The controversy surrounding the NEET-UG 2026 examination has entered a new phase, with the National Testing Agency (NTA) warning of legal action against candidates submitting fake or AI-generated OMR sheets even as fresh complaints about alleged discrepancies continue to emerge from aspirants across the country.The latest developments follow the OMR display and challenge window, which remained open from July 13 to July 15 (until 11:00 AM). During this period, candidates could view, download and challenge their scanned OMR answer sheets and recorded responses through the official portal. While several candidates used the facility to flag alleged mismatches, the NTA says its probe has already found manipulation in some of the documents submitted for scrutiny.
NTA probe finds manipulated OMR sheets
The agency said it has been closely examining complaints received after the OMR display window. According to the NTA, investigations into two widely circulated cases found that one OMR sheet was “completely AI-generated”, while another had been tampered with.Following the probe, the agency issued a public warning on its official X handle, stating that many OMR sheets submitted for verification had turned out to be fake or AI-generated. It advised students and parents to submit only original OMR sheets for scrutiny, adding that any fake or AI-generated document could invite legal action against the complainant.The findings relate to two cases that had attracted attention after candidates alleged significant differences between their expected and declared scores.
Fresh complaints continue to surface
Despite the agency’s statement, several candidates have continued to raise concerns about alleged mismatches between the OMR sheets available on the official portal and the responses they claim to have marked during the examination.One of the most detailed complaints has come from candidate Ibtesham Nasar, who posted a series of messages on X on July 17. The candidate alleged that the uploaded OMR sheet contained a bubble-filling pattern that was different from the one marked during the examination. According to the posts, 12 questions that had been intentionally left unanswered appeared as attempted in the uploaded OMR.The candidate stated that the uploaded OMR was compared with the responses marked on the question paper during the examination and that a large number of answers did not match. The candidate also claimed to have challenged nearly every disputed response, paying Rs 27,800 in challenge fees at the rate of Rs 200 per question, and said no reply had been received from the NTA at the time of posting. The candidate further requested verification of the original physical OMR sheet and an investigation into the possibility of an OMR mismatch or exchange.Another complaint surfaced on Reddit, where a candidate claimed that the OMR sheet downloaded from the official NTA portal appeared complete and correctly reflected all attempted responses. However, the candidate later received an emailed OMR attachment that, despite carrying the correct personal details, allegedly showed only a partial set of attempted questions. The candidate said the Physics section reflected about five attempted questions instead of 37, while the Chemistry section showed around 20 attempts instead of 44.
A separate allegation emerged from Uttar Pradesh involving candidate Avnish Srivastava. According to the candidate’s father, the OMR sheet received through email carried the name of another candidate, Ajit Singh. The father said a formal representation had been submitted to the NTA and that the agency had acknowledged the complaint and indicated that the matter would be examined.Unlike the two cases in which the NTA’s probe concluded that the submitted OMR sheets were AI-generated or tampered with, these newer complaints have not yet received a publicly disclosed final determination from the examination authority.
OMR challenge process concluded
The OMR display facility formed a standalone stage of the NEET-UG 2026 examination process, allowing candidates to download scanned answer sheets and recorded responses before raising objections.With the challenge window now closed, attention has shifted to the agency’s scrutiny of complaints. While the NTA has concluded that some documents submitted during the process were manipulated, several candidates continue to seek verification of their OMR sheets, with some complaints still awaiting a public response from the examination authority.
