New Delhi: The National Testing Agency (NTA) defended its answer key challenge system, saying it is designed to ensure fairness for all candidates and rejecting concerns that the process is “too expensive”.

In a post on X, the testing agency explained how its answer key challenge mechanism works and said a valid challenge raised by even one candidate can benefit every student who appeared for the examination.

“On the concern being raised that answer key challenges are "too expensive": a quick clarification for candidates.

The answer key challenge system is designed to be fair to every student, not just the one who challenges,” the NTA said.

Explaining the first part of the system, the agency said that if a candidate challenges a question and the subject experts accept the objection, the revised answer key is applied to all candidates who appeared for that examination.

“One challenge, everyone benefits. If even a single candidate challenges a question, and the subject experts accept the challenge, the revised answer key applies to every candidate who wrote the exam,” it said.

The NTA also clarified that the challenge fee is refundable when an objection is upheld. Candidates are generally required to pay Rs 200 for each question they challenge.

“Fee is refunded if you're right. The ₹200/question is refunded to the candidate whose challenge is upheld. The fee exists to discourage frivolous challenges, not to profit from genuine ones,” the agency said.

The NTA further urged candidates who believe they have identified a genuine error to raise an objection through the prescribed process, stressing that an accepted challenge can lead to a correction benefiting a large number of students.

“So if you have identified a genuine error and raised it, if found correct will not only be refunded but one accurate challenge from any candidate can correct the record for lakhs of others,” the agency said.

An NTA answer key challenge is an online process through which candidates appearing for examinations such as JEE Main, NEET or UGC NET can raise objections to questions or answers in the provisional answer key.

The clarification comes amid scrutiny faced by the NTA over examination-related controversies, including concerns surrounding the NEET-UG examination and reported issues linked to UGC-NET.