Supreme Court to hear NEET PG answer-key plea today (Oct 15)
By TUF News Desk · Published 15 October 2026 · 4 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
The Supreme Court will hear a transparency plea on NEET PG 2026 today, October 15, while counselling is already in motion.
The plea was filed by the Democratic Medical Association and six other petitioners. It asks the court to direct the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to disclose the actual question papers, the answer options each candidate saw and individual response sheets. The plea, W.P.(C) No. 1319/2026, is listed at the fresh admission stage before Justices Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Alok Aradhe; the outcome of the hearing is awaited.
The dispute: question IDs are not enough
The case turns on a notice NBEMS issued on October 1. Under that notice, candidates can view a question-wise evaluation of their performance through their applicant logins. The problem, the petitioners say, is that the disclosure is limited to numerical identifiers such as Question IDs and Response IDs.
Without the full questions and options, a candidate cannot check whether an answer was actually scored correctly. That gap, the association argues, leaves aspirants no way to verify their own evaluation.
The plea asks the court to order NBEMS to release the complete examination record through individual candidate logins: the questions in their original order, the responses each candidate marked and the correct answers, in downloadable format. It also asks for an expert medical committee to oversee a formal window in which candidates could challenge potentially incorrect answers.
In a statement posted on X on October 12, the association described the petition as a collective effort to protect the rights of aspirants.
Where the exam and counselling stand
NEET PG 2026 was held on August 30, and NBEMS declared the result on September 24. Qualified candidates are now registering for Round 1 of MCC counselling, which covers MD, MS, PG Diploma and DNB seats under the 50 per cent All India Quota, deemed and central universities, and Armed Forces Medical Services.
The Round 1 registration window stays open till 12 noon on October 21, with fee payment allowed till 3 pm that day. Choice filling runs till October 22, the allotment result is due on October 24 and reporting at colleges runs from October 26 to November 2. The full Round 1 schedule, with documents and registration steps, is in our NEET PG Round 1 counselling guide.
Keep scanned documents ready before filling the form: the NEET PG scorecard, MBBS degree certificate, internship completion certificate, medical registration certificate and a photo ID. Our admission documents checklist lists everything most colleges ask for.
What to watch
No stay on counselling has been reported, so the process continues on the published dates while the case is pending. If the court orders an answer-key challenge window, it would give aspirants their first real chance to question the scores on which Round 1 allotments are based. Register and fill choices on the official MCC portal on time.
Frequently asked questions
What does the NEET PG transparency plea seek?
Disclosure of the actual question papers, the answer options shown to each candidate, individual response sheets and the correct answers through candidate logins, plus an expert committee to run a formal answer-key challenge window.
When is the Supreme Court hearing the NEET PG plea, and before whom?
The plea, registered as W.P.(C) No. 1319/2026, is listed for October 15, 2026, at the fresh admission stage before a bench of Justices Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Alok Aradhe.
Will the hearing pause NEET PG counselling?
No stay has been reported. Round 1 registration continues till 12 noon on October 21 and the allotment result is scheduled for October 24, so candidates should proceed on the published schedule.
What has NBEMS disclosed about NEET PG 2026 so far?
Under a notice issued on October 1, 2026, candidates can view a question-wise evaluation through their applicant logins, but the petitioners say it is limited to numerical identifiers such as Question IDs and Response IDs.
Frequently asked questions
What does the NEET PG transparency plea seek?
Disclosure of the actual question papers, the answer options shown to each candidate, individual response sheets and the correct answers through candidate logins, plus an expert committee to run a formal answer-key challenge window.
When is the Supreme Court hearing the NEET PG plea, and before whom?
The plea, registered as W.P.(C) No. 1319/2026, is listed for October 15, 2026, at the fresh admission stage before a bench of Justices Pamidighantam Sri Narasimha and Alok Aradhe.
Will the hearing pause NEET PG counselling?
No stay has been reported. Round 1 registration continues till 12 noon on October 21 and the allotment result is scheduled for October 24, so candidates should proceed on the published schedule.
What has NBEMS disclosed about NEET PG 2026 so far?
Under a notice issued on October 1, 2026, candidates can view a question-wise evaluation through their applicant logins, but the petitioners say it is limited to numerical identifiers such as Question IDs and Response IDs.
Sources: The Telegraph (Edugraph), Medical Dialogues, The Indian Express