UGC NET June 2026 Answer Key: The National Testing Agency (NTA) is expected to release the provisional answer key for UGC NET June 2026 exam on its official portal. Although the examination process concluded with the re-examination held on July 5, 2026, the agency has not formally announced the release date of the provisional answer key or candidate answer sheets.Based on the previous exam cycles and media reports, the Provisional Answer Key and Recorded Answers are expected to be available in the third or fourth week of July 2026. Once released, candidates can access the Provisional Answer Key, Question Paper and Answer Sheet through their login credentials on the official UGC NET portal.How candidates can download the answer keyCandidates will have to visit the official website of UGC NET and select the active link for UGC NET Answers and Challenges window June 2026. They have to login with their application number along with their date of birth or password and security pin shown. After login, candidate dashboard will provide access to Provisional Answer Key, Recorded Answer Sheet and Question Paper which can be downloaded in PDF format.Challenge process and processing feeCandidates will be allowed to raise objections against the provisional answer key after its publication. Each challenge will require payment of a non-refundable processing fee of €200 per question. If the subject matter experts accept an objection, the fee paid for that question will be refunded directly to the candidate’s bank account. After reviewing all valid objections, NTA will publish the final answer key, which will be used to prepare the final mark sheets.Exam data and grading criteriaThe June 2026 exam covered 87 subjects, including the newly introduced Statistics and Forestry disciplines. The computer-based test carried 150 objective-type questions for a total of 300 marks with no negative marking. The exams were carried out in two daily shifts from 9.00 to 12.00 and from 15.00 to 18.00 hours.A total of 9,93,702 candidates registered for the exam while 7,35,614 appeared for it, resulting in an attendance rate of around 74 percent. The application process opened on 29 April 2026 and closed on 24 May 2026. Results are expected in August 2026 after the objection process is completed. Only the top 6 percent of candidates based on aggregate scores will qualify for Assistant Professor eligibility. During the previous cycle of December 2025, 5,108 candidates obtained the Junior Research Fellowship.