KEAM Answer Key 2026: Official Final Key Out, Download PDF and Marks vs Rank

The Commissioner for Entrance Examinations (CEE), Kerala has released the KEAM 2026 final answer key on May 6, 2026, after reviewing all objections submitted during the challenge window. The provisional answer key was first published on April 22, 2026, the day the exam concluded. Following an expert review in which over 20 questions were deleted, the final answer key now serves as the official basis for score computation. Students can access the answer key and download their normalised scorecards from the official website cee.kerala.gov.in. KEAM 2026 normalised scores (combining KEAM raw score and Class 12 board marks in a 50:50 ratio) were published on May 12, 2026; the final rank list is expected by June 20, 2026.

Source: CEE Kerala – KEAM 2026 Official Answer Key & Score Notification

• The KEAM 2026 provisional answer key was released on April 22, 2026, the same day the computer-based exam concluded for engineering and pharmacy streams.
• Students could raise objections against the provisional answer key between April 22 and April 26, 2026 by paying a non-refundable fee of INR 200/- per question; the fee is refunded if the objection is found valid.
• The KEAM 2026 final answer key was released on May 6, 2026; over 20 questions were deleted following an expert committee review of submitted objections, and all students who attempted a deleted question receive full marks (+4) for it.
• KEAM 2026 normalised scores were published on May 12, 2026. You can download your scorecard by logging in at cee.kerala.gov.in. The final rank list is expected by June 20, 2026.

You can use the KEAM 2026 final answer key to verify the correct answers used in computing your official score and to cross-check your published scorecard.

In 2025, over 1 lakh students appeared across Kerala for KEAM, making it one of the most competitive state-level engineering entrance examinations in India.

KEAM 2026 Final Answer Key  (Out)

The KEAM 2026 final answer key is the authoritative document published by CEE Kerala after processing all valid objections raised against the provisional key. It lists the officially accepted correct answer for each question in Paper I (Physics & Chemistry) and Paper II (Mathematics) and is the sole basis for computing every student’s raw KEAM score. Over 20 questions were removed from the final key after the expert committee’s review; students who attempted those questions are awarded full marks regardless of the option they chose.

KEAM 2026 Unofficial Answer Key

Within hours of the KEAM 2026 exam, leading coaching institutes released their own unofficial answer keys. While these are useful for an early estimate, always cross-check with the official CEE Kerala final answer key for accurate score computation, as the official key reflects the results of the objection review.

KEAM 2025 Answer Key with Solutions PDF  (Available)

Practising with previous year KEAM question papers and their official answer keys is one of the most effective ways to prepare for future attempts. The table below links to the KEAM 2025 answer key and question papers as published by CEE Kerala.

Source: CEE Kerala – Previous Year Answer Keys

How to Download the KEAM 2026 Answer Key?

The KEAM 2026 answer key is available as a free public PDF on the CEE Kerala official website — no login is needed to download the answer key. However, to access your personal response sheet and normalised scorecard, you must log in using your application number and password.

Here are the complete guided steps to download the KEAM 2026 answer key:

• Step 1: Open the official CEE Kerala website — cee.kerala.gov.in — on your browser.
• Step 2: On the homepage, look for the latest notification link labelled "KEAM 2026 Final Answer Key" and click on it.
• Step 3: A list of available PDFs will appear — one for Paper I (Physics & Chemistry) and one for Paper II (Mathematics).
• Step 4: Click on the PDF link for the paper you wish to check. The document will open in a new browser tab.
• Step 5: Save or download the PDF using your browser’s download option (or Ctrl+S / Cmd+S).
• Step 6: Log in to your candidate portal to download your personal response sheet, then compare your responses with the answer key to calculate your expected raw score.
• Step 7: Also download your official normalised scorecard from the candidate portal — this is the score used for rank computation.

Details Mentioned on the KEAM 2026 Answer Key

The official KEAM 2026 answer key published by CEE Kerala is a structured PDF that contains the following information for each question in Paper I and Paper II:

• Serial question number as per the paper
• The officially accepted correct answer option (A, B, C, or D)
• Indication of questions that have been deleted from scoring after objection review — these carry full marks for all students
• Subject-wise grouping: Physics, Chemistry (Paper I), and Mathematics (Paper II)
• Paper name (Paper I or Paper II) and the relevant exam session/slot
• Total number of questions in each paper (75 questions each; 150 combined)

Note: In KEAM 2026, over 20 questions were deleted from the final answer key after the CEE Kerala expert committee reviewed all submitted objections. Students who attempted any deleted question receive full marks (+4) for that question automatically; students who left the question unattempted receive 0 for it.

