2 weeks ago
High Court seeks NTA OMR sheet in NEET marks dispute
A young woman in India took a very important test to become a doctor.
She checked her answer sheet online and thought she got 520 marks out of 720.
But the official result said she got only 85 marks.
She said the answer sheet she downloaded gave a different result from what the exam office claimed.
Later, she said she received a second answer sheet with different answers marked.
Sometimes the exam office told her she had 520 marks, and sometimes it said 85.
A court called the High Court asked the exam agency to bring the original answer sheet.
The judges want to see it in a sealed cover to find out the truth.
The case will be heard again on August 14.
The Punjab and Haryana High Court directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to submit the aspirant's original OMR sheet and score cards in a sealed cover.
NEET-UG 2026 aspirant Diksha Devi alleged her marks were changed from 520 to 85 out of 720.
The result declared on July 16 showed 85 marks, but her calculations based on the OMR sheet downloaded from the NTA website showed 520 marks.
She said she received a different OMR sheet on July 17 and that an NTA email dated July 19 mentioned her result as 520 marks.
Her result was changed back to 85 on July 27, dropping her from the merit list; the next hearing is listed for August 14.
Her petition seeks a criminal investigation into how two OMR sheets of the same candidate with different answers can exist.
- Who
- Diksha Devi, a 19-year-old NEET-UG 2026 aspirant from Gurdaspur district, the National Testing Agency (NTA), and the Punjab and Haryana High Court.
- What
- The High Court ordered the NTA to produce the aspirant's original OMR sheet and score cards in a sealed cover after she alleged her marks were changed from 520 to 85.
- Where
- The case is before the Punjab and Haryana High Court; the aspirant is from Gurdaspur district.
- When
- NEET-UG 2026 was held on May 3 and re-NEET on June 21; the result was declared on July 16, with the next hearing on August 14.
- Why
- Devi alleged serious discrepancies, including two OMR sheets with different answers, which affected her eligibility for the merit list and counselling.
Aspirant's position
NTA's position
Correct score
Aspirant's position
Devi says her correct score is 520 marks out of 720, based on matching answers with the OMR sheet she downloaded from the NTA website.
NTA's position
The NTA submitted that her representation had been decided and placed on record an email dated July 27, 2026, indicating her result remained 85 marks.
Integrity of exam process
Aspirant's position
Devi alleges that two OMR sheets of the same candidate with different marked answers exist, suggesting a possible 'back door channel' with serious repercussions, and seeks a criminal investigation.
NTA's position
The NTA did not admit to any irregularity, submitting through counsel that the petitioner's representation had already been addressed and decided.
Key facts
- Exam
- NEET-UG 2026 (held May 3; re-NEET on June 21)
- Aspirant
- Diksha Devi, 19, resident of Gurdaspur district
- Alleged marks discrepancy
- 520 out of 720 vs 85 out of 720
- Result declared
- July 16, 2026
- NTA email
- July 19, 2026, mentioned result as 520 out of 720
- Result reverted
- July 27, 2026, changed back to 85 marks
- Court order
- NTA to produce original OMR sheet and score cards in sealed cover
- Next hearing
- August 14
Sources
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