The National Testing Agency (NTA) has vehemently rejected claims by a NEET-UG 2026 candidate from Lucknow who alleged her OMR answer sheet was tampered with, resulting in a drastically lower score than expected. The agency confirmed that the candidate's declared score of 38 marks is accurate and verified.
Pratibha Trivedi had claimed she anticipated a score of approximately 640 marks in the medical entrance examination but received only 38. Following her complaint, the NTA conducted a thorough review of its records.
NTA Finds No Mismatch in Records
In an official statement issued on Monday, the NTA clarified that its verification process found no discrepancies in its records concerning Ms. Trivedi's NEET (UG) 2026 OMR answer sheet. The agency stated that the genuine OMR sheet is held on record and was also emailed to her registered address during the OMR Response Key challenge window.
The NTA further asserted that the image of an OMR sheet circulating online, purportedly belonging to Ms. Trivedi, is a digitally altered version. "It is not, however, the sheet held on record with NTA and has been significantly altered digitally," the agency stated.
Legal Warning Issued Over Forged Documents
The National Testing Agency issued a stern warning against the creation or circulation of forged OMR answer sheets, emphasizing that such actions constitute an offense under the Public Examinations (Prevention of Unfair Means) Act, 2024. Offenders could also face prosecution under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, and the Information Technology Act, 2000.
This controversy emerged after Trivedi publicly stated her expectations based on matching her responses with the provisional answer key. She had also reported mailing the NTA multiple times without receiving a response.
Broader Concerns About Fake OMR Sheets
Separately, the NTA has issued a public notice cautioning candidates and parents about a rise in fake or AI-generated NEET-UG 2026 OMR sheets and scorecards. The agency noted receiving several complaints alleging interchanged answer sheets or documents not belonging to the concerned candidates.
Many complainants submitted what they claimed were "correct" OMR sheets or scorecards, seeking re-evaluation. However, the NTA consistently found no discrepancies in its official records after verifying these representations.
Security Features Validate Genuine Documents
The NTA reiterated that original OMR sheets and NEET documents incorporate robust security features. These include correct roll numbers, test booklet details, barcodes, candidate information, signatures, and thumb impressions. These elements are linked to secure records maintained by the agency and the National Informatics Centre (NIC), ensuring that declared scores precisely match the official answer key.
The agency stressed that manipulated images cannot alter the official records stored on its servers and vowed strict action against anyone involved in creating, possessing, using, submitting, or circulating fake documents related to the examination.