Source: CEE Kerala – KEAM 2026 Final Answer Key Notification

How to Challenge the KEAM 2026 Answer Key?

The KEAM 2026 answer key challenge window was open from April 22 to April 26, 2026, and is now closed. The final answer key was published on May 6, 2026, following the expert review. No further objections can be raised for KEAM 2026. For future reference — and for students appearing in subsequent years — here is how the KEAM answer key challenge process works:

Here are the steps to challenge the KEAM answer key (for reference):

• Step 1: Visit cee.kerala.gov.in and log in to your KEAM candidate portal using your application number and password.
• Step 2: Navigate to the "Answer Key Challenge" or "Raise Objection" link, which appears on the homepage during the active challenge window.
• Step 3: Select the question number(s) you wish to challenge from the list of questions in Paper I or Paper II.
• Step 4: Choose the option that you believe is the correct answer and provide a clear rationale for your challenge.
• Step 5: Upload supporting documentary evidence — such as scanned pages from recognised textbooks, research papers, or NCERT books — to substantiate your claim.
• Step 6: Pay the non-refundable challenge fee of INR 200/- per question through the online payment gateway. The fee is refunded if the challenge is found valid and results in an answer revision.
• Step 7: Submit your challenge and save the acknowledgement number or confirmation page for your records.

Note: Once the final answer key is released, no further challenges are accepted for that year’s KEAM. Decisions made by the CEE Kerala expert committee on the final answer key are binding and final for score computation.

How to Calculate Your Score Using the KEAM Answer Key 2026

Once you have downloaded both the KEAM 2026 final answer key and your personal response sheet, you can calculate your expected raw KEAM score in a few straightforward steps. Keep in mind that the official rank is based on a normalised score that also factors in your Class 12 board marks.

• Download the KEAM 2026 final answer key (Paper I and Paper II PDFs) from cee.kerala.gov.in
• Log in to the CEE Kerala candidate portal and download your personal KEAM 2026 response sheet
• Go through each question number one by one and compare your selected option against the answer listed in the final key
• Add +4 marks for each question where your answer matches the key
• Deduct 1 mark for each question where your answer does not match the key (negative marking applies)
• For questions you left unattempted, add 0 marks — no deduction applies
• For any question marked as Deleted in the final key, add +4 marks regardless of your response
• Add up your scores for both Paper I and Paper II to arrive at your combined raw KEAM score (out of 600)

Note: Only the official KEAM 2026 Scorecard (published by CEE Kerala on May 12, 2026) contains the authoritative normalised score used for rank computation. The raw score you calculate using the answer key is a useful estimate but is not the same as the final normalised score.

Example of KEAM 2026 Score Calculation

KEAM 2026 Marking Scheme

KEAM 2026 Marks vs Rank

The table below provides an indicative mapping of KEAM 2026 raw scores (out of 600) to expected rank ranges, based on historical KEAM trends and competition levels. Remember that the final rank is determined by the normalised score (50% KEAM raw score + 50% Class 12 marks), so your actual rank may vary from this estimate depending on your board performance and the overall difficulty level of KEAM 2026. Use this table as a reference only; the official rank list is expected by June 20, 2026.

Note: These rank estimates are indicative and based on historical KEAM trends. Actual ranks will depend on the total number of qualified students in 2026, the overall difficulty of the paper, and your Class 12 normalised marks. Refer to the official KEAM 2026 rank list (expected June 20, 2026) for exact rank information.

Colleges Accepting KEAM 2026

KEAM 2026 scores are accepted for admissions to B.Tech and B.Pharm programmes across government, aided, and private self-financing engineering colleges in Kerala affiliated to APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University (KTU). The table below lists key colleges accepting KEAM 2026 scores.

Note: The exact list of participating colleges and available seats is published by CEE Kerala in the official prospectus. Verify college-specific eligibility and KEAM score requirements at cee.kerala.gov.in before applying for counselling.