New Delhi, India — February 2026
The January session of the JEE Main 2026 examination has come under renewed scrutiny after students reported confusing and inconsistent answers across different shifts, prompting formal objections to 17 questions.
Candidates appearing for the undergraduate engineering entrance exam said that identical questions in different shifts carried different correct answer options, while some questions were allegedly incorrect or ambiguously framed. The issue has triggered widespread concern just days before the release of the merit list, scheduled for February 12.
❗ Conflicting Answers Across Shifts
Students allege that the same question appeared in multiple shifts with different answer keys, creating confusion and resulting in loss of valuable exam time.
A large number of candidates have approached the National Testing Agency (NTA), urging it to issue an official clarification before finalizing results.
Many students have recommended that the disputed questions be treated as bonus questions, citing unclear wording and flawed structure.
📘 Physics Questions Also Disputed
In addition to the 17 disputed questions, candidates have also raised objections to three Physics questions from Shift 1 and Shift 2 of the January 22 exam.
According to students:
-
One question warrants bonus marks
-
Another has two closely matching correct options
-
A third appears to contain a clerical or keying error in the answer key
Several other questions from different subjects are also under review by candidates and coaching experts.
🗣️ Coaching Federation Raises Concerns
Coaching Federation of India said that even a single incorrect question in a competitive exam like JEE Main can have a serious impact on student rankings.
He emphasized that:
-
Time lost due to flawed questions is never compensated
-
Score normalization cannot offset conceptual errors
-
Students must pay ₹200 per question to challenge an answer, which becomes a financial burden for many aspirants
“This makes the grievance process difficult for deserving students,” he added.
⏳ Students Await Official Response
With the JEE Main 2026 merit list due on February 12, students are urging NTA to:
-
Review all disputed questions carefully
-
Ensure fairness across shifts
-
Communicate transparently before final score calculations
Education experts warn that unresolved discrepancies could undermine confidence in the examination process.
