The NEET UG 2026 counselling for the All India Quota (AIQ) 15 per cent seats is set to begin on August 5. Ahead of the registration process, six students approached the Supreme Court on Tuesday, alleging that the answers shown in the scanned OMR sheets uploaded by the National Testing Agency (NTA) do not match the responses they had marked in the examination. The plea comes as the Supreme Court continues to examine issues related to NEET 2026 following the paper leak controversy. In recent proceedings, the Court has stressed the need for long-term reforms in the functioning of the NTA rather than temporary corrective measures.
The students sought an urgent hearing, saying the alleged discrepancies could affect their NEET scores and reduce their chances of securing admission as the counselling process is about to begin.
During the mentioning of the matter, the petitioners’ counsel informed the Bench that the case concerns only six students but requires immediate consideration because counselling is starting.
All Six Students Scored Over 600 Marks, Said Counsel
The counsel submitted that all six students had scored more than 600 marks in NEET UG 2026. He argued that even a minor error in the OMR sheets could affect their ranks and impact their admission prospects.
The petitioners also claimed they had made several attempts to resolve the issue with the NTA. According to the counsel, the students sent multiple emails and even visited the NTA office, but their grievance remained unresolved.
“We have sent a number of emails. We even visited the NTA office. The officer directly said, ‘Go to the Supreme Court. We don’t bother about this,’” the counsel told the Bench.
"We Will List It," Said CJI Surya Kant
A Bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, Justice Joymalya Bagchi and Justice V. Mohan agreed to consider the matter. “We will list it,” CJI Surya Kant said while responding to the request for an urgent hearing.
Similar petitions have also been filed in other courts. The Bombay High Court recently issued a notice on a plea alleging a mismatch between a candidate’s expected and declared NEET score, while the Delhi High Court is hearing another petition filed by a student who claimed that his score changed multiple times on the NTA portal.
