Status: LIVE — Answer Key Out, Challenge Window Closing June 28
Official Portal: neet.nta.nic.in
Applicable For: BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BSMS, BNYS Aspirants
Breaking Update: The National Testing Agency (NTA) released the Re-NEET UG 2026 Provisional Answer Key on June 25, 2026, for all four paper codes — Code 50, 60, 70, and 80. The challenge window is currently open and will close on June 28, 2026 at 11:50 PM. If you appeared in the Re-NEET on June 21, 2026, this article tells you exactly what to do right now — step by step.
Table of Contents
First, Here’s What Actually Happened This Year
This has been the most turbulent NEET cycle in recent memory, and AYUSH students deserve a clear picture of where things stand.
The original NEET UG 2026 was conducted on May 3, 2026, across 5,432+ exam centres in 551 cities across India and 14 cities abroad, for approximately 22.79 lakh registered candidates. A provisional answer key for that exam was released on May 6, 2026.
Then the situation changed. NTA confirmed a paper leak affecting the May 3 exam and took the unprecedented step of cancelling it entirely. The Re-NEET UG 2026 was subsequently conducted on June 21, 2026, from 2:00 PM to 5:15 PM, in pen-and-paper (OMR) mode. The paper codes for the re-exam are Code 50, Code 60, Code 70, and Code 80 — different from the earlier May 3 paper.
The Re-NEET provisional answer key 2026 has been officially released by NTA on June 25, 2026 on neet.nta.nic.in.
This is the answer key that matters now. If you sat for the June 21 re-exam, focus entirely on the Re-NEET 2026 answer key and its challenge window.
Current Status — What’s Out and What’s Still Coming
Before you do anything, know exactly where things stand:
| Item | Status |
|---|---|
| Re-NEET UG 2026 Exam | Conducted — June 21, 2026 |
| Provisional Answer Key (Codes 50/60/70/80) | Released — June 25, 2026 |
| Answer Key Challenge Window | OPEN — Closes June 28, 2026 at 11:50 PM |
| Individual OMR Response Sheets | Being processed — release expected 2nd week of July 2026 |
| Final Answer Key | Expected 1st week of July 2026 |
| Re-NEET UG 2026 Result | Expected July 2026 |
| AYUSH Counselling (AACCC) Schedule | Expected July–August 2026 post-result |
Important: NTA has officially confirmed that individual OMR sheets will not be bundled with the provisional answer key this time. OMR scanning is running as a parallel process. The provisional answer key challenge window is open now while OMR sheets are still being digitized.
Step 1 — Download the Provisional Answer Key Right Now
The single most important thing you should do today is download the provisional answer key for your specific paper code and check your answers.
Here’s exactly how to do it:
Step 1: Open the official NTA NEET portal — neet.nta.nic.in
Step 2: Look for the link titled “Re-NEET UG 2026 OMR Sheets and Provisional Answer Key” on the homepage
Step 3: Click it and log in using your:
- NEET 2026 Application Number
- Password (or Date of Birth as fallback)
Step 4: Select your paper code — Code 50, Code 60, Code 70, or Code 80. Your paper code is printed on your admit card and on the question booklet you received in the exam hall
Step 5: Download the provisional answer key PDF for your code
Step 6: Also download your individual OMR response sheet once it becomes available (expected 2nd week of July)
Don’t use any third-party website. Coaching institutes like Allen, Aakash, PW, and Vedantu have released unofficial answer keys that are useful for early estimation — but for the official challenge process, only neet.nta.nic.in is valid.
Step 2 — Calculate Your Expected NEET Score
Once you have the answer key in hand, calculate your expected score manually before the result is declared. This is important for AYUSH students because it lets you start planning your counselling strategy weeks before the official result drops.
The NEET 2026 Marking Formula
Score = (Correct Answers × 4) − (Incorrect Answers × 1)
- Each correct answer: +4 marks
- Each wrong answer: −1 mark
- Each unattempted question: 0 marks (no penalty)
- Total questions: 180 | Maximum possible score: 720
A Worked Example
- Correct answers: 125
- Wrong answers: 22
- Unattempted: 33
- Score = (125 × 4) − (22 × 1) = 500 − 22 = 478 marks
Go through the entire answer key question by question. Don’t estimate in your head — one wrong calculation can lead you to the wrong college prediction and counselling strategy.
The score calculated using the OMR sheet is only indicative. The final score will be mentioned in the official result. After calculating the expected score, candidates can use previous years’ marks versus rank trends to estimate their probable All India Rank.
Step 3 — Decide Whether to Challenge Any Answer
The answer key challenge window is open right now. It closes June 28, 2026 at 11:50 PM — that’s less than 48 hours from the key’s release.
Candidates can raise objections to the provisional answer key if they find any discrepancies. The fee is ₹200 per question challenged, fully refunded if the challenge is accepted.
