The National Testing Agency (NTA) is expected to release the provisional answer key for the NEET UG 2025 examination soon, potentially by the end of May 2025. Once released, the answer key will be available for download on the official NTA NEET website, neet.nta.nic.in. This follows the successful completion of the NEET UG 2025 exam, which was held on May 4, 2025, across 566 cities in India and abroad.

This year, approximately 22 lakh candidates participated in the medical entrance exam, which was conducted in a single shift from 2 PM to 5 PM. The exam reverted to its pre-COVID format, featuring 180 compulsory questions to be completed within 180 minutes. This meant the removal of optional questions in Section B. Each subject had a specific number of questions: 45 each in Physics and Chemistry, and 90 in Biology.

How to Download the Provisional Answer Key

Once the NTA releases the provisional answer key, candidates can download it by following these steps:

1. Visit the official NEET website: neet.nta.nic.in.
2. Click on the link titled "NEET UG 2025 Provisional Answer Key" on the homepage.
3. Enter your login credentials, including your application number, date of birth, and the security code.
4. The answer key PDF will be displayed on the screen.
5. Download and save the answer key for future reference. It is advisable to take a printout for ease of comparison.

Challenging the Answer Key

After the release of the provisional answer key, candidates will have the opportunity to challenge any answer they believe to be incorrect. To do so, they will need to provide supporting documents and evidence. The process for raising objections is as follows:

1. Log in to the NEET UG portal: neet.nta.nic.in.
2. Click on the link to raise objections against the answer key.
3. Select the Test Booklet Code.
4. Login using your Application Number and Date of Birth and enter Security Pin as displayed and submit.
5. The questions will be displayed in sequential order.
6. Candidates will likely be required to pay a fee of ₹200 per challenged answer.

Impact and Next Steps

The provisional answer key allows candidates to estimate their scores and evaluate their performance. Various coaching institutes have also released unofficial answer keys, which candidates can use to cross-reference and get an idea of their expected marks.

The NTA will review all the challenges submitted by the candidates and then release a final answer key. The NEET 2025 result will be prepared based on the final answer key and is expected to be declared by June 14, 2025. The result will be available on exams.nta.ac.in/NEET, where candidates can access their scorecards using their login credentials.

Important Dates and Information

• NEET UG 2025 Exam Date: May 4, 2025
• Expected Provisional Answer Key Release: By the end of May 2025
• Expected Result Date: June 14, 2025
• Official Websites: neet.nta.nic.in and exams.nta.ac.in

While the official dates are tentative, candidates should regularly monitor the official websites for the latest updates and notifications.

Recent Developments

There have been some recent legal challenges related to the NEET UG 2025 exam. The Madras High Court has stayed the declaration of results following petitions from candidates affected by a power outage at an exam center. The court has sought a response from the NTA by June 2, 2025. However, this stay does not affect the release of the provisional answer key. Similarly, the High Court of Madhya Pradesh has temporarily halted the NEET 2025 result due to mismanagement at a center experiencing a power cut.