CBSE to release JEE Main 2018 answer key today; check jeemain.nic.in for updates, last date to challenge is 27 April

Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) will release the official answer key of JEE Main 2018 on 24 April. The answer key will be released online for both modes of paper (online — jeemain.nic.in — and offline) wherein candidates can cross-check and compare their answers with the keys on the answer key. While the examination authority will release JEE Main answer key for Paper I on 24 April, it’s still not clear whether the answer key of Paper II will also be released along with Paper I, though it is expected to do so.The captured response sheets or OMR sheets of the candidates will also be released for students to compare with the official answer keys. The last date for the display of the answer key is 27 April.JEE Main 2018 answer key for Paper I  (offline) will be released for Code A, B, C and D, while the answer key for Paper II may be released for Code P, Q, R and S. These codes belong to the question paper sets that were given to students on 8 April, 2018 when the exam was conducted offline. Students who appeared for the online exam can check their online responses captured by the system.[caption id="attachment_4419059" align="alignleft" width="380"]

Representational image. PTI[/caption]The response sheets or OMR sheets have to be used by students to compare with the official answer keys and calculate their probable marks in the exam. It may be noted that the JEE Main result will be announced on 30 April for Paper I while the result will be declared for Paper II on 31 May.Disagree with the Official Answer Key? Challenge it!Students who disagree with the answer keys and feel that some may be wrong can challenge the same by 27 April. CBSE has specified the procedure which involves mailing the challenge with proof and online payment of the specified fee.Procedure to challenge the answer key• Log in by entering the JEE Main 2018 application number and password.• Use the “Challenge Answer Key” option to fill the application form.• Upload proof of the challenge.• Pay Rs 1000 for each question challenged. Payment is online via debit/credit, PayTM and SBI Buddy.An expert committee will review the applications and give the final decision. In case any challenge is found to be correct, the student will be refunded the amount paid for it and the final answer released incorporating this.What after JEE Main 2018 result?JEE Main result for Paper I is slated to be declared on 30 April in online mode. The All India Ranks obtained in JEE Main will also be announced along with the result. Candidates will also be able to download their rank cards. However, the result for Paper II will be announced on 31 May.CBSE will also announce the qualifying cutoff for JEE Advanced 2018. This year, 2,24,000 candidates will be eligible to appear for the entrance exam that allows for admissions to the IITs. An increase of 4000 students has been announced this year from the 2,20,000 eligible last year.Admissions will be through the common counselling held by JoSAA – Joint Seat Allocation Authority for the NITs, IIITs, CFTIs and the IITs. JoSAA counselling will tentatively be held from June 19.To be prepared for counselling and fill in their choices, candidates can make use of the JEE Main cutoff which gives details of the opening and closing ranks of the past years. Based on the cutoffs, candidates can gauge the branches and institutes they may stand a chance for admissions. The cutoff varies as per the programmes, institute and category of the candidates.As per the official data released by CBSE, as many as 1043739 candidates had registered for JEE Main 2018 held on April 8, out of which 646814 were boys, 266745 girls and 3 transgenders.Have any doubts or queries? Write to us on our QnA platform and get the answers.