Amid the ongoing controversy surrounding the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) UG results 2024, several students have taken to social media to report issues with their Optical Mark Recognition (OMR) sheets. These sheets are used to record students' answers during the exam.
Incidentally, the OMR issue is not alien to the NEET controversy. Even last year the space witnessed a huge uproar with regards to OMR sheets. In 2023, students said that the marks on their OMR sheets were different from those on their NEET result cards. Problems included different signatures of invigilators, timing of signatures, and thumb impressions. Some students claimed that the OMR sheet that they received was not theirs.
This year, the same problems have been reported. Students have claimed two main issues with their OMR sheets. First, some questions they answered are not showing up on the OMR sheet, leading to lower marks. Second, there are discrepancies between the marks shown on their OMR sheets and their actual results.
One student from Tamil Nadu, who wanted to remain anonymous, said, "The result I opened on June 4 showed 645 marks. The next day it showed 125. I was shocked."
"I don't know what to do. I contacted NTA via the helpline, but got no response," the student added.
NTA provided a grievance and redressal opportunity for students to challenge their OMR sheets. However, many students report that their complaints have not been addressed, leaving them anxious and uncertain about their future.
“Candidates can also submit representation against the OMR grading by paying a non-refundable processing fee of ₹ 200/- per question challenged,” reads the public notice issued by the NTA.
A parent from Chennai, whose daughter is facing similar issues, stated, "We are very stressed about it. We have written emails and were promised a response within two days, but no response has been received yet."
Another student from Kolkata, who wanted to stay anonymous, claimed she was unable to download her OMR sheet. "I contacted my exam centre, but they keep saying this is it. How can I not be able to download my OMR sheet? NTA does not have a proper redressal system and they are not responding to me," she said.
A student from Rajasthan added, "The NTA has to cooperate with us. The aspirants are very scared and confused right now. We are not getting admissions in colleges. How can we apply if the OMR sheet has issues and we don't know our confirmed marks?"
The Free Press Journal reached out to the National Testing Agency (NTA) for comments on these issues but received no response by the time of publishing this article.
