NEET UG – Student Issues Legal Notice Seeking OMR Answer Sheet From NTA
NEET UG – A student who appeared in the NEET-UG retest has served a legal notice on the National Testing Agency (NTA), demanding a copy of her scanned Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) answer sheet after claiming that repeated attempts to obtain it through official channels were unsuccessful.
The Mumbai-based candidate alleged that the absence of the OMR sheet prevented her from verifying the evaluation of her answers. According to the notice, she secured 266 marks in the retest, although she believes her performance should have resulted in a score of around 468. She has requested that the agency provide the scanned answer sheet and related records within two days.
Candidate Alleges Technical Issues on Official Portal
The legal notice states that the student tried to download her scanned OMR answer sheet during the access period announced by the NTA between July 13 and July 15. However, she claims the official portal repeatedly displayed technical errors and remained inaccessible because of heavy traffic.
Her counsel, Advocate Vineet Jindal, argued that the candidate was unable to complete the process despite making several attempts during the specified window. The notice further claims that she did not receive any email or SMS notification from the examination authority regarding the availability of the document, making it difficult for her to verify her response sheet through alternative means.
Legal Notice Raises Questions Over Transparency
According to the notice, withholding access to the scanned OMR answer sheet is inconsistent with the principles of fairness and transparency expected in a public examination process. It argues that candidates should have a reasonable opportunity to examine their recorded responses, particularly when they believe there may be discrepancies affecting their final score.
The notice describes the alleged denial of access as arbitrary and inconsistent with the standards of natural justice. It maintains that examination authorities should ensure equal access to evaluation records so that candidates can review their results with confidence.
Supreme Court Decisions Referenced
The legal notice also refers to previous Supreme Court judgments that have recognized the importance of allowing examinees to inspect their answer sheets. According to the filing, these rulings support the view that access to evaluation records promotes transparency and strengthens confidence in the examination system.
The student’s legal representative has relied on these judicial observations while requesting the NTA to provide the scanned OMR sheet within the specified timeframe. The notice argues that timely disclosure of such records is essential for candidates seeking to understand how their marks were determined.
NTA Yet to Respond Publicly
The National Testing Agency has not issued an official response to the allegations contained in the legal notice. NTA Director General Abhishek Singh declined to comment when approached regarding the matter.
It remains to be seen whether the agency will provide the requested documents within the deadline mentioned in the notice or issue a formal clarification. The development adds to the ongoing discussion surrounding transparency and access to examination records in one of India’s largest medical entrance examinations.