JEE Main 2026 Official Answer Key & Response Sheet: Release Date & Time

The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 examination, conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA), was successfully completed between January 21 – 29, 2026 for B.E./B.Tech, B.Arch, and B.Planning aspirants who appeared across India.

After the exam, all eyes are on the official answer key and response sheet release, two critical documents that help gauge performance before the final results. This article covers everything known so far about the release date, time, how to access, objection process, and what each document means for exam assessment.

What Are the Answer Key & Response Sheet?

Answer Key

• An official document published by the NTA listing the correct answers to every question asked in the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 exam.

Response Sheet

• A personalized document showing the exact answers marked by a candidate during the exam.
• Helps candidates match their own options with the official key to estimate scores.

These documents are published before the final result to give transparency and allow challenges to any answer that appears incorrect.

Official Release Date (Session 1)

The NTA has officially announced the release of the provisional JEE Main 2026 answer key and response sheets for Session 1 on:

February 4, 2026

• Provisional Answer Key published
• Individual Response Sheets available
• Objection (challenge) window opens
• Official site: jeemain.nta.nic.in

Objection Window:

• February 4 – 5, 2026
  During this window, candidates can raise objections against any answer in the provisional key by paying the prescribed fee per question. 

Event	Date
JEE Main Session 1 Exam	Jan 21–29, 2026
Provisional Answer Key & Response Sheet Release	Feb 4, 2026
Objection Window	Feb 4–5, 2026
Final Answer Key & Result	On or before Feb 12, 2026

This release timeline mirrors the official NTA schedule, emphasising February 4 as the key date candidates should focus on. 

Typical Release Time

NTA generally releases the answer key and response sheet in the morning to early afternoon (between ~10 AM and ~2 PM IST), although the exact minute of public availability can vary each year depending on website traffic and server load. There is no official fixed clock time published by the agency, updates are confirmed live when the documents go live on the portal.

Candidates are therefore advised to check the official portal frequently on February 4, 2026, starting from the morning hours.

Step-by-Step Process to Download JEE Main 2026 Answer Key & Response Sheet

1. Visit the official JEE Main website: jeemain.nta.nic.in.
2. Click on the link labelled “Answer Key / Response Sheet 2026” (appears once released).
3. Enter Application Number and Password/Date of Birth.
4. Access the Response Sheet PDF and/or Provisional Answer Key PDF.
5. Save and download for future use and score calculation.

Note: Both the answer key and response sheet are provided in PDF format.

Role of the Answer Key and Response Sheet in JEE Main 2026

1. Performance Estimation

Using the answer key and response sheet together, a candidate can calculate an estimated score by:

• Counting the number of correct and incorrect answers.
• Applying the official marking scheme (+4 for correct, −1 for incorrect, 0 for unattempted in MCQs). 

This helps understand likely results before the official scores are declared.

2. Transparency and Challenges

The objection process gives candidates the right to contest answers they believe are incorrect. NTA reviews these challenges before issuing the final answer key, which is used to prepare the official result and ranks. 

Final Answer Key & Result

After reviewing all challenges and objections:

• A final answer key is prepared.
• The Session 1 result for JEE Main 2026, including scores and NTA percentile, is expected by February 12, 2026. 

Final answer key and result are typically released together, and candidates can log in to check their results on the official portal using their credentials.

Tips for Candidates (Important Notes)

• Keep login details ready: Application number and password/DOB are required.
• Check official sources only: Updates are confirmed by NTA, third-party sites may publish conflicting dates.
• Download early: The site may be slow due to heavy traffic on release day.

Also See:

• JEE Main 2026 Official Answer Key & Response Sheet: Release Date & Time
• Which Was the Toughest Shift in JEE Main Jan 2026? (Normalization Explained)
• JEE Main 2026 Session 2 Registration Started – Apply Online @ jeemain.nta.nic.in
• JEE Main 2026 Marks vs Percentile: Check Your Expected Rank
• JEE Main 2026 Analysis (21st Jan Shift 1): Memory Based Questions, Difficulty Level & Subject-Wise Review

Conclusion 

The JEE Main 2026 Session 1 official answer key and individual response sheet were scheduled and released on February 4, 2026, on the jeemain.nta.nic.in portal. This update allows candidates to gauge expected performance, raise objections between February 4–5, and prepare for the final results to be announced by February 12, 2026.

These documents are critical for an accurate self-assessment before official results are declared and highlight the NTA’s focus on transparency in the competitive entrance exam process.