UGC NET June 2026 Provisional Answer Key Released: Challenge Window Aug 16-18

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the provisional answer key for the University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test (UGC NET) June 2026 session. Candidates who appeared for the examination can now access the answer key and their recorded responses on the official website ugc.nta.nic.in.

According to an NTA notice, the provisional answer key has been issued for 84 subjects. However, the answer keys for English, Commerce and Sociology will be released separately later today. Candidates are advised to check the official website for updates on these subjects.

The challenge window will remain open from August 16 to August 18, 2026, up to 11:59 PM. Candidates who wish to contest any of the provisional answers can do so by paying a processing fee of Rs 200 per question. The fee will be refunded in full if the challenge is accepted by subject experts.

To raise an objection, candidates need to follow these steps:

1. Visit the official UGC NET website at ugc.nta.nic.in.
2. Open the link for the UGC NET June 2026 provisional answer key or answer key challenge.
3. Log in using the required credentials.
4. View the provisional answer key and your recorded responses.
5. Select the question against which you want to raise an objection.
6. Submit the required supporting details for the challenge.
7. Pay the processing fee of Rs 200 per question through Debit Card, Credit Card or Net Banking.
8. Review the submitted challenge and complete the process.
9. Save or download the confirmation of your challenge for future reference.

The NTA has stated that if a challenge is accepted by the subject experts, the resulting correction will be applied uniformly to all candidates of that subject. Therefore, candidates do not need to submit the same challenge more than once. After the challenge process is completed, the answer key will be finalised after consideration of all objections. No challenge or grievance regarding the answer key will be entertained after the closure of the challenge window or declaration of the result.

UGC NET is a national-level examination conducted by the NTA on behalf of the University Grants Commission (UGC). It is held to determine the eligibility of candidates for the posts of assistant professor and for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) in Indian universities and colleges. The June 2026 session was conducted across various centres in the country, and lakhs of candidates are expected to have taken the exam.