Should You Challenge? — The AYUSH Student’s Decision Guide
Challenging an NEET answer key is not something to do casually. Here’s how to think about it:
Challenge a question if:
- You have a clear, NCERT-based justification for a different answer
- The question seems to have two valid options based on NCERT Class 11 or 12 text
- There is an obvious error (like a factual mistake in a Biology question)
- The question was from a topic where the NCERT text explicitly supports your chosen option
Do not challenge if:
- You are going by coaching institute material that contradicts NCERT
- You “felt” your answer was right during the exam
- You cannot find a published, citable source to back up the objection
Strategic note for AYUSH students: Even a 4-mark swing from one question being corrected can move your rank by thousands. For students sitting at 430–470 marks, where the government BAMS cutoff often lies, even one dropped question (which gives everyone +4 regardless of their answer) can change admission outcomes. If you believe any question is wrong, challenge it with evidence.
How to Raise an Objection — Step by Step
Step 1: Log in at neet.nta.nic.in with your application number and password
Step 2: Navigate to the “Answer Key Challenge” section (separate from the OMR download)
Step 3: Select the specific question number you want to challenge
Step 4: Choose your proposed correct answer from the options provided
Step 5: Upload your supporting evidence as a single PDF file. Accepted evidence includes:
- Scanned NCERT textbook page (Class 11 or 12) showing the correct answer
- Pages from recognised reference books
- Published research papers for Biology/Chemistry questions
Step 6: Pay the challenge fee — ₹200 per question — via debit card, credit card, net banking, or UPI
Step 7: Submit and download/screenshot the confirmation receipt. This is your proof of submission.
Late submissions are not accepted under any circumstances. Do not wait for the last hour. The official website is neet.nta.nic.in. Do not use any other website or third-party portal for submitting challenges.
What Happens After You Challenge?
All submitted objections are reviewed by subject-matter experts appointed by NTA. If a challenge is found valid, the question may be dropped — in which case every candidate who attempted it receives full marks (+4), regardless of the answer marked. Based on this review, NTA then releases the final answer key before computing the results.
This is significant. If even 1–2 questions are dropped based on valid challenges from any student, every candidate’s score improves by 4–8 marks automatically. This is exactly why AYUSH students must pay attention to the challenge window even if they don’t plan to challenge themselves.
Step 4 — Wait for Your OMR Sheet (Expected July 2026)
Even after the answer key challenge closes on June 28, you will still get a second bite at the process.
The NTA has released the NEET provisional answer key on June 25, 2026. The response sheet or OMR sheets are expected to be released in the second week of July 2026. Once the OMR sheets are released, candidates will be able to compare their recorded answers with the official answer key to estimate their NEET UG 2026 score.
When your OMR sheet is released, you need to do one specific thing: verify that what NTA recorded matches what you actually marked.
Occasionally, OMR scanning errors occur where a candidate’s response is read incorrectly. The OMR challenge window — separate from the answer key challenge — allows you to flag such discrepancies. The fee is the same: ₹200 per question, non-refundable if rejected.
If you find your response was recorded incorrectly for any question, submit an OMR challenge immediately. These are typically reviewed faster than answer key challenges and can directly correct your score.
What AYUSH Students Specifically Need to Do Now
Here’s the AYUSH-specific action plan while results are still pending:
1. Calculate Your Score Against AYUSH Cutoff Ranges
Use your calculated expected score to check where you stand relative to AYUSH admission cutoffs. For quick reference:
| Your Expected Score | Realistic AYUSH Target |
|---|---|
| 540 – 720 | Government BAMS — top colleges like NIA Jaipur, BHU, AIIA Delhi through AIQ |
| 480 – 540 | Government BAMS through state quota; Government BHMS through AIQ |
| 420 – 480 | Government BHMS/BUMS most states; Private BAMS top options |
| 350 – 420 | Government BUMS many states; Private BAMS/BHMS |
| 200 – 350 | Private BAMS/BHMS in later stray rounds; BNYS private colleges |
| 144 – 200 | Qualifying marks cleared; Private BUMS/BNYS; management quota |
These ranges are for General (UR) category. SC/ST/OBC candidates can shift each bracket down by 60–80 marks.
2. Register for AACCC Counselling the Moment It Opens
After the result is announced, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) will release the NEET UG 2026 All India Quota counselling schedule. State quota counselling will be conducted separately by respective state counselling authorities.
For AYUSH specifically, the All India Quota counselling is conducted by AACCC (Ayush Admissions Central Counselling Committee) at aaccc.gov.in — not by MCC. MCC handles MBBS/BDS. AACCC handles BAMS, BHMS, BUMS, BSMS.
Do not confuse the two portals. The moment AACCC opens registration (expected July–August 2026), register immediately. The registration window for AYUSH counselling is often only 4–5 days long — missing it means missing the entire round.
3. Start Gathering Your Documents Today
Don’t wait for the result to start preparing documents. Every AYUSH counselling — both AACCC and state quota — requires:
- Class 10 Marksheet + Certificate (date of birth proof)
- Class 12 Marksheet + Certificate (PCB proof)
- NEET UG 2026 Admit Card
- NEET UG 2026 Scorecard (once released)
- Aadhaar Card
- Domicile Certificate (for state quota government seats)
- Category Certificate — SC/ST/OBC/EWS (if applicable; must be recent — check if yours is within the validity period)
- Passport-sized photographs (same specifications as NEET application)
Getting a fresh OBC Non-Creamy Layer or EWS certificate takes 1–2 weeks from district authorities. If yours is expiring or older than one year, apply for a renewal right now — before counselling registration opens.
