INI CET Answer Key 2026: July 2025 Batch Released, January 2026 Batch Expected Around December 19, 2025

The Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test (INI CET) 2026 is one of the most sought-after postgraduate medical entrance exams in India. INI CET 2026 is conducted by AIIMS, New Delhi, twice a year (January and July sessions), this exam decides admissions to MD, MS, DM, MCh, and MDS courses offered by top institutions like AIIMS, PGIMER, NIMHANS, JIPMER, and other participating INIs.

As the July 2025 batch of INI CET has concluded, aspirants are now looking toward the January 2026 batch. With discussions around the answer key and result date, candidates are keen to understand the current status and what to expect. This article explores the release of the July 2025 answer key, the expected timeline for the January 2026 session, and how candidates can use answer keys effectively while preparing for results and counselling.

INI CET January 2026 Answer Key: What to Expect

The January 2026 session of INI CET is scheduled to take place on Nov 9, 2025 as per the INI CET Exam Dates 2026. Candidates should be aware of the following trends based on past sessions:

• Unofficial Answer Key

• • Candidates can anticipate that academic institutions and medical education portals will make memory-based answer keys available shortly after the test, similar to what happened with the July 2025 batch.
  • Because they rely on student recall, these answer keys may not be entirely accurate, but they do function as an early self-evaluation tool.

• Official Answer Key

• • AIIMS is not anticipated to release an official answer key, in line with previous trends. Rather, the merit list and results are made public directly.
  • Therefore, candidates should use the unofficial versions to assess their chances rather than waiting for an official answer key.

• Timeline of Results

• The INI CET January 2026 results are expected to be released on or around December 19, 2025.
• This anticipated date is consistent with AIIMS's prior exam cycles, in which the results were usually released within 4–6 weeks of the exam. 

INI CET July 2025 Answer Key: What Was Released

The July 2025 session of INI CET was successfully conducted in May 2025.  As in previous years, candidates eagerly awaited the answer key so they could cross-check their answers and determine their likely scores. But it's crucial to remember the following:

• No official answer key by AIIMS: The conducting authority, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), has remained firm in its decision to withhold the official question paper and answer key.
• Memory-based answer keys available: A number of reputable online resources and coaching centers made memory-based question papers and answer keys available shortly after the test. These were put together using the opinions of applicants who took the test.
• Utility for candidates: Although not entirely precise, these unofficial answer keys assisted candidates in assessing their performance, determining the degree of difficulty, and forecasting their prospects prior to the release of the official results.

Days after the test, on May 24, 2025, the official results for the July 2025 batch were revealed. This trend reaffirmed AIIMS' propensity to publish results directly rather than an answer key.

Importance of Answer Keys for INI CET Aspirants

The availability of memory-based answer keys is important for candidates even though official answer keys are not released:

• Score Estimation: Using the unofficial key, candidates can add up their answers to get an estimated score.
• Reality check or confidence boost: It assists candidates in mentally preparing for the outcome, whether favorable or unfavorable.
• Strategic Planning: Students can begin preparing for the counseling stage early if they have a ballpark estimate of their grades.
• Feedback for Upcoming Attempts: Individuals who don't meet expectations can utilize the analysis to improve their approach to preparation for the subsequent attempt.

How to Access INI CET Answer Key 2026

While AIIMS does not host an official answer key, here’s how candidates can check available resources:

• Visit medical education portals like Careers360, Shiksha, or coaching institute websites.
• Look for “INI CET 2026 Answer Key – January Session (Memory-Based)”.
• Download the question paper recall and suggested solutions.
• Cross-verify your responses and calculate estimated scores using the exam’s marking scheme (+1 for correct, –1/3 for incorrect answers).

Previous Year Trends of INI CET Answer Key 2026

Examining previous sessions helps to clarify the anticipated procedure:

• July 2025 Session: May exam; May 24 results; no official answer key.
• January 2025 Session: November 2024 exam; December results; counseling shortly thereafter.
• Exam Pattern: AIIMS has routinely delayed the release of answer keys while announcing exam results weeks in advance.

Therefore, the same can be anticipated for INI CET 2026 (January batch), where official results are expected to be released in December 2025, and unofficial answer keys will circulate shortly after the exam.

INI CET Result & Counselling Process

The result becomes the first reliable source of performance validation because AIIMS does not publish an official answer key. Following results, the following occurs:

• Result Announcement

• • The tentative date of the INI CET 2026 January batch results is December 19, 2025.
  • The outcome, which includes candidate names, roll numbers, and percentiles, is released as a merit list.

• Cut-Off Times

• • The 50th percentile for UR/EWS, the 45th percentile for OBC, and the 40th percentile for SC/ST/PwBD categories are the minimum qualifying percentiles that candidates must achieve.

• Rounds of Counseling

• • AIIMS administers the online counseling process based on the merit list.
  • In order to participate in multiple rounds of seat allocation, candidates must register and fill out their preferences for institutions and courses.

• Admission Confirmation

• Candidates must confirm their admission by uploading supporting documentation, paying the required amount, and showing up at the designated institution after being assigned a seat.

Conclusion

The INI CET Answer Key 2026 is an important resource for aspirants, even though AIIMS does not release an official version. For the July 2025 batch, memory-based answer keys were already shared by coaching institutes, and results were released on May 24, 2025. For the January 2026 batch, unofficial answer keys are expected soon after the exam in November 2025, while the official results are tentatively expected by December 19, 2025.

Aspirants are advised to use unofficial answer keys wisely, stay updated with the AIIMS official website, and gear up for counselling once results are announced. The journey may be challenging, but with strategic preparation and timely updates, securing a PG medical seat through INI CET is very much achievable.