Following the successful conduct of the Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design on January 18, 2026, the official objection window has been activated for all participants. IIT Bombay released the draft answer key and candidate response sheets shortly after the exam, allowing aspirants to cross-verify their answers. The portal is receiving submissions from students who have identified potential discrepancies in the preliminary solutions provided by the conducting body.

• Submission Deadline: The window for raising a challenge against the draft key is scheduled to remain open until 5:00 PM on January 22, 2026.
• Portal Access: Candidates must use their registered credentials to log in to the candidate portal and navigate to the "Answer Key Challenge" section.
• Evidence Requirement: To ensure a valid objection, students are required to upload supporting documents or justifications for each question they wish to contest.
• Fee Structure: While many institutions charge per question, IIT Bombay typically allows the submission of challenges through the designated portal as part of its transparent evaluation process.

Evaluation Timeline and Final Result Processing

The objection phase is a crucial step in ensuring the integrity of the UCEED 2026 scoring system. Once the window closes, the paper setters and an expert committee will review every challenge submitted by the candidates. If a discrepancy is found to be valid, the master answer key will be updated accordingly, which will then form the basis for the final score calculation.

• Final Answer Key: After the review of all student feedback, the final version of the answer key is expected to be released on January 30, 2026.
• Non-Appealable Status: Once the final key is published, no further requests for re-evaluation or an additional challenge will be entertained by the university.
• Part A & Part B Evaluation: While the answer key pertains to the computer-based Part A, Part B (the drawing section) is evaluated manually for those who clear the Part A cutoffs.

UCEED 2026 Post-Exam Schedule

Conclusion

The 2026 admission cycle for premier design institutes like IIT Bombay, IIT Delhi, and IIT Guwahati is moving through its most transparent phase. The current objection window provides a democratic platform for students to ensure that their hard work is evaluated with absolute accuracy. As the experts prepare to address every individual challenge, the focus for aspirants now shifts toward the qualifying marks for Part B. The successful resolution of this window will pave the way for the official result declaration in March, ultimately determining the next batch of design innovators in the country.