NEET UG 2026 Answer Keys Out: NTA releases provisional keys, scanned OMR sheets soon | Education News
2 min readNew DelhiUpdated: May 6, 2026 10:12 PM IST
NEET UG 2026 Answer Keys Out: The National Testing Agency (NTA) has released the NEET UG 2026 provisional answer key on May 6, just days after conducting the medical entrance exam on May 3. Candidates who appeared for the exam can now access the answer keys for all question paper series on the official website at neet.nta.nic.in.
As per the official notice, the provisional answer keys have been uploaded for all sets of question papers, allowing candidates to cross-check their responses and estimate their scores. The NTA has advised candidates to regularly visit its official websites for further updates regarding the next stages of the evaluation process.
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This year stands out as one of the fastest answer key releases in recent years, with the provisional key published in just 3 days after the exam, significantly shorter compared to previous cycles.
NEET UG answer key release timeline in last 5 years
| Year | Exam dates | Provisional answer key dates | Gap (days) |
| 2026 | May 3, 2026 | May 6, 2026 | 3 |
| 2025 | May 4, 2025 | June 3, 2025 | 30 |
| 2024 | May 5, 2024 | May 29, 2024 | 24 |
| 2023 | May 7, 2023 | June 4, 2023 | 28 |
| 2022 | July 17, 2022 | August 31, 2022 | 45 |
In comparison, NEET UG last year, saw a 30-day gap between the exam and answer key release, while in 2024 and 2023, the delay stood at 24 and 28 days respectively. The longest wait was recorded in 2022, when candidates had to wait 45 days.
The sharp reduction this year indicates faster processing and evaluation timelines by the agency.
However, candidates should note that the NTA has only released the provisional answer keys against the questions so far. The scanned OMR answer sheets will be uploaded soon, following which the answer key challenge window will be opened, as per the official notice.
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