The review period for the CEED 2026 draft answer key is currently active on the official IIT Bombay portal. Candidates who sat for the M.Des entrance exam on January 18 are encouraged to verify their Part A responses against the provisional key. The window to submit formal objections and comments remains open until 5:00 PM tomorrow, January 22.Following this review, the final answer key will be released on January 28, forming the basis for the results expected in early March.

The Industrial Design Centre (IDC), IIT Bombay, has officially moved into the feedback phase of the Common Entrance Examination for Design (CEED) 2026. Following the exam conducted on January 18, 2026, the draft answer key for Part A was released on January 20, sparking a period of intense scrutiny by thousands of postgraduate design aspirants. Candidates are actively comparing their individual response sheets with the provided solutions to estimate their scores and identify potential discrepancies. This draft phase is a hallmark of the exam's commitment to transparency, allowing for public corrections before the final merit lists are generated.

Accessing the Candidate Portal and Responses

To participate in the review, candidates must navigate the official portal to download their specific recorded answers for the objective sections.

• Sectional Review: The review focuses on Part A, which includes Numerical Answer Type (NAT), Multiple Select Questions (MSQ), and Multiple Choice Questions (MCQ). Candidates are checking the key for each of these sections to ensure the machine-graded responses align with their expectations.
• Master Question Paper: It is crucial for students to use the Master Question Paper as a reference, as the key is synchronized with that specific document rather than individual randomized booklets.
• Objection Filing: If a candidate identifies a genuine error, they must use the "Enter your comment on responses" feature on the dashboard. This draft feedback must be supported by valid academic references or visual evidence.
• Deadline Warning: The window for uploading these comments is strictly set to close at 5:00 PM tomorrow, January 22, 2026.

Impact on Part B and Final Merit

While the current activity is centered on the objective key, it has significant implications for the evaluation of the subjective Part B, which assesses drawing and design aptitude.

• Shortlisting Process: Only those candidates who meet the Part A cutoff—which is finalized based on the corrected key—will have their Part B answer booklets evaluated by the expert panel.
• Weighted Score: The final CEED 2026 score is calculated by giving 25% weightage to Part A and 75% weightage to Part B.
• Final Key Release: After reviewing all candidate objections, IIT Bombay will release the final key on January 28, 2026. This version will be final and cannot be challenged further.
• Result Timeline: The official results are scheduled to be declared on March 4, 2026, with scorecards available for download starting March 10.

CEED 2026 Key Dates Summary

The following table outlines the timeline for the remaining steps in the answer key and result process.

Conclusion

The current period of reviewing draft answer keys is a critical step for CEED 2026 candidates to ensure fairness in the evaluation of the objective section. With the January 22 deadline approaching, the focus remains on the meticulous verification of Part A responses through the official candidate portal. This collaborative review process between the examiners and the examinees ensures that the final results, expected in March, are based on an accurate and undisputed key. As aspirants finalize their objections, the design community awaits the final version of the key that will ultimately determine the gatekeepers of India’s top M.Des programs.