3 min readNew DelhiUpdated: Aug 10, 2026 03:15 PM IST
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has announced that the provisional answer key for the UGC NET June 2026 examination will be published on the official website this week. The announcement was made through a public notice dated August 10, 2026.
The provisional answer key will be released along with the answer keys for the CSIR-NET and ICAR AIEEA (PG) and AICE (PhD) 2026 examinations. NTA has not specified an exact date or time for the release in the notice.
Important Update!
Provisional answer keys for UGC-NET June 2026, CSIR-NET, and ICAR AIEEA (PG) and AICE (PhD) 2026 will be published on the official website this week.
Candidates will be able to view them, and to raise a challenge within the notified window.
Detailed… pic.twitter.com/OHFBH6lXCB
— National Testing Agency (@NTA_Exams) August 10, 2026
After the answer key is published, candidates will be able to check the provisional answers and raise challenges against questions or answers within the notified challenge window. The agency said detailed instructions regarding the challenge process will be provided at the time of publication.
Candidates will have to access the answer key through the official NTA website and follow the instructions provided in the answer key notice to submit any objections. The notice does not mention the duration of the challenge window or the fee, if any, for submitting challenges.
Until the latest notice, dated August 10, the NTA had not announced any official timeline for the UGC NET June 2026 provisional answer keys. Candidates had been seeking updates from the agency’s helpdesk, with several aspirants reporting that they were asked to wait for an official announcement.
This year, the NTA conducted the UGC-NET June exam from June 22 till 30, with exams held in two shifts each day. The examination was conducted for candidates seeking eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF), Assistant Professor and PhD admissions. However, any update on the provisional answer key had not been announced since over a month after the exam was conducted.
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The delay had led to candidates seeking updates from the NTA helpdesk and through other official channels. Indianexpress.com also reached out to the agency seeking information on the answer key and result timeline. The response received by the publication was an acknowledgement of the query nearly a week later, without a specific date for the release of the answer key or subsequent steps. Candidates had also raised concerns over the impact of the delay on the academic calendar, particularly for those waiting to use their UGC NET scores for PhD admissions.