As of February 2, 2026, candidates of the Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED) are awaiting the official final answer key from IIT Bombay. Following the January 18 exam and the draft key release on January 20, the objection window has closed, and the final response sheet is scheduled for release today. The results for the 2026 session will be officially declared on March 6, with the Part-A cut-off expected to be announced separately on February 5.Aspirants can access their performance metrics and subsequent scorecards via the official candidate portal using their secure login credentials. The results will determine eligibility for the B.Des joint admission process at premier IITs and other result-sharing design institutes across India.

As of February 2, 2026, the evaluation cycle for the Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design (UCEED) has entered a pivotal waiting period. Following the national-level entrance test conducted by IIT Bombay on January 18, the initial drafting phase for responses has concluded. The university released the draft answer keys on January 20, and the window for candidates to submit their objections closed on January 22. Aspirants are now anticipating the release of the final Key, which serves as the definitive basis for the evaluation of Part A. The formal declaration of the entrance exam Result is slated for next month, leaving students in a state of watchful anticipation. Candidates can check for the latest updates on the Official UCEED 2026 Portal.

Critical Dates and Evaluation Milestones

The 2026 design admission journey follows a precise administrative calendar. While the draft Key provided a preliminary score estimate, the final version will reconcile all valid student challenges. The Result will eventually incorporate both objective and subjective performance metrics.

• Exam Date: January 18, 2026.
• Final Answer Key Release: Originally scheduled for late January, the definitive Key for Part A is expected to be uploaded to the portal by early February.
• Part-A Cut-off Announcement: Scheduled for February 5, 2026. Only those who clear this threshold will have their Part-B (Drawing) evaluated.
• Final Result Declaration: March 6, 2026.
• Scorecard Download: Available from March 10 to July 31, 2026, through the Candidate Login Dashboard.

Understanding the Marking Scheme for 2026

The final Key is essential for calculating the raw score in Part A, which consists of three distinct sections. Because the Result ranking relies on a combined score of Part A and Part B (totaling 300 marks), accuracy in the objective section is paramount.

• Negative marking applies only to the MSQ and MCQ sections; there is no penalty for NAT questions.
• The final Key will clarify any ambiguities in the MSQ section, where multiple correct combinations can affect partial marking.
• Evaluation of Part B is only conducted for candidates who meet the mean and standard deviation-based cut-off in Part A, making the upcoming Result two-tiered.
• For a detailed breakdown of the scoring formula, refer to the Official UCEED 2026 Information Brochure.

Post-Result Timeline and Counseling

Once the Result is live on March 6, the focus will shift toward the Joint Seat Allocation process. Candidates who receive a rank in the 2026 Result must apply separately for B.Des admissions between March 14 and April 10.

• Admission Eligibility: Qualifying in the exam does not guarantee a seat; it only allows participation in the counseling process.
• Seat Allotment: The first round of allotment is tentatively scheduled for April 21, 2026.
• Participating Institutes: Includes IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, IIT Guwahati, IIT Hyderabad, IIT Indore, and several other result-sharing universities.
• For the list of colleges accepting these scores, visit the UCEED Result Sharing Institutes page.

Conclusion

The current waiting period for the UCEED 2026 final answer key and result schedule represents a brief calm before the high-stakes admission rounds. With the final key for Part A expected any day and the result declaration set for March 6, candidates must ensure they have their login credentials ready to access their performance sheets. This year's structured evaluation—requiring a Part-A cut-off for Part-B assessment—highlights the competitive nature of design education at the IITs. Aspirants are advised to monitor the portal closely for the February 5 cut-off announcement, which will be the first major indicator of their merit standing for the 2026-27 academic session.