The National Testing Agency (NTA) has clarified on X why students are being required to pay INR 200 for challenging an answer key, saying that the fee is primarily meant to discourage frivolous acts. It will also avoid the result getting delayed. The clarification came after candidates said that the answer key challenges are “too expensive.” In a post on X, NTA mentioned that the fees to challenge the answer key are to safeguard the interests of the students and not to earn profit.
One valid challenge can benefit lakhs of students
According to NTA, the answer key challenge system does not operate on individual basis. If a candidate challenges a question and the subject experts reviewing the answers find that the objection is valid, the corrected answer is applied to all candidates who appeared for the exam. This means that an objection raised by a candidate can potentially impact the evaluation of lakhs of students.
Why candidates have to pay ₹200 per question
Catering to the concerns raised by the aspirants’ objections, NTA mentioned that the INR 200 fee charged for each challenged question is refunded if the objection is found to be correct and upheld by the subject matter experts.The agency said the fee is therefore not intended to generate revenue from genuine objections. Instead, it is meant to discourage candidates from submitting challenges without adequate evidence or simply questioning answers they disagree with.The agency also mentioned that the fee is therefore not intended to generate profit. Instead, it is to discourage candidates from submitting the challenge without proper evidence or simply objecting to answers they disagree with.“The fee is refunded if you’re right. It exists to discourage frivolous challenges, not to profit,” NTA said while explaining the rationale behind the system.
What candidates should keep in mind
Candidates challenging an answer key should therefore examine the question, official answer, and relevant subject material carefully before submitting an objection. A challenge should be based on a genuine error rather than a difference of opinion or an expectation that another answer should have been accepted.
