UGC NET December 2025 answer key out; challenge window open till Jan 17

The National Testing Agency (NTA) on Wednesday released the provisional answer key for the UGC NET December 2025 examination on its official website, ugcnet.nta.nic.in. Candidates who appeared for the exam can now check their responses, estimate scores and submit objections, if any, within the stipulated timeline.

As per the notification, candidates can challenge the provisional answer key by paying a non-refundable fee of ₹200 per question. The objections will be reviewed by subject experts, and if a challenge is found valid, the fee will be refunded directly to the candidate’s bank account.

To download the answer key, candidates must log in using their application number, date of birth and security pin. The answer key PDF will be displayed on the screen, which can be downloaded for future reference.

Candidates who wish to raise objections need to select the relevant question ID, choose the correct response option, upload supporting documents and complete the payment process online. Only challenges submitted with proper evidence and fee payment will be considered by the NTA.

The UGC NET December 2025 examination was conducted on December 31 and January 2, 3, 5, 6 and 7 in two shifts. The test comprised two papers — Paper 1 carrying 100 marks and Paper 2 carrying 200 marks — with no negative marking.

The minimum qualifying marks remain unchanged, with general category candidates required to secure at least 40 per cent in both papers, while candidates from OBC, SC, ST and other reserved categories need a minimum of 35 per cent.

After reviewing all objections, the NTA will release the final answer key, based on which the UGC NET December 2025 results will be declared.