Calcutta HC summons NTA's response over NEET OMR discrepancy, aspirant claims gap of 370 marks

Amid ongoing nationwide protests over the NEET-UG examination, a petition alleging significant evaluation discrepancies has been filed in the Calcutta High Court. The examinee claimed that despite scoring between 659 and 661 marks according to the official answer key, the final result declared by the National Testing Agency (NTA) awarded only 289 marks. Seeking urgent judicial intervention, the candidate requested a complete re-verification of the Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheet.

Hearing the matter, Justice Amrita Sinha directed the NTA to explain the large discrepancy without delay. The court noted that because medical admission counseling is currently underway, the testing agency must clarify its stance rapidly. The next hearing for the case has been scheduled for Tuesday, by which time the NTA is required to submit its formal response.

Advocate Sabyasachi Chatterjee, representing the petitioner, argued before the bench that OMR sheets are evaluated using automated computer software, making a gap of nearly 370 marks highly questionable. The lawyer alleged systemic irregularities in the processing and verification of answer scripts by the testing body. The petition adds to a growing series of legal challenges regarding the transparency and integrity of the competitive entrance examination.