The Himachal Pradesh Rajya Chayan Aayog (HPRCA) has opened the cross objection window for the Junior Office Assistant (IT) answer key 2026 (Post Code 26001, Advertisement No. 01/2026). Candidates who took the tablet-based exam held on 28, 29, 30 September and 1 October 2026 can now review the new proposed answers and submit a cross objection from 2 November to 4 November 2026 (till 11:55 PM).
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This is the second round of the answer key review. The first provisional answer key was released in early October 2026, with objections accepted until 13 October. After checking those objections, the exam agency has proposed revised answers for some questions. The cross objection stage now gives all other candidates a chance to agree or disagree with these revised answers before the final key is prepared.
HPRCA JOA Answer Key 2026: Overview
The recruitment is for 234 Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts as Job Trainees in Himachal Pradesh. In this article, we explain what cross objection means, the important dates, how to view your response sheet, the step-by-step cross objection process, and how to calculate your expected score.
| Particulars | Details |
|---|---|
| Recruiting Authority | Himachal Pradesh Rajya Chayan Aayog (HPRCA) |
| Post Name | Junior Office Assistant (IT) |
| Post Type | Job Trainee |
| Advertisement Number | 01/2026 |
| Post Code | 26001 |
| Total Vacancies | 234 |
| Exam Mode | Tablet-Based Test (Digital OMR) |
| Exam Dates | 28, 29, 30 September and 1 October 2026 |
| Current Stage | Cross objection on new proposed answers |
| Cross Objection Window | 2 to 4 November 2026 (till 11:55 PM) |
| Response Sheet | Available through the candidate login |
| Objection Mode | Online only |
| Official Website | hprca.hp.gov.in |
Important Dates
| Event | Date |
|---|---|
| JOA (IT) exam | 28 September to 1 October 2026 |
| Provisional answer key and objection notice | 7 October 2026 |
| Last date for first-round objections | 13 October 2026 |
| Cross objection window opens | 2 November 2026 |
| Cross objection window closes | 4 November 2026, 11:55 PM |
| Final answer key and result | To be announced |
What Is a Cross Objection in the HPRCA JOA Answer Key?
The answer key review is happening in two rounds:
- First round (October 2026): The provisional answer key was released, and candidates raised objections to answers they believed were wrong.
- Second round, cross objection (2 to 4 November 2026): After reviewing the first-round objections, the agency has shown a “New Proposed Answer” for questions where an objection was found valid. Candidates can now:
- Agree with the new proposed answer, or
- Disagree and submit a cross objection with reasons and supporting documents.
This gives every candidate a fair chance to respond when an answer is about to change, because a change can raise or lower scores for everyone in that shift.
Note: The cross objection tab will show questions only if there is a valid objection in your shift. If no answer was revised for your shift, you may not see any question to cross-object.
HPRCA JOA Answer Key and Cross Objection Links
| Link | Access |
|---|---|
| Cross objection portal (JOA IT) | Click here |
| Candidate login | Click here |
| Exam details | Click here |
| HPRCA official website | hprca.hp.gov.in |
How to Check HPRCA JOA Answer Key and Response Sheet
- Open the cross objection portal using the link above.
- Click on Login and enter your Application ID and User Password.
- Click on “Click here to view Question Paper and Answer Set Links” to see your question paper and the answer set.
- Open the Candidate Response tab to see the answers you marked in the exam.
- Note the Question ID shown on the right side of each question in the question paper. You will need it to raise a cross objection.
How to Raise a Cross Objection: Step-by-Step
- After logging in, open the Cross Objection Form tab.
- If there is a valid objection in your shift, click on “Click here to Raise Cross Objection”.
- Click on “Click to raise new Cross Objection”.
- Read all the instructions carefully, then click Close to proceed.
- Check the New Proposed Answer for the question:
- If you agree, click Submit.
- If you do not agree, click No, select the Nature of Objection, and enter your remarks clearly.
- Upload supporting documents (this is compulsory when you disagree).
- Click Close and then Submit the cross objection.
- To object to another question, click “Click to raise new Cross Objection” again. Each cross objection covers only one question at a time.
Rules for Cross Objection
- Cross objections can be raised only online, through the Cross Objection tab, before 4 November 2026, 11:55 PM.
- Objections sent by post, email or phone, or made in person, will not be accepted.
- Supporting documents are compulsory. You can upload up to 3 documents per question, each up to 400 KB, in PDF, JPG or JPEG format.
- Objections without a clear explanation or a valid reference will be discarded.
- A cross objection can be raised for one question at a time.
How to Calculate Your HPRCA JOA Score
As reported, the JOA (IT) written test had 120 multiple-choice questions of 1 mark each, with negative marking of 0.25 for every wrong answer.
Formula: Score = (Correct answers × 1) − (Wrong answers × 0.25)
Example: A candidate with 90 correct and 20 wrong answers scores 90 − (20 × 0.25) = 90 − 5 = 85 out of 120.
Remember that answers may change after the cross objection stage, so your final score could go up or down slightly once the final key is out.
What Next After the Cross Objection?
- Review by experts: HPRCA’s subject experts will review all cross objections.
- Final answer key: The final key will be prepared after the review.
- Result: The written exam result will be prepared on the basis of the final key.
- Further stages: Shortlisted candidates will move to the next stage as per the advertisement, such as a skill/typing test (if applicable) and document verification.
Keep checking hprca.hp.gov.in for the final answer key and result notice.
FAQs
Q1. What is the last date for HPRCA JOA cross objection? The cross objection window closes on 4 November 2026 at 11:55 PM.
Q2. What is a cross objection? It lets candidates agree or disagree with the new proposed answers that were revised after the first round of objections.
Q3. How do I log in to the cross objection portal? Use your Application ID and User Password on the official Digialm portal link.
Q4. Can I raise a cross objection without documents? No. If you disagree with a new proposed answer, you must upload at least one supporting document.
Q5. How many documents can I upload for one question? Up to 3 documents per question, each up to 400 KB, in PDF, JPG or JPEG format.
Q6. Why can’t I see any question in the Cross Objection tab? The tab shows questions only if a valid objection was found in your shift. If no answer was revised for your shift, nothing will appear.
Q7. When were the HPRCA JOA IT exams held? On 28, 29 and 30 September and 1 October 2026.
Q8. How many vacancies are there? 234 Junior Office Assistant (IT) posts.
