NEET-UG results under scrutiny over alleged marks discrepancies

The National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET-UG) has once again come under scrutiny following fresh allegations of discrepancies in the final results announced by the National Testing Agency (NTA) on Thursday (July 16) after the re-examination.

Students and parents in Karnataka have alleged that the marks reflected in the final results do not match those calculated using the NTA's final answer key. They claim the discrepancy has led to significant changes in rankings, raising fresh concerns over the transparency and fairness of the medical admission process.

Students allege mismatch in scores

According to students, the scores calculated using the NTA's final answer key differ from those published in the official results.

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They allege that some candidates have seen deductions of 10 to 25 marks, resulting in drops of thousands of places in the All India Rank (AIR), potentially affecting their chances of securing seats in both government and private medical colleges.

Vaishnavi Das case

It was alleged (in the local media) that Vaishnavi Das had scored 710 marks based on the NTA's final answer key after the re-examination. Vaishnavi had secured state rank 1 and an All India Rank (AIR) of 20 based on the earlier calculation.

However, Vaishnavi's parents approached The Federal and said," Vaishnavi’s NEET score was 710 in the first exam conducted on May 3, which was cancelled. In the re-NEET exam conducted on June 21, she scored 700. There is no discrepancy in the results, and we, as parents of Vaishnavi Das, have never alleged anything against NTA or her current score."

Another student raises similar concerns

M Suchita, the state's second topper and AIR 48, also raised similar allegations. She claimed that based on the NTA's final answer key, she had secured a perfect 720 marks, but the published result awarded her only 695 marks, a difference of 25 marks.

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She alleged that all her answers matched those accepted in the NTA's final answer key and described the deduction as unfair. Suchita said she has submitted a written complaint to the NTA seeking clarification.

Concerns over state quota admissions

Educationists say the alleged discrepancies could affect not only admissions under the All India Quota but also the allocation of state quota medical seats.

They noted that several students had already reported receiving lower-than-expected ranks in the earlier results, and similar concerns have now emerged following the re-examination. Experts warn that any mismatch in marks could alter the merit list and influence admissions under the state quota as well.

At the same time, some candidates have reportedly seen an increase in their marks and rankings after the re-examination, adding to the confusion among aspirants. Students argue that the inconsistent changes in scores and ranks could affect their chances of securing seats during the initial rounds of counselling.

Call for transparency

Calling for greater transparency, students have urged the NTA to clearly explain how the final scores were calculated and reconcile the differences between the published answer key and the official results.