The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 provisional answer key and candidate response sheets today, 04 February 2026. Candidates who appeared in the January session can now check and download their response sheets and answer keys from the official website.
Along with the answer key, NTA has also opened the challenge/objection window, allowing candidates to submit objections against any question or answer by paying a non-refundable fee of ₹200 per question. The objection facility will remain active till 05 February 2026.
📌 JEE Main 2026 Session 1 Exam Dates
The JEE Main Session 1 examination was conducted in computer-based mode on the following dates:
- 21, 22, 23, 24, 28 & 29 January 2026
Paper 1 (B.E./B.Tech):
Morning Shift: 9:00 AM – 12:00 Noon
Evening Shift: 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM
Paper 2:
Conducted on the last day in a single morning shift.
📌 Where to Check JEE Main 2026 Response Sheet & Answer Key
Candidates can access their response sheets and provisional answer key only through the official website:
- jeemain.nta.nic.in
Login is required using Application Number and Date of Birth or Password.
📌 How to Download JEE Main 2026 Answer Key & Response Sheet
- Visit jeemain.nta.nic.in
- Click on the “JEE Main 2026 Answer Key / Response Sheet” link
- Log in using application number and password/date of birth
- View the question paper, responses, and provisional answer key
- Download and save the PDF for reference
📌 JEE Main 2026 Answer Key Challenge Procedure
Candidates who find discrepancies in the provisional answer key can submit objections by following these steps:
- Visit jeemain.nta.nic.in
- Click on “Challenge(s) regarding Answer Key”
- Log in using application number and password/date of birth
- Select the Question ID to be challenged
- Choose the correct option and upload supporting proof
- Pay ₹200 per question online (non-refundable)
- Submit and download the confirmation page
After the challenge window closes, all objections will be reviewed by subject experts. The final answer key will be published thereafter and will be used to prepare the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 result, which is expected by 12 February 2026.
📌 Minimum Marks Required to Qualify for JEE Advanced
The minimum cutoff to qualify for JEE Advanced 2026 will be announced along with the Session 2 result. Based on last year’s trends, the category-wise cutoff percentile was as follows:
| Category | Cutoff Percentile (2025) |
|---|---|
| UR | 93.1023262 |
| Gen-EWS | 80.3830119 |
| OBC-NCL | 79.4313582 |
| SC | 61.1526933 |
| ST | 47.9026465 |
| UR-PwD | 0.0079349 |
Only the top 2.5 lakh candidates in JEE Main are eligible to appear for JEE Advanced.
