NEET UG 2026: With the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET-UG 2026, scheduled to be held on May 3, the National Testing Agency has issued a fresh advisory for candidates on how to correctly fill the OMR answer sheet.
The advisory comes just days before the medical entrance examination and focuses on a part of the test that often causes avoidable errors, marking answers on the OMR sheet.
In a post shared on X, the agency reminded candidates that the way they fill the sheet can directly affect their final score.
“OMR filling is important for your final result. Use the correct method and mark answers clearly. Keep it neat and accurate,” the NTA said.
Why the OMR sheet matters?
While most students spend months preparing for Physics, Chemistry and Biology, examination authorities often point out that even a small mistake on the answer sheet can prove costly.
Unlike written answers, OMR sheets are machine-read. This means unclear markings, stray pen marks, overwriting, or filling the wrong circle can interfere with the scanning process.
To help candidates avoid such mistakes, the NTA released a simple list of instructions that students are expected to follow strictly inside the examination hall.
What candidates should do?
According to the advisory, candidates must use only the black ballpoint pen provided at the examination centre.
The agency has asked students to fill the answer circle completely and darkly, making sure the mark is clear enough for machine reading.
Candidates should also mark only one option for each question and carefully match the question number before shading the circle.
The NTA has further advised students to keep the OMR sheet clean, neat and damage-free throughout the examination.
Common mistakes NTA has warned against
The agency has also listed several common errors that candidates should avoid.
Students have been specifically told not to use tick marks or cross marks instead of filling the circles.
Half-filled circles, multiple answers for a single question, overwriting and smudging have also been flagged as mistakes that can create problems during evaluation.
The provided OMR pattern clearly indicates that only the darkened circle will be considered valid for marking purposes; the circle not marked at all will remain blank.
Last days before the exam
Considering that NEET-UG 2026 is just a few days away, the advice is relevant, as proper behavior during the test is important as good preparation.
It means that students must arrive at the test center with all necessary papers, read all instructions from the booklet and OMR paper, and avoid haste during marking.
