NEET aspirant says mark changed from 520 to 85; High Court seeks original OMR sheet from NTA

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the NTA to produce the original OMR sheet and score cards of a NEET-UG 2026 aspirant who alleged that her marks changed from 520 to 85.

4 min readAug 14, 2026 12:21 PM IST

The 19-year-old aspirant alleged that her NEET-UG 2026 marks were initially calculated as 520 but later showed 85. (File Photo)

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to produce in a sealed cover the original OMR sheet and two score cards of a NEET-UG 2026 aspirant who alleged that her marks were changed from 520 to 85, after she received different OMR sheets from the testing agency.

The direction was issued by a Division Bench of Justices Suvir Sehgal and Deepinder Singh Nalwa on a petition filed by 19-year-old Diksha Devi, a resident of Gurdaspur district, through advocate Bikramjit Singh Bajwa.

The HC has asked the respondents – Union of India and NTA — to produce before it the original OMR sheet of the petitioner, along with score cards, in a sealed cover. The matter has been listed for August 14.

According to the petition, Devi had appeared for NEET-UG 2026, initially conducted on May 3, which was followed by a re-NEET examination on June 21. Her OMR sheet was uploaded on the NTA website on July 13, following which she downloaded it to verify her marks.

The petition states that when the NEET result was declared on July 16, her result showed 85 marks out of 720. However, after matching the answers with the OMR sheet downloaded from the NTA website, the petitioner calculated that she had obtained 520 marks, raising “serious discrepancies” regarding her result.

The petitioner’s counsel argued that on July 17 she received a different OMR sheet from the NTA.

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According to the petition, the answers marked in the second sheet were “completely different” from the previously downloaded OMR sheet, while “everything was exactly the same as the first OMR sheet and only the answers marked were replaced surprisingly.”

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The petition states that after she raised a grievance, an email dated July 19 from the NTA mentioned her result as 520 marks out of 720, with the marksheet bearing the same credentials.

The petitioner subsequently visited the NTA office on July 20 and submitted a written complaint. The petition says her result was changed to 520 marks, but on July 27 it was changed back to 85 marks. When she again visited the NTA office, she was allegedly shown another OMR sheet in which her marks were calculated as 85 out of 720, resulting in her being dropped from the merit list.

The petition alleged that the NTA, “illegally and arbitrary and on the basis of false OMR Sheet”, had declared her ineligible despite the earlier result and sought directions to consider her candidature on the basis of 520 marks and allow her to participate in counselling provisionally.

The petition also sought action against those responsible and a criminal investigation into “how two OMR Sheets of the same candidate with different answers marked can be available”, alleging that there existed a “back door channel” which could have serious repercussions for students.

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During the hearing, Advocate Arun Gosain, for NTA, submitted that the representation made by the petitioner had been decided and placed on record a copy of an email dated July 27, 2026, and a copy of the email had been supplied to the petitioner’s counsel.

The Bench after hearing the matter directed that let the original OMR sheet of petitioner as well as the score cards, be produced before this Court in a sealed cover. The matter will now come up on August 14.

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu

Jagpreet Singh Sandhu is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in Chandigarh. He is a veteran reporter with over a decade of experience, specializing in legal, crime, and environmental reporting across the tri-city area (Chandigarh, Mohali, and Panchkula). Professional Background Core Beat: He primarily covers the Punjab and Haryana High Court, District Courts, CBI Courts, and Consumer Commissions. His legal reporting is known for breaking down complex judgments and tracking long-standing criminal cases. Environmental Reporting: Jagpreet has become a key voice in reporting on the deteriorating air quality and weather patterns in the Punjab-Haryana region. Crime & Technology: He frequently reports on cybercrime, digital arrest scams, and the intersection of technology and law enforcement, such as the development of citizen-centric policing apps. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) His late 2025 coverage has focused on significant judicial verdicts, major financial scams, and public health concerns: 1. Legal & CBI Court Verdicts "12 years on, CBI court acquits Haryana judge, parents in wife’s death case" (Dec 17, 2025): Detailed coverage of the acquittal of a judicial officer in a high-profile dowry death case from 2013. "‘Wicked & evil mind’: Court gives man 30-year term for kidnapping, sexually assaulting 8-year-old" (Dec 16, 2025): A report on a stern judgment from a Chandigarh district court in a POCSO case. "Man acquitted in rape case after victim found ‘very happy’ in wedding reception" (Dec 9, 2025): Covering a unique legal observation regarding consensual relationships and age verification. 2. Investigative & Scams "CBI registers FIR in Rs 1.14-cr Patient Welfare Grant scam at PGIMER" (Dec 19, 2025): An exposé on how funds meant for poor patients were siphoned off through forged documents and a photocopy shop inside the PGIMER campus. "Month-long torture, Rs 85 lakh transfers: How ‘Innocence Certificate’ led to a ‘digital arrest’ of an elderly couple" (Dec 12, 2025): Detailing a sophisticated cyber fraud targeting senior citizens in Chandigarh. 3. Environment & Public Safety "Panchkula air turns ‘very poor’, fourth worst in country" (Dec 22, 2025): Reporting on the sudden spike in pollution levels in Panchkula compared to neighbouring cities. "Soon, you can snap that overspeeding car, and report to Chandigarh Police" (Dec 16, 2025): Breaking news on a new mobile application being developed to allow citizens to report traffic violations via geo-tagged photos. 4. Gangster Culture & Crime "City Beautiful in the crosshairs of gangsters" (Dec 14, 2025): A feature analysis of how Chandigarh has increasingly become a staging ground for extortion and rivalries between gangster modules. "Shooters wanted for Parry murder held by Delhi Police Special Cell" (Dec 18, 2025): Following the developments in a high-profile murder case in Chandigarh’s Sector 26. Signature Style Jagpreet is recognized for his tenacious follow-up on cold cases and his ability to report on courtroom drama with a focus on victim rights. His work often highlights administrative lapses, whether in the handling of patient welfare funds or the enforcement of environmental standards. ... Read More

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