JEE Main 2026 Errors: 17 Issues Found in Answer Key

The National Testing Agency (NTA) faces criticism following the identification of 17 errors in the JEE Main 2026 Session 1 answer key . The Coaching Federation of India (CFI) has flagged these issues, requesting bonus marks for 10 questions. The errors involve ambiguity, numerical mistakes, and multiple correct options.

JEE Main 2026 Session 1 exams were held between January 21 and January 29. Approximately 13 lakh students registered for the examination. The answer key was released on February 4, with a deadline to challenge answers set for February 6.

CFI Demands Bonus Marks

The CFI stated that 10 questions were fundamentally ambiguous or flawed. These questions should receive bonus marks, according to the federation. An additional seven questions contained errors, including incorrect numerical values, wrong options, or multiple correct answers. Physics questions accounted for the highest number of challenges.

Keshav Agarwal, vice president (media and legal) at CFI, highlighted the impact of these errors. “In JEE Main, even a one-mark variation can significantly affect student rankings,” he stated. “The current objection mechanism places the burden of correcting errors on students, both financially and competitively.” Students pay Rs. 200 per question to challenge answers.

Agarwal noted the repetitive nature of these issues. “NTA seems not to be learning from past mistakes,” he said. “Every year there is a mistake in the answer key.” Last year, the federation identified nine errors in the JEE Session 2 answer key.

Answer Key Challenges Detailed

The CFI has outlined specific questions with alleged errors. These challenges span across different shifts of the examination.