against Class 11-12 NCERT definitions. If the discrepancy is between your coaching institute key and the NTA key, investigate the textbook basis before paying Rs 200 for a challenge.
Can I participate in both AIQ counselling through MCC and state quota counselling?
Yes. Registration is separate for each process. Participating in one does not exclude you from the other. Many candidates register in both and decide which seat to accept based on what each counselling round offers.
Is NEET qualification enough to get into a private medical college?
Most private MBBS colleges in India use NEET scores for admission but set their own internal processes through state counselling authorities or directly. Private deemed university seats go through MCC counselling for a portion of seats. Qualifying NEET makes you eligible; the specific college admission depends on their cutoffs, your NEET AIR, and whether you meet other conditions (domicile, management quota, etc.).
My name in the NEET scorecard has a spelling error. What do I do?
Report it to NTA immediately at 011-40759000 or neetug2026@nta.ac.in before the counselling process begins. A name mismatch between the NEET scorecard and supporting documents (Class 12 certificate, Aadhaar) creates problems at document verification during counselling.
Sources and disclaimer
Information is sourced from: NTA’s official provisional answer key release notice for NEET UG 2026 re-exam (neet.nta.nic.in, June 25, 2026); The Tribune’s report on the answer key and fee refund process (June 22, 2026); ETV Bharat’s report on the dual-correct-answer confirmation for Code 80 (June 22, 2026); Physics Wallah’s re-exam analysis (June 21, 2026); and NTA’s communication on fee refund deadline (June 30, 2026). The July 15 result date is a tentative estimate from sources citing NTA communications – verify the confirmed date at neet.nta.nic.in when announced. AIR-to-college mapping ranges are based on 2025 MCC counselling patterns and are not guarantees for 2026. Verify all counselling information through mcc.nic.in when the 2026 process opens.
Official resources:
- NEET UG portal (answer key, result, OMR): https://neet.nta.nic.in
- MCC counselling (AIQ seats, AIIMS, deemed): https://mcc.nic.in
- NTA helpline: 011-40759000
About the author
C. Thiruvenkatam is the founder and editor of Daily Hind News. He covers medical entrance examinations, NEET UG counselling, engineering admissions, and government exam results for students and families across India. Daily Hind News publishes accurate, timely guidance on competitive examinations and admissions for readers nationwide and the Indian diaspora abroad. Contact: dailylifearticles@gmail.com
