NTA Breaks Silence on JEE Mains 2025 Answer Key Row: Clarifies Provisional Status Amid Claims of Paper Errors
Facing backlash over alleged errors in the JEE Mains 2025 question paper and answer key, NTA has issued a clarification. The agency emphasized that all objections will be reviewed transparently before final results are declared.
Key Highlights:
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has issued an official clarification amid growing concerns and protests regarding the provisional answer key of JEE Mains 2025 (Session 2). The controversy erupted after numerous students and coaching experts flagged what they claimed were factual errors in multiple subjects of the recently held engineering entrance exam.
On April 16, 2025, the NTA emphasized that the answer keys currently available are provisional, subject to challenge, and must not be considered final. The agency urged students not to jump to conclusions based on speculation or social media discourse.
What Triggered the JEE Mains 2025 Answer Key Controversy?
The issue began when students—particularly from the coaching hub of Kota, Rajasthan—raised red flags about at least nine disputed questions across Physics, Chemistry, and Mathematics sections.
A detailed analysis by leading coaching institutes indicated:
- Factual inaccuracies in the answer options
- Ambiguity in question framing
- Mismatched answer keys in certain shifts
These discrepancies reportedly impacted candidates’ ability to select correct responses, potentially affecting their percentile scores, AIR (All India Rank), and even JEE Advanced eligibility.
NTA’s Official Statement: Key Points
Responding to the escalating criticism, NTA released a public statement outlining the following points:
- The current answer keys released are provisional, not final
- Students are encouraged to challenge any answer key they believe is incorrect
- Final answer keys will be prepared only after reviewing all objections
- The Answer Key Challenge Window is a core part of NTA’s transparency protocol
- Candidates are warned against misinformation campaigns that could mislead others or provoke anxiety
NTA reassured students that every challenge will be objectively reviewed by subject experts, and necessary corrections will be made before the final evaluation.
The Role of the Answer Key Challenge Process
The Answer Key Challenge process allows students to:
- Access their individual recorded responses
- Compare them with the official provisional answer key
- Submit challenges with documented evidence or textbooks
- Pay a non-refundable fee of ₹200 per question challenged
The window typically stays open for 2–3 days after the provisional key is released.
Post this period, NTA compiles expert reports and issues the final key, which will be used for score normalization and result declaration.
Students and Coaching Institutes React to NTA’s Clarification
Despite the clarification, many candidates and coaching centers believe the damage is already done, particularly for those who might have lost crucial marks due to incorrect answers.
Leading Kota-based educator Dheeraj Soni, a senior Physics faculty, stated:
“We found concrete discrepancies in multiple sessions. If these are not rectified, it could severely alter student ranks. We appreciate NTA’s clarification, but hope the review will be fair and fast.”
Social media platforms like X (formerly Twitter) and Reddit saw hashtags like #FixJEEKey and #JEEMainsErrors2025 trend for hours following the answer key release.
Examples of Disputed Questions in JEE Mains 2025
Here are a few subject-wise examples flagged by educators and aspirants:
Physics:
- A numerical value was allegedly marked wrong in a Thermodynamics question
- In one shift, a vector-based question lacked clear directional context
Chemistry:
- A question on chemical equilibrium reportedly had two correct options, but only one was marked in the key
Mathematics:
- A coordinate geometry problem had an incorrect formula application in the answer key
- A permutation and combination question was misclassified under integer type but had multiple correct answers
These examples are still under review, pending NTA’s final decision.
Timeline of Events So Far
| Date | Event Description |
|---|---|
| April 6–12 | JEE Mains 2025 Session 2 conducted nationwide |
| April 13 | Provisional Answer Key released |
| April 14–17 | Student objections and expert analysis emerge |
| April 16 | NTA issues clarification on answer key status |
| April 18 | Expected final day for submitting challenges |
| April 25–28 | Expected release of Final Answer Key and Result |
NTA Appeals for Patience and Fact-Based Challenges
In its statement, NTA stressed the importance of fact-based representation when challenging questions. It also reiterated that:
- The review committee consists of Ph.D.-level subject matter experts
- False or emotionally charged claims will not influence evaluation
- Students should rely only on official websites (nta.ac.in / jeemain.nta.ac.in) for updates
This comes as a strong signal to discourage misinformation and viral speculations that may mislead or panic candidates.
What Should Students Do Now?
If you’re a JEE Mains 2025 aspirant concerned about the provisional key:
- Visit jeemain.nta.ac.in
- Download your recorded response sheet and the provisional key
- Verify each marked answer with reference books or coaching material
- If discrepancies are found, raise a challenge by paying ₹200/question
- Save acknowledgment of every challenge submitted
Impact on Final Results and JEE Advanced 2025 Eligibility
Since JEE Advanced eligibility hinges on performance percentile in Mains, especially for the top 2.5 lakh candidates, errors in answer keys can:
- Disqualify deserving students
- Skew cutoffs in unpredictable ways
- Impact choice filling in NITs, IIITs, and GFTIs
Students are thus advised to take the answer key challenge seriously and ensure their performance is not undermined by technical inconsistencies.
JEE Mains 2025 Answer Key: What Comes Next?
Once the Answer Key Challenge window closes, NTA will:
- Send disputed questions to its expert review panel
- Finalize answers after scientific deliberation
- Release the Final Answer Key
- Publish scorecards and AIRs on the JEE portal
- Notify about JEE Advanced 2025 registration (tentatively from May 1)
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Q1: Is the JEE Mains 2025 answer key final?
No, the current key is provisional and open to challenge.
Q2: How much is the fee to challenge an answer key?
₹200 per question, payable online. It is non-refundable.
Q3: Will my challenge be accepted automatically?
Only if it is valid and supported by proof. The expert panel decides the outcome.
Q4: What happens if a question is found wrong after review?
All students may receive bonus marks or the question may be dropped from evaluation.
Q5: When will JEE Mains 2025 results be announced?
Tentatively by the last week of April 2025, after final key release.
Wait for the Final Key, But Act Now If Needed
The JEE Mains 2025 answer key controversy has highlighted the high stakes and intense scrutiny surrounding India’s most competitive entrance exam. While NTA has clarified its process, the burden now lies on candidates to verify and challenge responsibly.
As we await the final verdict, the episode underscores the need for accuracy, transparency, and responsiveness in high-level testing frameworks like JEE.
For future updates on JEE results, JEE Advanced 2025 schedule, cutoff analysis, and expert commentary — stay tuned to Hindustan Herald, your trusted source for all competitive exam coverage.
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