SSC MTS Answer Key 2025: Challenge Fee, Marking, Final Key

The SSC MTS 2025 tentative answer key was released on 3 March 2026, and challenges closed at 06:00 PM on 6 March 2026. The final answer key is not out yet: SSC uploads it only after the final result of the examination. SSC's CBE result of 3 August 2026 says the answer keys were modified wherever necessary after the challenges, and the final keys were used to evaluate the CBE.

How the MTS 2025 answer key challenge worked

• Access: tentative keys with question paper-cum-response sheets were opened on ssc.gov.in, with candidates logging in using their Registration Number and Password.
• Window: from 03.03.2026 (06:00 PM) to 06.03.2026 (06:00 PM), online only. Representations sent by any other mode were not entertained.
• Fee: INR 50/- per question/answer challenged, as stated in the answer key write-up of 3 March 2026.
• Order of questions: in the challenge module, questions and options appear in the same sequence for everyone in a shift. That can differ from the order you saw in the exam, but your selected answers are shown accurately.
• Keep a copy: the key and response sheet were not available after the window. The saved question paper is for personal use and self-analysis only.

Why ₹50 when the Notice of Examination says ₹100? Para 14.5.7 of the MTS 2025 notice set Rs 100/- per question. SSC's notice of 22 August 2025 then fixed the fee at Rs. 50/- per question until a refund mechanism is in place. MTS 2024 candidates paid INR 100 per question.

How to calculate your SSC MTS score from the key

• Session-I: Numerical and Mathematical Ability (20 questions, 60 marks) and Reasoning Ability and Problem Solving (20 questions, 60 marks). That works out to 3 marks a question, with no negative marking.
• Session-II: General Awareness (25 questions, 75 marks) and English Language and Comprehension (25 questions, 75 marks), again 3 marks a question. One mark is deducted for each wrong answer.
• Qualifying marks apply in Session-I and Session-II separately: UR 30%, OBC/EWS 25%, all other categories 20%. Session-II is evaluated only if you qualify in Session-I.
• Merit rests on Session-II. Because the CBE ran in multiple shifts, raw marks are normalised using the formula in SSC's notice of 02-06-2025. So a count from the key gives your raw score; merit uses the normalised score.
• Ties in Session-II are broken by General Awareness marks of Session-II, then total normalised Session-I marks, then age (older first), then alphabetical order of names.

There is no re-evaluation or re-checking of scores at any stage of the MTS examination.

What happens after the MTS 2025 key

The result write-up of 3 August 2026 says representations were examined, keys modified wherever necessary, and the final keys used for evaluation. It also says final answer keys and marks of qualified and non-qualified candidates will be uploaded after the final result. That result, the First Round of Tentative Allocation for MTS and Havaldar together, follows the Havaldar PET/PST.

The 2024 cycle shows how long the files stay open. After the MTS 2024 final result of 12 March 2025, final keys with response sheets were viewable from 26.03.2025 (06:00 PM) to 25.04.2025 (06:00 PM). Marks were open from 28.03.2025 (06:00PM) to 27.04.2025 (06:00PM), both through the candidate login.

SSC MTS answer key in past cycles