The National Testing Agency has released the Final Answer Key for JEE (Main) 2026 Session II on its official portal jeemain.nta.nic.in on the night of 19 April 2026. The release follows the closure of the challenge window on 14 April and clears the path for the Paper-1 (B.E./B.Tech) and Paper-2 (B.Arch / B.Plan) NTA scores expected within the next 48 to 72 hours. Candidates who appeared in the 2 to 9 April 2026 sittings can now download the question paper, recorded responses, and the locked final key from a single login dashboard.
Table of Contents
- Exam Overview & Key Dates
- Final Answer Key Release Highlights
- Shift-wise Modifications & Dropped Questions
- How to Download the Final Answer Key
- Marking Scheme & Score Calculation
- Normalisation & Percentile Method
- Expected Cut-off for JEE Advanced 2026
- What Happens After the Result
- Important Links
- Frequently Asked Questions
Exam Overview & Key Dates
JEE (Main) 2026 Session II was conducted in computer-based mode at 348 examination centres across 13 languages. The Paper-1 was held in two daily shifts on 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 8 and 9 April 2026, while Paper-2A and Paper-2B were conducted in a single shift on 9 April 2026 afternoon. Below is the consolidated event calendar.
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| Online Application Window | 31 Oct 2025 — 25 Nov 2025 |
| Correction Window | 26 Nov — 28 Nov 2025 |
| City Intimation Slip | 20 March 2026 |
| Admit Card Release | 28 March 2026 |
| Paper-1 (B.E./B.Tech) Exam | 2 — 9 April 2026 |
| Paper-2A & 2B Exam | 9 April 2026 (3 PM — 6 PM) |
| Provisional Answer Key | 11 April 2026 |
| Challenge Window | 11 — 14 April 2026 (11:50 PM) |
| Final Answer Key Release | 19 April 2026 |
| NTA Score & Percentile (Tentative) | 22 April 2026 |
Final Answer Key Release Highlights
The agency processed 1,42,873 objections raised against the provisional key during the four-day challenge window. A panel of subject experts from IITs and NITs vetted each contested question before locking the final key. The marks awarded as per this final key are binding and cannot be challenged further under any circumstance.
- Total registered candidates: 9,84,372
- Total appeared (Paper-1): 9,21,450 (approx.)
- Total appeared (Paper-2A & 2B): 41,289
- Objections received: 1,42,873
- Questions modified: 58
- Questions dropped (full marks awarded): 16
- Bonus marks per dropped question: +4 to all attempting candidates of that shift
Shift-wise Modifications & Dropped Questions
The largest number of revisions came from the Mathematics section, particularly questions involving definite integrals and probability. Physics saw three multi-correct option corrections in the 5 April morning shift. Chemistry questions on coordination compounds and the Hinsberg test were dropped after coaching institutes flagged ambiguous wording.
| Exam Date | Shift | Modified | Dropped |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 April 2026 | Forenoon | 4 | 1 |
| 2 April 2026 | Afternoon | 3 | 2 |
| 3 April 2026 | Forenoon | 5 | 1 |
| 3 April 2026 | Afternoon | 4 | 0 |
| 4 April 2026 | Forenoon | 3 | 2 |
| 4 April 2026 | Afternoon | 5 | 1 |
| 5 April 2026 | Forenoon | 6 | 3 |
| 5 April 2026 | Afternoon | 4 | 1 |
| 7 April 2026 | Forenoon | 5 | 1 |
| 7 April 2026 | Afternoon | 4 | 0 |
| 8 April 2026 | Forenoon | 3 | 2 |
| 8 April 2026 | Afternoon | 4 | 1 |
| 9 April 2026 | Forenoon (P1) | 5 | 1 |
| 9 April 2026 | Afternoon (P2) | 3 | 0 |
How to Download the Final Answer Key
- Visit the official portal jeemain.nta.nic.in.
- Click on the active link titled “Final Answer Key & Question Paper with Recorded Responses — Session II 2026”.
- Log in using your Application Number and Date of Birth / Password.
- Enter the security pin shown on the screen and submit.
- The dashboard will display three downloadable PDFs — Question Paper, Recorded Response, and Final Answer Key.
- Download all three and save a printout for cross-verification with the upcoming NTA Score.
Marking Scheme & Score Calculation
Use the locked final key to compute your raw score before the percentile is officially declared. Apply the marking scheme prescribed in the Information Bulletin.
| Question Type | Correct | Incorrect | Unattempted |
|---|---|---|---|
| MCQ (Single Correct) | +4 | −1 | 0 |
| Numerical Value (Section B) | +4 | −1 | 0 |
| Dropped Question | +4 awarded to all attempters | — | — |
| Multiple Correct (Modified) | +4 if any one correct option marked | 0 | 0 |
Raw Score Formula: (Number of Correct × 4) − (Number of Incorrect × 1) + (Bonus from dropped questions). Maximum attainable raw score remains 300 across the three sections.
Normalisation & Percentile Method
Because the examination is held across multiple shifts, NTA applies the percentile-based normalisation formula to ensure parity. Each candidate’s percentile is calculated within their own shift first, then the highest percentile is normalised to 100 and the rest are scaled proportionally.
Percentile = (Number of candidates with raw score equal to or below the candidate / Total candidates in that shift) × 100. The four percentiles — overall, Mathematics, Physics, Chemistry — together produce the final NTA Score. Best of Session I and Session II is considered for the merit list.
Expected Cut-off for JEE Advanced 2026
Based on the difficulty trend of Session II — rated moderate to slightly tough by leading coaching institutes — the qualifying percentile for appearing in JEE Advanced 2026 is expected to settle close to last year’s bands. The official cut-off will be released alongside the result.
| Category | Expected Cut-off (Percentile) 2026 | Actual Cut-off 2025 |
|---|---|---|
| Common Rank List (CRL / General) | 93.20 — 93.50 | 93.1023 |
| EWS | 81.00 — 82.00 | 81.3266 |
| OBC-NCL | 79.50 — 80.50 | 79.6757 |
| SC | 61.50 — 62.50 | 61.1554 |
| ST | 47.00 — 48.50 | 47.9097 |
| PwD (All Categories) | 0.00 — 0.50 | 0.0018 |
What Happens After the Result
- The top 2,50,000 candidates (across categories) qualify for JEE Advanced 2026, scheduled tentatively on 17 May 2026.
- JoSAA 2026 counselling for IITs, NITs, IIITs and GFTIs is expected to begin in the first week of June 2026.
- Candidates may apply for state-level engineering counselling (MHT-CET, WBJEE, JAC Delhi, KCET) once their JEE Main score card is downloaded.
- The original score card and rank letter will be available throughout the academic admission cycle.
Important Links
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the NTA Score for JEE Main Session II 2026 be declared?
Can I challenge the Final Answer Key?
What happens if a question I attempted has been dropped?
Is the best of Session I and Session II considered for ranking?
How is tie-breaking done in JEE Main 2026?
Will the cut-off for JEE Advanced be released with the result?
What documents will I need at the time of JoSAA counselling?
From where can I download my recorded responses?
Disclaimer: This article is compiled from the official NTA public notice dated 19 April 2026 and corroborating bulletins. Candidates are advised to verify every detail from the official portal jeemain.nta.nic.in before acting on any information. SarkariRezults is an independent information portal and is not affiliated with the National Testing Agency.