CUET UG 2026: NTA releases provisional answer keys at cuet.nta.nic.in, opens window for challenges

Candidates who appeared for the exam between May 11–31 and June 6–7, 2026, can now access these documents on the official website cuet.nta.nic.in.

The provisional answer key for CUET UG 2026 has been released

3 min readNew DelhiJun 10, 2026 09:34 AM IST First published on: Jun 9, 2026 at 04:07 PM IST

CUET UG 2026: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the provisional answer keys, question papers, and recorded responses for the Common University Entrance Test [CUET (UG)] 2026. Candidates who appeared for the exam between May 11–31 and June 6–7, 2026, can now access these documents on the official website cuet.nta.nic.in.

According to the NTA, a total of 15,68,867 candidates registered for CUET (UG) 2026, which was conducted in multiple shifts across India and abroad in computer-based mode. The agency has invited candidates to challenge the provisional answer keys if they are not satisfied with the responses provided.

CUET UG 2026: Challenge window and fee

Duration: June 9–11, 2026 (up to 10 pm)

Last Date for Payment: June 11, 2026 (up to 11:50 pm)

Fee: Rs 200 per question challenged (non-refundable)

The processing fee can be paid online through credit card, debit card, net banking, or UPI. Challenges submitted without payment will not be entertained.

CUET UG 2026: How to challenge answer keys

Step 1: Visit cuet.nta.nic.in

Step 2: Click on “Challenge(s) regarding Answer Key”.

Step 3: Log in with application number and password.

Step 4: View your question paper and recorded responses.

Step 5: Select the question(s) to challenge by checking the relevant option IDs.

Step 6: Upload supporting documents in a single PDF file.

Step 7: Submit and review claims, then finalise.

Step 8: Pay the requisite fee online to confirm submission.

Challenges raised by candidates will be reviewed by a panel of subject experts. If any challenge is found valid, the answer key will be revised and applied uniformly to all candidates’ responses. The final results will be prepared based on the revised answer key. NTA clarified that individual candidates will not be informed about the acceptance or rejection of their challenges, and the expert-verified key will be considered final.

The CUET examination offered a total of 37 subjects – 13 languages, 23 domain-specific subjects, and one general aptitude test. It was conducted in 13 Indian languages via Computer-Based Test (CBT) mode from May 13 to June 7, 2026. Initially, the exam was supposed to run from May 11 to May 31, but the exam on May 28 was postponed to May 31, June 6 and June 7 due to a change in the date of Eid-ul-Zuha (Bakrid).

CUET UG 2026: Marking scheme

–For each correct response, candidates will receive five marks. An incorrect answer will result in a deduction of one mark. No marks will be awarded for questions left unanswered or marked for review.

–If a question has more than one correct option, candidates who select any of the correct choices will be awarded five marks. In cases where all options are correct, every candidate who attempts the question will earn five marks.

–If a question is found to be incorrect, has no valid option, or is officially dropped, then all candidates who attempted that question will be awarded five marks.

Candidates are advised to regularly check the NTA website for updates. The final answer key, once released, will form the basis for the declaration of CUET (UG) 2026 results. For assistance, candidates can contact the NTA helpline at 011-40759000 or email cuet-ug@nta.ac.in.