Over a month since the University Grants Commission-National Eligibility Test (UGC-NET) concluded in June 2026, the National Testing Agency (NTA) is yet to release the provisional answer keys or announce the results, leaving thousands of candidates awaiting clarity.
The prolonged delay is markedly longer than the timelines followed in previous examination cycles. In the June 2025 session, held between June 25 and June 29, the provisional answer keys were released on July 5. Similarly, for the December 2025-January 2026 cycle, conducted between December 31 and January 7, the answer keys were published on January 14.
The June 2026 UGC-NET was conducted in computer-based mode from June 22 to June 30 across 87 subjects. The examination determines eligibility for admission to PhD programmes, recruitment as Assistant Professors and the award of Junior Research Fellowships (JRF).
Candidates have repeatedly urged the testing agency to publish the provisional answer keys before declaring the results. The answer keys allow students to verify their responses, estimate their scores and challenge any discrepancies before the final answer key is prepared and results are announced.
A UGC-NET aspirant from Srinagar took to X writing that "despite calling the NTA helpline for nearly three weeks, he received only scripted responses and no update on the answer keys. Students are not fools to be dismissed like this. Drop the key now".
Another aspirant from Rajasthan questioned the delay, noting that several universities had already issued PhD notifications while the UGC-NET answer keys were yet to be released. "It's been 1.5 months since the exams," the student posted while tagging the UGC Chairman.
The absence of any official update on the schedule has also triggered concerns among candidates, who have been seeking greater clarity from the agency on when the answer keys, objection window and results will be released.
Shreshtha Sharma, a student from the Jawaharlal Nehru University's School of International Studies expressing her anxiety said, "the uncertainty is worse than the wait. We don't know when the answer keys will be released, so it's impossible to estimate our scores or plan our next steps. A simple timeline would ease a lot of anxiety."
On August 2, Jawaharlal Nehru University Students' Union (JNUSU) wrote to the UGC and NTA regarding the delay in release of UGC-NET answer key. "It has now been more than 30 days since the conclusion of the examination, yet no official update has been provided regarding the timeline for the release of the answer key or declaration of results," the official letter read.
Another candidate from Kolkata's Loreto College, stated that "the silence from the NTA is what is most frustrating. Even an official update would reassure candidates. Many of us have put career plans on hold because we don't know when the results will be announced."
On July 30, the Students' Federation of India (SFI) demanded that the NTA immediately release the provisional answer keys and announce a clear timeline for the objection window, final answer key and declaration of results.
The student body also called for greater transparency in the examination process and accountability for what it described as the agency's "repeated administrative failures".
Responding to queries on the delay, an NTA source told NDTV, "The June examination covered 87 subjects, which is a huge exercise. We will release the results soon."
UGC-NET is conducted twice a year and comprises two papers with 150 questions carrying a total of 300 marks. The examination assesses candidates' teaching and research aptitude as well as their knowledge of the postgraduate subject they have chosen.
