NEET UG Answer Key & OMR Challenge: How It Works

After NEET UG, NTA releases the provisional answer key and OMR response sheets on the official portal, typically within two to three weeks of the exam. Candidates can review their OMR and challenge specific answers by paying a per-question challenge fee. After the challenge window closes, NTA publishes the final answer key and computes results against it.

How to challenge an answer

  1. Log in to the NTA NEET portal — Access the provisional answer key and OMR sheet download once NTA publishes the notice at neet.nta.nic.in.
  2. Review your OMR — Compare your marked answers against the provisional key. Note the question numbers where you believe the answer is wrong.
  3. Pay the per-question challenge fee — NTA charges a fee for each challenged question. The fee is refunded if your challenge is upheld by the expert committee. Confirm the current fee on the official portal — it can change by cycle.
  4. Submit within the window — The challenge window is short — typically 2 to 3 days. Submit all challenges before the closing time.
  5. Wait for the final key — NTA publishes the final answer key after expert review. Results are computed against the final key, not the provisional one.

Challenge fee is refundable if upheld: The per-question challenge fee is refunded if an expert committee agrees that the official answer is wrong. Challenges that are not upheld result in no refund. Use this route only when you have solid NCERT or authoritative evidence, not just a coaching-key disagreement.

Frequently asked questions

What is the NEET answer-key challenge fee per question?

The challenge fee has varied by cycle. Confirm the current fee on the official NTA NEET portal when the provisional answer key is released — it is the only reliable source for the active cycle.

Will my score change if a challenge is upheld?

Yes. If the expert committee accepts a challenge and revises an answer, all candidates who marked that option are awarded marks accordingly. The result is always computed against the final official answer key.

Official source