NEET UG 2026: When Will Answer Key Be Released? Check Expected Cutoff Marks | Education and Career News
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NEET UG 2026 answer key soon. Due to the high participation and a relatively easy overall paper, the cut-off is expected to rise this year.
Last year, the NEET UG exam was held on May 4, and the answer key was released on June 3. (Representative image/File)
The NEET UG exam, held on Sunday, May 3, 2026, recorded an attendance of 96.92%. Of the 22.75 lakh registered candidates, 22.5 lakh appeared for the test held across India. With the exam now over, candidates are waiting for the provisional answer key and results.
In recent years, the NTA has typically taken around a month to release the provisional answer key. Last year, the NEET UG exam was held on May 4, and the answer key was released on June 3. In 2024, the exam took place on May 5, and the answer key was released on May 30. In 2023, the exam was conducted on May 7, and the answer key was issued on June 5. Once released, the answer key can be downloaded from the NTA website at neet.nta.nic.in.
Answer Key Challenge Window
After the provisional answer key is published, candidates will be allowed to challenge questions by submitting objections, for which a fee of Rs 200 per question will be charged. A committee of experts will evaluate these objections. Based on their review, the final answer key and results will then be released.
Exam Paper Analysis
According to NEET UG 2026 candidates and exam preparation experts, the Physics section was the most difficult this year. Harpreet Singh, a senior Physics teacher with 26 years of experience told News18 Hindi that the Physics paper contained numerous conceptual and calculation-based questions. Tricky questions were asked from topics such as current electricity, electrostatics, kinematics, wave optics, and rotational motion. Physics was considered tougher than Biology and Chemistry. Candidates who perform well in this section are likely to see an improvement in their All India Rank (AIR).
Ujjwal Singh, Founding CEO, infinity Learn by Sri Chaitanya said, “NEET 2026 was a well-balanced paper that leaned slightly easier than last year, but importantly, it tested discipline over difficulty. Physics and Chemistry required conceptual clarity and precision, while Biology remained largely accessible—with Botany introducing a time challenge due to its length. Students who built their preparation steadily and stayed close to NCERT concepts would have found themselves at a clear advantage.”
Qualifying Percentile
To qualify for NEET UG, candidates must secure the minimum qualifying percentile. The category-wise criteria are:
General Category (UR/EWS) – 50 percentile
OBC/SC/ST – 40 percentile
Persons with Disabilities (UR-PH) – 45 percentile
Higher Cutoff Expected
Due to the high participation and a relatively easy overall paper, the cut-off is expected to rise this year.
– For the General (UR/EWS) category, the cut-off is expected to be between 135 and 144 marks.
– For the OBC, SC, and ST categories, it is expected to be between 107 and 143 marks.
– For the PwD (Divyang) category, the cut-off is expected to be between 120 and 143 marks.
Previous years’ data shows that cut-offs fluctuate every year. In 2025, the General category cut-off ranged from 686 to 144. In 2024, it ranged from 720 to 162, and in 2023, from 720 to 137. Cut-offs for OBC, SC, and ST categories have also varied over the years. This clearly indicates that cut-offs depend on the difficulty level of the exam, overall student performance, and attendance.
The NEET cut-off is based on percentiles rather than just raw marks. Percentiles reflect the percentage of candidates you have outperformed. As a result, cut-offs can change each year even when the qualifying percentiles remain the same. For example, the marks corresponding to the 50th percentile can vary from year to year.
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