4. Research Colleges Based on Your Score Range
Use the next 3–4 weeks (while waiting for results) to deeply research 15–20 colleges that fall within your score range. Things to verify for each college:
- Is it currently recognised by NCISM? (Check ncismindia.org)
- What is the annual fee structure?
- Does it have its own teaching hospital or affiliated hospital?
- What is the hostel availability and location?
- What was the previous year’s closing rank for your category?
Doing this research now means you can fill your counselling choices quickly and intelligently when the window opens — rather than rushing through it at the last minute.
Key Dates to Lock Into Your Phone Right Now
| Date | What Happens |
|---|---|
| June 21, 2026 | Re-NEET UG 2026 exam conducted |
| June 25, 2026 | Provisional answer key released |
| June 28, 2026 (11:50 PM) | Answer key challenge window CLOSES — do not miss |
| 2nd week of July 2026 | Individual OMR sheets expected |
| 1st week of July 2026 | Final answer key expected |
| July 2026 | Re-NEET UG 2026 result expected |
| July–August 2026 | AACCC AYUSH counselling expected to begin |
What Happens If a Question Is Dropped?
This is the question every student is asking right now — and it’s particularly relevant for AYUSH students whose admission outcome can shift significantly with even a 4-mark change.
If NTA’s expert panel finds a challenge valid and drops a question entirely, every student who attempted that question (regardless of which option they marked) receives +4 marks. Students who did not attempt it receive 0.
This means: if even 2–3 questions are dropped after the challenge review, a student who attempted all of them gets +8 to +12 marks added to their score. For the 430–490 mark band where government BAMS cutoffs typically fall, this could push a student from just below the cutoff to just above it.
Stay alert when the final answer key drops. If your score improves, recalculate immediately and adjust your counselling strategy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: My OMR sheet hasn’t come yet. Can I still challenge the answer key?
Yes. NTA’s decision to open the provisional answer key challenge ahead of releasing individual responses is deliberately designed to avoid systemic evaluation delays. The objection timeline closes June 28, 2026 strictly. You do not need your OMR sheet to challenge the answer key — the answer key challenge is about whether the official correct answer is right, not about what you marked. Your OMR sheet becomes relevant when you want to challenge whether your response was recorded correctly.
Q: I appeared in the May 3 NEET and sat for the June 21 re-exam. Which answer key applies to me?
The June 21 Re-NEET answer key (Codes 50, 60, 70, 80) is what applies. The May 3 exam was cancelled. The re-exam and its results are what will be used for all NEET UG 2026 admissions — including AYUSH.
Q: The provisional answer key shows I scored around 420. Is there any hope for a government BAMS seat?
With 420 marks, a government BAMS seat through AIQ in Round 1 will be very competitive for General category. However: (1) the final answer key may add marks if any questions are dropped; (2) your OMR sheet may reveal a recording error worth 4–8 marks; (3) Round 2, Mop-Up, and Stray Vacancy rounds see significantly lower cutoffs than Round 1. Don’t give up. Register for counselling and participate in every round.
Q: I want to apply for both AACCC (AIQ) and my state’s AYUSH counselling. Is that allowed?
Yes, absolutely. AACCC runs the 15% All India Quota and state authorities run the 85% state quota — they are completely separate processes on separate portals with separate fees. You can register for both and participate in both simultaneously. Most serious AYUSH candidates do exactly this.
Q: When will AYUSH counselling 2026 dates be officially released?
AACCC will release the counselling schedule after the NEET result is declared — expected in July 2026. The moment the result drops, monitor aaccc.gov.in daily for the counselling notification. Bookmark it now.
The Bottom Line
This has been an extraordinarily stressful NEET cycle. A paper leak, a cancellation, a re-exam — no student signed up for this. But the process is moving forward, and the next few weeks are critical.
Right now, in the next 24–48 hours, your two most important actions are:
One — Download the provisional answer key for your paper code from neet.nta.nic.in, calculate your expected score, and decide if any question warrants a challenge before the window closes on June 28 at 11:50 PM.
Two — Based on your estimated score, identify your realistic AYUSH college options and start organising your documents so that the moment AACCC opens registration, you are ready to go on day one.
The students who get the best seats in AYUSH counselling are almost never the ones with the highest scores. They’re the ones who are most prepared, most organised, and most aware of how the process works.
- Which are the top government BAMS colleges in India? What are their exact NEET cutoffs?
- Are AYUSH jobs available in railway hospitals and armed forces?
- Is it easier to get AYUSH admission compared to MBBS with the same NEET score?
- Can I Participate in Both MBBS and AYUSH Counselling Simultaneously?
- How Many AYUSH Colleges Should You Include in Your Choice List During Counselling?
- Should I Include Private and Deemed AYUSH Colleges in My Choice List?