NTA Releases Provisional Answer Key for CSIR UGC NET December 2025 – Objection Window Open
The National Testing Agency (NTA) has officially released the Provisional Answer Key for the Joint CSIR-UGC NET December 2025 examination. Aspirants who appeared for the CSIR UGC NET exam conducted on 18th December 2025 can now download the answer key and response sheets to evaluate their performance and raise objections if needed. With the objection window now open, candidates have a limited time to challenge answers they believe are incorrect — an important step before the final key and results are published.
What Is the CSIR UGC NET Exam?
The CSIR-UGC NET (Council of Scientific & Industrial Research – University Grants Commission National Eligibility Test) is a prestigious national-level examination in India that determines eligibility for Junior Research Fellowship (JRF) and Assistant Professor positions, as well as admissions to Ph.D. programs in science and research fields. Conducted twice a year, usually in December and June, the NET exam is administered by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
This exam is highly competitive and tests candidates across subjects such as Chemical Sciences, Life Sciences, Earth Sciences, Mathematical Sciences, and Physical Sciences. The answer key release is a crucial part of the evaluation process, allowing candidates to check their answers before the final results are announced.
Key Highlights of the Answer Key Release
📅 Provisional Answer Key Publication
The provisional answer key for the CSIR UGC NET December 2025 session was published by the NTA on 30th December 2025. This key includes the official correct answers along with candidates’ response sheets, enabling aspirants to match their marked responses with the official answers directly.
📝 Importance of the Answer Key
The provisional answer key holds great importance as it allows candidates to:
- Estimate their scores by comparing recorded responses with the official key.
- Identify discrepancies in the answers released.
- Raise objections to potentially incorrect keys before the final answer key is published.
- Gain clarity and confidence about their tentative result ahead of the final declaration.
Publishing the answer key ensures transparency and fairness in the examination evaluation process.
How to Download the Provisional Answer Key
To download the provisional answer key and response sheets, candidates can follow these simple steps:
- Visit the official CSIR NET portal: https://csirnet.nta.nic.in/.
- Locate the link titled “Provisional Answer Key for Joint CSIR UGC NET December 2025”.
- Log in using your Application Number and Date of Birth / Password.
- Access and view the answer key along with your response sheet.
- Download the PDF file for OFFICIAL records and scoring estimate.
Alternatively, aspirants can directly access and download the provisional answer key PDF via the link provided above.
Objection Window — Key Details
The objection window for the CSIR UGC NET December 2025 provisional answer key has been opened by the NTA, allowing candidates to raise challenges if they detect discrepancies in the provided solutions.
📌 Objection Submission Deadline
- Objection Window Start: 30th December 2025
- Objection Window End: 1st January 2026 (11:00 PM)
Candidates must raise objections within this window to ensure their challenges are considered by the expert panel.
💰 Objection Fee
- A non-refundable fee of Rs. 200 per question will be charged for each objection raised.
- Payments must be completed online through the official portal.
- Only challenges submitted with the required payment and valid justification will be reviewed.
The expert panel evaluates all objections and updates the key if required. Final results are then prepared based on the revised key after the objection process is completed.
Tips on Raising Effective Objections
If candidates plan to challenge any answers in the provisional answer key, they should:
- Double-check the official key against multiple reliable sources (standard textbooks, solved question formats).
- Provide valid supporting documentation or references for the correct answer when submitting the objection.
- Submit challenges early, as technical issues closer to the deadline may affect submissions.
- Ensure the objection form is filled accurately and payment is completed successfully.
Filing a well-substantiated objection increases the chance that NTA will consider it for the final key revision.
What Happens After the Objection Window Closes?
Once the objection window closes:
- The NTA expert panel reviews all objections submitted by candidates.
- Valid challenges result in corrections to the provisional answer key.
- A final answer key is published, which will be used to calculate scores for all candidates.
- Based on the final answer key, the CSIR UGC NET Result 2025 will be declared.
Qualified candidates will be eligible for JRF, appointments as Assistant Professors, or admission to PhD programs at Indian universities and research institutions.
Conclusion
The release of the CSIR UGC NET December 2025 provisional answer key marks a significant milestone in the exam cycle for thousands of science aspirants. With the objection window active until 1st January 2026, candidates have a valuable opportunity to verify their answers, calculate estimated scores, and raise well-supported objections if needed. Staying proactive during this phase helps improve transparency and ensures fair evaluation for all.
📥 Don’t forget to download the official answer key PDF here:
https://cdnbbsr.s3waas.gov.in/s3efdf562ce2fb0ad460fd8e9d33e57f57/uploads/2025/12/202512301684975106.pdf
Good luck to all aspirants awaiting results! Your hard work and careful evaluation during this answer key phase can bring you one step closer to your academic and research goals!
