The objection window for the UCEED 2026 draft answer key is now open for candidates. IIT Bombay has released the provisional solutions for Part-A, allowing aspirants to submit their comments and challenges through the candidate portal. Ensure you provide valid justification and supporting documents before the January 22 deadline.

Following the successful conduct of the Undergraduate Common Entrance Examination for Design on January 18, the IIT-B-panel has officially opened the gateway for candidates to voice concerns regarding the initial solutions. As of today, January 20, 2026, the challenge-phase for the UCEED 2026 draft answer key is active, providing a transparent mechanism for students to ensure the accuracy of their evaluation. This period is strictly time-bound, and candidates must act swiftly to review their Part-A responses against the master question paper to identify any potential errors.

Timeline for Raising Objections

The challenge-phase is designed to be a brief but intensive window where all student inputs are consolidated for the final review.

• Window Opening: The facility to upload comments became available alongside the draft key on January 20, 2026.
• Closing Deadline: Candidates must submit all objections through the portal by January 22, 2026, at 5:00 PM.
• Final Key Publication: After the IIT-B-panel reviews all submissions, the definitive final answer key will be released on January 28, 2026.
• Results Foundation: These final keys will serve as the absolute basis for the result declaration on March 6, 2026.

How to File a Dispute on the Portal

Candidates wishing to participate in the objection-round must follow a specific digital protocol to ensure their feedback is considered valid.

• Portal Access: Use your registered email ID and password to log in to the "Candidate Portal" on the official website.
• Reference Document: It is mandatory to use the Master-Question-Paper provided on the website for referencing question numbers, as the order of questions in individual sets may vary.
• Providing Proof: When raising an issue in the objection-round, candidates must provide a detailed justification, which can include diagrams or alternate solutions linked via cloud storage (Google Drive or Dropbox).
• Consolidated Submission: All comments should ideally be compiled and submitted within the portal interface; any objections sent via email or post will be disregarded.

Key Points for Candidates to Remember

The Master-Question-Paper acts as the singular source of truth during this verification process to avoid mapping errors.

• Part-A Only: Challenges are only permitted for the objective sections of Part-A (NAT, MSQ, and MCQ); Part-B drawing responses are not subject to public keys.
• Binding Decisions: The final decision of the UCI Committee after reviewing the objection-round will be final and binding on all test-takers.
• Formatting Claims: Ensure that every claim using the Master-Question-Paper is backed by credible academic sources to increase the likelihood of a key revision.

Conclusion

With the challenge-phase now in full swing, candidates are urged not to wait until the final hour of January 22 to submit their queries. Thoroughly checking the Master-Question-Paper against personal responses is the most effective way to ensure that the final result reflects the candidate's true performance. The IIT-B-panel remains committed to a merit-based and error-free evaluation, and candidate participation in this window is a vital part of that commitment. Once the window closes, no further requests for answer key changes will be entertained for the 2026 session.