The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially released the UGC NET December 2025 provisional answer key, along with question papers and recorded responses for candidates who appeared in the exam. This is a big update for aspirants aiming for Assistant Professor and Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) roles across India. With the answer key now live on the official portal, candidates can cross-check their answers, estimate scores, and raise objections if they find discrepancies.
Whether you’re looking to calculate your expected score, prepare for upcoming result announcements, or challenge specific answers, this article guides you step-by-step — and highlights common issues candidates face and how to resolve them.
📌 Candidates can check all Government exam Updates here
🔎 Quick Review: Key Highlights at a Glance
- 📅 Answer Key Released: Provisional Answer Key for UGC NET December 2025 published on 14 January 2026.
- 📊 Available Online At: Official UGC NET portal: ugcnet.nta.nic.in.
- ⏳ Objection Window: 14 January – 17 January 2026 (up to 11:50 PM).
- 💰 Challenge Fee: ₹200 per question (non-refundable).
- 📄 What’s Available: Question papers, recorded responses, provisional answer keys.
- 📍 No Offline Challenges: All objections must be submitted online; offline submissions are not accepted.
📌 What’s New in the UGC NET December 2025 Answer Key Update
The release of the provisional answer key is one of the most important milestones for any UGC NET candidate. It helps you:
- Estimate your probable score before the final result.
- Identify errors in answers you believe are incorrect.
- Challenge disputed answers using documented evidence.
This new update from NTA is in line with its commitment to transparency and fairness, allowing candidates to verify and question irregularities before the finalized answer key is prepared.
🔗 How to Download Your Answer Key and Response Sheet
Follow these straightforward steps to access your answer key:
- Visit the official UGC NET website: ugcnet.nta.nic.in.
- Look for the link labelled “UGC NET December 2025 Answer Key / Question Paper / Recorded Responses”.
- Login using your Application Number and Date of Birth/Password.
- Once logged in, download your answer key PDF and record responses for your reference.
Pro Tip: Always save a local copy and print a backup of your answer key and response sheet — you might need them during result queries or future disputes.
🛠️ How to Challenge the Provisional Answer Key (Step by Step)
Challenging an incorrect answer could improve your final score, but only if done correctly. Here’s how to avoid common mistakes:
⚠️ Common Problems Candidates Face
- Uploading multiple documents instead of a single PDF.
- Missing deadline due to confusion on time zones.
- Forgetting to pay the processing fee online, which invalidates the challenge.
✅ Step-by-Step Challenge Guide
- Login to the UGC NET portal with your credentials.
- Click “View/Challenge Answer Key”.
- Select the Question ID(s) you want to challenge.
- Upload supporting documents (e.g., textbook extracts, official references) — all combined into one PDF.
- Click Save Your Claims and proceed to Pay the ₹200 fee per question.
- Submit your challenge before 17 January 2026 (11:50 PM).
⚙️ Essential Tips
- Ensure your evidence is clear and authoritative (excerpts from standard textbooks or official syllabi work best).
- Double-check Question IDs and option codes — mismatches can lead to rejection.
- No offline challenges will be accepted.
📂 Uploading Supporting Documents: One PDF Rule
While submitting a challenge, NTA allows candidates to upload supporting academic evidence.
📌 Mandatory rule from NTA:
- All supporting documents must be uploaded as ONE SINGLE PDF
- Uploading multiple files separately is not allowed
What You Can Upload
- 📘 Standard textbook references
- 📄 Scanned book pages
- 📚 Official academic sources
Common Problem Faced by Candidates
Uploading multiple files instead of one merged PDF leads to automatic rejection of the challenge.
👉 Tip: Merge all documents into a single PDF before uploading.
💳 Fee Payment Rule: Unpaid Challenges Are Rejected
NTA has clearly stated that payment confirmation is mandatory for every challenge submitted.
🔔 Key rule to remember:
- ₹200 fee is charged per question
- Fee is non-refundable
- ❌ No challenge is accepted without successful payment
Even if:
- Your challenge is correct
- Evidence is valid
👉 Without payment, the challenge is ignored completely.
Always ensure:
- Payment status shows “Successful”
- Transaction receipt is generated
📈 What Happens After You Submit a Challenge?
Once you submit a challenge:
- A panel of subject experts reviews all challenges.
- If an objection is found correct, the answer key is revised globally for all candidates.
- Revised keys contribute to the final answer key used for result calculation.
- You will not receive individual communication on challenge acceptance. Always keep checking the official site for updates.
📅 Important Dates Every Candidate Must Know
- Answer Key Live: 14 January 2026.
- Objection Window: 14–17 January 2026.
- Last Date for Fee Payment: 17 January 2026 (11:50 PM).
📅 UGC NET December 2025 Exam Dates (Official Schedule)
As per the official notification released by NTA, the UGC NET December 2025 examination was conducted in multiple shifts across six days to accommodate a large number of candidates.
UGC NET December 2025 Exam Dates:
- 🗓️ 31 December 2025
- 🗓️ 02 January 2026
- 🗓️ 03 January 2026
- 🗓️ 05 January 2026
- 🗓️ 06 January 2026
- 🗓️ 07 January 2026
Candidates who appeared on any of these dates are eligible to check the provisional answer key and raise objections, if required.
⚠️ Important Rule: Dropped Questions Cannot Be Challenged
While checking the provisional answer key, some questions may appear highlighted as “Dropped” by NTA.
👉 Important to know:
- ❌ Dropped questions are NOT open for challenge
- ❌ No objection can be raised for dropped questions
- ✅ Marks for dropped questions are handled as per NTA’s final evaluation policy
Common Mistake to Avoid
Many candidates try to challenge dropped questions, which leads to wasted time and confusion. Always check whether a question is marked as Dropped before selecting it for challenge.
🧾 Understanding “Correct Option(s)” and Option ID (Very Important)
When viewing the answer key, candidates will see a column titled “Correct Option(s)”.
Here’s what it means:
- ✅ This column shows the official answer key decided by NTA
- 🔢 Each answer option has a unique Option ID
- ⚠️ Challenges must be raised using Option IDs, not option numbers (A/B/C/D)
Why This Matters
If you select the wrong Option ID while challenging, your objection may be automatically rejected, even if your academic reasoning is correct.
✔️ Always double-check:
- Question ID
- Correct Option(s) shown
- Option ID you are selecting for challenge
☎️ Official NTA Helpdesk Details (From Notification)
If you face technical issues while checking the answer key or submitting challenges, you can contact NTA through the official channels mentioned in the notification.
📍 NTA Contact Details:
- 📞 Helpline Number: 011-40759000
- 📧 Email: ugcnet@nta.ac.in
- 🏢 Office Address:
First Floor, NSIC-MDBP Building,
Okhla Industrial Estate, New Delhi – 110020
📌 Always contact only through official details to avoid misinformation or fraud.
🚀 Final Tips to Maximise Your Chances
- Act early — many candidates wait till the last day and face system glitches.
- Organise evidence logically — clear documentation increases acceptance chances.
- Avoid submitting speculative objections without credible references.
📌 Summary
The release of the UGC NET December 2025 provisional answer key is an essential opportunity for candidates to self-evaluate and challenge questionable answers. With a structured challenge process and clear rules from NTA, you can confidently review your performance and take corrective action if required.
Stay updated by regularly visiting ugcnet.nta.nic.in for final answer keys and result announcements.
🌐 Important Links
- Download Answer Key Here : UGC NET December 2025 Provisional Answer Key
- Official Notification pdf Download here
- Official Website : ugcnet.nta.nic.in
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