If you sat the Re-NEET UG 2026 exam on June 21, the provisional answer key for all four paper codes is now live on the official NTA portal, and you have only a few days to check your responses and raise objections. This matters because the June 21 sitting is the only exam that counts for MBBS, BDS and AYUSH admissions this year — the original May 3 exam was scrapped after a leak scandal, so there is no second chance if you miss this window. Over 22.79 lakh candidates appeared for the re-exam, and the answer key is the first real signal of where you stand before counselling begins. Getting your calculation right now, using the correct marking scheme, will help you plan your counselling strategy with realistic numbers instead of guesswork.
Compare your responses against the official answer key immediately and use the objection window ending soon to challenge any doubtful questions, since this is the only valid NEET UG 2026 attempt and small score corrections can shift your rank meaningfully.
Why there even is a Re-NEET this year
NEET UG 2026 was originally held on May 3, but NTA cancelled that exam on May 12 after a CBI investigation found that a large number of questions in a document recovered by Rajasthan Police's Special Operations Group matched the actual paper. That is an unusually serious integrity breach, and it forced NTA to conduct a fresh nationwide exam on June 21 rather than issue partial corrections. For aspirants, the practical effect is that all previous preparation timelines, mock scores and expectations built around the May exam are irrelevant — only the June 21 attempt decides your medical admission chances this year.
What was actually released, and for whom
The provisional answer key covers paper codes 50, 60, 70 and 80, and is meant for everyone who appeared in the June 21 re-exam. It lets you match your marked responses against NTA's stated correct answers before any official score is declared. Being 'provisional' matters — this key can still change after the objection process, so treat any score you calculate from it as an estimate, not a final number.
- Applicable to all four question paper codes used in the re-exam
- Available directly from the NTA NEET portal without needing to log in for the answer key itself
- Login with application number and password is required for the response sheet and objection form
One question dropped per code — what it means for your score
NTA has dropped one question from each of the four codes in this provisional key, which typically means every candidate who attempted that paper code receives the marks for the dropped question regardless of what they answered. This is a routine practice when a question is found to be flawed or ambiguous, and it will be reflected automatically when the final result is prepared, so you do not need to do anything extra for it.
- Code 50 – question 26 dropped
- Code 60 – question 43 dropped
- Code 70 – question 40 dropped
- Code 80 – question 2 dropped
How to calculate your own score correctly
NEET UG uses a straightforward marking scheme, and doing this calculation yourself — rather than trusting a random social media post — gives you a far more reliable idea of where you stand before you start comparing yourself to previous years' cutoffs.
Start by counting your correct and incorrect answers against the official key, then apply the formula below. Unattempted questions are simply not counted either way.
- Correct answer: +4 marks
- Incorrect answer: −1 mark
- Unattempted question: 0 marks
- Formula: Score = (Correct × 4) − (Incorrect × 1)
The objection window: your one chance to flag errors
If you believe a specific answer in the key is wrong, NTA allows you to formally object before the key is finalised. This is not free-form feedback — it is a structured challenge process with a fee, and it closes soon after the key's release, so this is not something to leave for later in the week.
Some candidates have already flagged a disputed Chemistry question, arguing the marked answer conflicts with NCERT-based reasoning. Whether or not that particular challenge succeeds, it is a reminder that provisional keys are genuinely provisional — scores can shift after expert review, sometimes by more than a few marks across the candidate pool.
- Log in on the NTA NEET portal using application number, password and captcha
- Select the specific question(s) you want to challenge
- Upload supporting evidence from NCERT or other standard textbooks
- Pay ₹200 per question challenged
- Submit before the objection window closes
Fee refund correction: don't ignore this if it applies to you
Separately from the answer key, NTA has reopened a window for candidates to confirm or correct their bank details for the fee refund tied to the cancelled May 3 exam. This is relevant mainly to candidates seeking a refund of the original exam fee or wanting to update earlier bank details, and NTA has indicated this correction opportunity will not be repeated after its deadline. If you registered for the May exam and have not yet verified your bank account details, this is worth doing alongside your answer-key check, since delayed or incorrect details can hold up your refund indefinitely.
Be cautious with 'expected cutoff' numbers doing the rounds
Once an answer key is out, coaching platforms and social media accounts typically circulate category-wise 'expected cutoff' and rank-versus-marks tables for government MBBS seats and institutions like AIIMS. These are unofficial estimates based on past trends and should be treated only as rough reference points, not as guaranteed cutoffs. The real cutoffs depend on the final answer key, the actual difficulty-normalised scores of all 22.79 lakh-plus candidates, and seat availability during counselling — none of which is finalised yet. Use such estimates for a general sense of range, but base your counselling decisions on your own calculated score and official NTA data once released.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
Is the June 21 exam the only one that counts for MBBS/BDS admission this year?
Yes. NTA cancelled the original May 3 NEET UG 2026 exam after a paper-leak investigation, so the June 21 re-exam is the sole valid attempt for MBBS, BDS and AYUSH admissions in 2026.
How do I download the Re-NEET UG 2026 answer key?
Visit neet.nta.nic.in, open the provisional answer key link on the homepage, select your paper code (50, 60, 70 or 80), and download the PDF. The answer key itself does not require login, but the response sheet and objection form do.
What is the last date to raise an objection against the answer key?
NTA has set the objection deadline shortly after releasing the key; candidates should submit challenges, with the ₹200 per-question fee, before the window closes rather than waiting till the last hours.
Will I get marks for the dropped questions even if I answered them wrong?
Typically yes — when NTA drops a question from evaluation, all candidates who attempted that paper code usually receive marks for it automatically in the final result, regardless of the option they originally selected.
When is the NEET UG 2026 result expected?
The result is expected by July 15, 2026, after the objection window closes and NTA publishes the final answer key based on expert review.
I'm still waiting on my fee refund for the cancelled May exam — what should I do?
NTA has reopened a bank-details correction window for refund purposes. If you haven't confirmed your account details, do so within the given deadline, since requests after that date may not be processed.
Are the cutoff marks and rank tables circulating online official?
No. Category-wise cutoff estimates seen online at this stage are unofficial projections from coaching platforms, not figures released by NTA or counselling authorities. Actual cutoffs are decided only during the counselling process based on the final result.
Download the correct paper-code answer key, calculate your score using the official marking scheme, and file an objection promptly if you spot a genuine error — this is the only structured chance to correct the record before results are finalised. Keep an eye on the NTA portal for the OMR sheet, final answer key and the July result, since counselling registration will follow soon after.
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