Bombay HC orders NTA to clear NEET candidate’s result
The Nagpur bench of the Bombay High Court has told the National Testing Agency (NTA) to release the NEET-UG result for Atharva Donadkar, a student from Chandrapur. The court made this decision after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) confirmed it found no evidence of wrongdoing by the student during its investigation into the NEET paper leak.
Atharva Donadkar took the NEET-UG exam on May 3, 2026. When a paper leak led to a re-test, he appeared for the exam again on June 21. After the CBI raided his home on May 15 as part of its investigation, his results were withheld. Investigators took study materials and a question paper with a different roll number during
the raid.
After this, the NTA sent Donadkar a show-cause notice on July 15. He replied on July 17, saying the seized items were mock practice papers from his coaching institute and not linked to the leaked exam papers. Despite his explanation, the NTA continued to withhold his results, preventing him from joining Maharashtra’s first centralised medical admission round.
Worried about losing an academic year, Donadkar went to the Bombay High Court for help. Justices Anil Kilor and Rajnish Vyas heard the case. After learning that the investigation found no link between Donadkar and the exam leak, the judges told the NTA to release his results right away. This decision brings relief to a student who took both the original exam and the re-test. With medical counselling deadlines approaching, the court’s order now allows Donadkar to proceed with the admission process.
The broader investigation into the NEET-UG 2026 exam leak is still ongoing. The CBI has filed a chargesheet against 13 people, including three subject experts connected to the NTA. The agency says it is looking into a group accused of sharing Physics, Chemistry, and Biology questions before the exam. As the inquiry continues, some students, named only as witnesses or found during searches, have asked the courts to release their results once they are cleared. The Donadkar case shows how big investigations can affect students who are not involved.
Even if no charges are filed, holding back results can hurt a person’s career. The High Court’s decision shows that suspicion alone is not enough to keep taking action if there is no evidence against someone. The NTA must release Donadkar’s score so he can join the current counselling process.
Student groups and education experts have called the ruling a fair balance between maintaining exam integrity and protecting the rights of students not accused of wrongdoing. More updates on the main CBI investigation are expected soon.
