Delhi High Court Directs NTA To Issue Duplicate NEET-UG Scorecards To Foreign Medical Graduates Who Lost Originals
The Delhi High Court has directed the National Testing Agency (NTA) to issue duplicate NEET-UG scorecards to a batch of medical graduates who had misplaced or lost their original scorecards.
Justice Jasmeet Singh observed that the aspirants were preparing for the Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE), which is crucial to their career prospects as doctors.
“I am of the view that since the petitioners are preparing for their examination which is crucial for their career prospects as doctors, it will not be possible for them to comply with all the aforesaid formalities at the last minute,” the Court said.
The Court passed the directions while disposing of a batch of petitions seeking release of NEET-UG scorecards to enable the candidates to participate in the FMGE scheduled to be held on October 31.
The Court noted that the petitioners' applications for the FMGE were incomplete due to the absence of their NEET-UG scorecards.
As per the examination schedule, applications were required to be submitted by September 25, while deficiencies in documents, including eligibility certificates, could be rectified until October 21.
During the hearing, NTA's counsel drew the Court's attention to a public notice and office memorandum dated September 17 which prescribed a procedure for issuance of duplicate scorecards to candidates facing difficulties in retrieving their original scorecards.
The original procedure required, among other things, an affidavit on non-judicial stamp paper attested by a First-Class Judicial Magistrate or Notary, and a police report such as an FIR, DDR, NCR or lost-article report in cases of loss or theft. It also required photographs attested by a Gazetted Officer or the head of the institution.
NTA, however, informed the Court that it would not insist upon the police report requirement and would also not insist on attestation of photographs by a Gazetted Officer or head of the institution.
The Court thereafter modified the requirements for the petitioner candidates and directed that they submit a duly filled application, a self-attested affidavit regarding the loss of the scorecard, two recent passport-size photographs without the requirement of stamp paper, government-issued identity documents, details regarding availability of the admit card or registration slip, proof of payment of the requisite fee and a self-attested indemnity-cum-affidavit.
The Court further recorded NTA's statement that the petitioners could deposit the prescribed fee through NEFT instead of a Demand Draft.
“The proof the payment made using NEFT shall be annexed with the applications by the petitioners. An application with all the above particulars and documents shall be submitted to NTA within 7 days from today and the score card shall be generated within 7 days thereafter,” the Court said.
It further directed that the petitioners could additionally write a letter expressing their desire to appear in the FMGE scheduled for October 31, and such letter would be treated by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) as sufficient compliance and a valid application.
“All the deficiencies shall be rectified by the petitioners by 21.10.2026 till 11:55 p.m. The Order passed today is only applicable to the present petitioners and from next examination onwards, the notification dated 17.09.2026 shall apply in accordance with law,” the Court directed.
Counsel for Petitioners: Mr. Yatharth Rohila, Mr. Nihal Singh Shekhawat, Ms. Kanak Kaushal, Ms. Aniketa Rohila, Advs. Mr. Mayank Sharma, Adv. Mr. Abhijit Chakravarty, Mr. Mangal Murti, Advs; Mr. D. K. Devesh, Mr. Gopal Mishra, Advs
Counsel for Respondents: Mr. Sanjay Khanna, SC for NTA, Ms. Pragya Bhushan, Mr. Saurabh Pandey, Mr. Harsh Katariya, Ms. Meemansa Dixit, Mr. Giridharan P, Advs. for NTA; Mr. Waize Ali Noor, Mr. Mrinal Kumar Sharma, Mr. Zillur Rahman, Advs. for NBEMS; Mr. Abhinav Jaganathan, Mr. Harsh Vikram Singh, Advs. for NBEMS; Adv. Mr. Bishwabandhu, SC with Ms. Nisha, Adv. for NMC
Title: AYUSH KUMAR & ANR v. NATIONAL TESTING AGENCY & ORS and Other Connected Matters