A dispute over answer sheet accuracy in NEET UG 2026 has reached the Bombay High Court, and the timing matters for every aspirant tracking this year's admission cycle. Three candidates say the marks NTA awarded them are wildly different from what their own OMR (Optical Mark Recognition) sheets show — in one case, a gap of over 300 marks. The Aurangabad Bench has now asked NTA to bring the original sheets to court, with the next hearing set for July 30, 2026. Because counselling is expected to open in the coming weeks, even a limited court order here could ripple into how and when seat allotment begins. This is worth understanding now, not after your own result is in question.
If you have any doubt about your NEET UG 2026 score, verify your OMR sheet on the official NTA portal immediately and raise it only through NTA's grievance channel — don't wait for the court case to resolve, since counselling may proceed regardless.
What exactly happened
NEET UG 2026 results were declared on July 16, 2026. Within days, three candidates — Hricha Deshpande, Soham Gavate, and Atharva Jagtap — approached the Bombay High Court's Aurangabad Bench alleging that the marks in their final result did not match the marks they calculated from their own OMR sheets.
Deshpande says her OMR indicated 619 marks, but her result showed only 280, along with fewer recorded attempts in Physics and Chemistry than she remembers marking. Gavate, whose case involves the June 21 re-examination held for a subset of candidates, says he calculated 522 marks but was awarded just 95. All three say the OMR copies emailed to them after July 15 differed from what they had earlier seen on the candidate portal.
NTA has pushed back firmly, stating on July 20 that OMR images circulating on social media are digitally altered and that the only genuine record is what was available on the candidate portal and sent by email during the official challenge window before results were declared.
Why an 18-year-old aspirant should care
Even if you're not one of the three petitioners, this case touches something every NEET candidate relies on: trust that the score on your scorecard is the score you actually earned. A discrepancy of this scale — hundreds of marks — is unusual and has understandably alarmed many families tracking the news.
More practically, one petitioner has specifically asked the court to consider whether counselling should proceed while the dispute is unresolved. That raises a real, near-term question: could counselling registration or seat allotment be delayed for anyone, not just the petitioners, while the court examines the OMR records?
What the court has ordered so far
The order is limited and specific: NTA must produce the original OMR sheets of the three petitioners for the court's examination. It is not, as of now, a blanket order affecting all candidates or pausing counselling nationally. The next hearing, on July 30, 2026, will likely determine whether the court finds merit in the discrepancy claims and whether any wider direction follows.
Key facts at a glance
| Particular | Detail |
|---|---|
| Result declared | July 16, 2026 |
| Re-examination (for some candidates) | June 21, 2026 |
| Court and bench | Bombay High Court, Aurangabad Bench |
| Judges | Justice Nitin Suryawanshi, Justice Abasaheb Shinde |
| Petitioners | Hricha Deshpande, Soham Gavate, Atharva Jagtap |
| NTA's clarification notice | July 20, 2026 |
| Next hearing | July 30, 2026 |
How to check your own OMR sheet and marks
Whatever the court eventually decides for these three cases, every NEET UG 2026 candidate can and should independently verify their own record right now. NTA has been clear that only the OMR copy on the official candidate portal and the one emailed to your registered address during the challenge window count as authentic — anything shared on WhatsApp or social media should not be treated as proof of your score.
- Log in to neet.nta.nic.in with your credentials and locate your OMR sheet under the candidate dashboard.
- Compare it against the OMR copy that was emailed to your registered address during the official challenge window.
- Cross-check every marked response against the final NEET UG 2026 answer key released by NTA.
- If you spot a genuine mismatch, raise it only through NTA's official grievance channel — not through unverified online forms or social media threads.
- Keep a saved or printed copy of your OMR sheet and challenge-window email as a personal record.
What this could mean for counselling
The Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) runs counselling for All India Quota seats, while state authorities handle state quota rounds. Neither has been directed by the court to pause anything at this stage. But because the case is being heard on an urgent basis and lands right before counselling registration is expected to open, families should keep an eye on both the court's July 30 update and any parallel notice from MCC or NTA.
If you are not personally affected by an OMR discrepancy, there is no reason to delay your own counselling preparation — document verification, choice filling readiness, and fee arrangements should continue as normal unless an official notice says otherwise.
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See My CollegesFrequently asked questions
Does this court case affect all NEET UG 2026 candidates?
No. As of now, the order applies specifically to the three petitioners whose OMR sheets the court has asked NTA to produce. There is no indication yet of a broader stay on results or counselling for other candidates.
Will NEET UG 2026 counselling be delayed because of this case?
Not automatically. Counselling is expected to proceed on schedule unless the court issues a wider direction. The July 30 hearing should clarify whether any counselling-related order is being considered.
How can I check if my own OMR sheet matches my result?
Log into the NEET candidate portal at neet.nta.nic.in, open your OMR sheet, and compare it with the copy emailed to you during the official challenge window and with the final answer key. Report any mismatch only through NTA's official grievance channel.
What is NTA's position on the viral OMR images?
NTA has stated that OMR images circulating on social media are digitally altered and not genuine. It maintains that the authentic record for every candidate is on file and was shared through the official portal and registered email.
What happens next in the case?
The Bombay High Court, Aurangabad Bench, has listed the next hearing for July 30, 2026, on an urgent basis, where NTA is expected to present the original OMR sheets of the three petitioners.
Should I panic if my marks seem lower than expected?
No. First verify calmly using the official portal and answer key before assuming an error. Most score gaps are explained by negative marking, missed responses, or answer key changes — genuine large-scale discrepancies like those alleged here are rare.
This remains a narrow, three-petitioner dispute for now, but it is unfolding at a sensitive moment in the NEET UG 2026 calendar. Aspirants should verify their own OMR sheets promptly, keep records safe, and watch for updates from both the Bombay High Court on July 30 and any counselling notice from MCC or NTA in the days after.
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