Every year, thousands of NEET candidates lose access to their previous year paper scorecards, and often discover this only when they need them most. For FMGE eligibility, for repeat counselling, for documentation requirements that surface years after the exam. Until now, NTA’s answer has, in fact, been straightforward: it keeps records for only 90 days after result declaration, then permanently deletes them. That is about to change. However, NTA has now informed the Central Information Commission (CIC) that a DigiLocker NEET scorecard retrieval mechanism is in its final stage of development. Once live, students searching for any NEET previous year paper scorecard will no longer lose access permanently, it will be retrievable through DigiLocker with proper authentication, for as long as they need it.
What NTA Told the CIC? The Full Update
The development emerged during a CIC hearing on July 18, 2026. A NEET UG 2020 candidate’s RTI appeal triggered the hearing. The student had sought a certified copy of her scorecard and confirmation of her qualification status, documents required for NEET submission to the National Board of Examinations (NBE) for Foreign Medical Graduate Examination (FMGE) eligibility verification.
NTA told the commission it was “in the process of devising a mechanism with DigiLocker to enable retrieval of scorecards of previous years by the candidates so that the same can be provided to the candidates after due authentication.” The agency added that the initiative was “attaining to reach the final stage and is likely to be completed at the earliest.”
The case highlights a structural gap in how NTA handles NEET previous year paper records. Students searching for a NEET previous year question paper scorecard for official purposes, years after the exam; currently have no official retrieval path. The DigiLocker NEET mechanism directly addresses this gap.
Why NEET Previous Year Paper Records Are Lost After 90 Days?
NTA currently preserves NEET records for only 90 days from result declaration under Clause 15.6 of the NEET Information Bulletin. After 90 days, NTA permanently deletes all records, including NEET NTA admit card data, scorecard, and OMR responses.
This creates a serious problem for students who need NEET previous year paper documentation years later. In the 2020 case that triggered the CIC hearing, the student’s records had already been weeded out before the RTI application was even filed. Information Commissioner Sudha Rani Relangi accepted NTA’s position, noting that the CPIO can only provide information held in office records and is not obligated to create information under the RTI Act.
The DigiLocker NEET mechanism addresses this permanently, by moving scorecard storage to a government-backed digital document wallet that students control and can access indefinitely.
What Is DigiLocker and How Will It Work for NEET Scorecards?
DigiLocker is the Government of India’s official digital document storage platform under the Digital India initiative. It allows citizens to store and access official government documents digitally, with the same legal validity as physical originals.
The DigiLocker NEET integration will work exactly like the existing Class 10 and 12 certificate storage, NTA pushes the NEET previous year paper scorecard to a student’s DigiLocker account linked to their Aadhaar number, where it remains accessible indefinitely.
Steps to access DigiLocker:
1: Visit digilocker.gov.in or download the DigiLocker app
2: Sign up using the mobile number linked to Aadhaar
3: Verify identity through Aadhaar OTP
4: Access issued documents under the “Issued Documents” section
5: Once NTA activates the DigiLocker NEET mechanism, previous year paper scorecards will appear automatically for authenticated candidates
Documents Required for NEET Counselling And Where DigiLocker Fits
For students in NEET 2026 counselling right now, here is the current status of documents required for NEET and their DigiLocker availability:
| Document | DigiLocker Status | Notes |
| NEET Previous Year Paper Scorecard | Coming, mechanism in final stage | Not yet live, download from neet.nta.nic.in |
| NEET NTA Admit Card | Not yet on DigiLocker | Download from neet.nta.nic.in |
| Class 10 Certificate (CBSE) | Available on DigiLocker | Accepted as official document |
| Class 12 Marksheet (CBSE) | Available on DigiLocker | Accepted as official document |
| Aadhaar Card | Available on DigiLocker | Primary identity document |
| Community Certificate | State-dependent | Digitally signed e-Certificate required |
Important for NEET 2026 students: The DigiLocker NEET mechanism is not yet live. Download the 2026 scorecard directly from neet.nta.nic.in immediately and save multiple copies, do not wait for DigiLocker.
Who Benefits Most From NEET Previous Year Paper Access via DigiLocker?
NEET repeaters: Students who appeared for NEET multiple times often need scorecards from previous attempts. These are required for documentation or counselling purposes.
FMGE candidates: Students who studied medicine abroad need their NEET scorecard as qualification proof. It’s required for FMGE eligibility with the National Board of Examinations. This is currently the most affected group, FMGE applications often come years after the original NEET exam.
Postgraduate medical aspirants: Some PG medical entrance processes require the previous year NEET scorecard as qualification proof. Students who graduated years ago often struggle to retrieve this from NTA.
NRI students: Students who appeared for NEET while planning to study abroad need official scorecard copies for foreign university admissions or medical licensing bodies. The DigiLocker NEET integration offers a permanent, authenticated solution.
Students applying for bonded service schemes: Several state governments require NEET previous year scorecard documentation for bonded MBBS service schemes. This is often requested years after original admission.
The Broader Context: NTA’s Digital Document Push
The DigiLocker NEET mechanism is part of a broader government push to digitise academic and examination records. JEE Main results are already available on DigiLocker. The NEET previous year paper scorecard integration, once complete, will bring India’s largest medical entrance examination in line with digital document infrastructure already available for engineering entrance examinations.
For the 11.21 lakh students who qualified NEET 2026, this development means their current scorecard, once the DigiLocker NEET mechanism is live, will be permanently accessible rather than subject to the 90-day deletion policy that affected previous year candidates.
What Students Must Do Right Now?
For NEET 2026 qualified students:
- File an RTI application at nta.ac.in to formally request the scorecard. NTA may respond with available records even before DigiLocker goes live.
- The DigiLocker NEET mechanism is not yet live, do not rely on it for current counselling documents required for NEET
- Set up a DigiLocker account now at digilocker.gov.in. Once NTA activates the mechanism, your scorecard links automatically to your Aadhaar-authenticated account.
For students who need previous year NEET scorecards:
- The DigiLocker NEET mechanism is in its final stage, NTA has not announced a go-live date
- File an RTI application at nta.ac.in to formally request the scorecard. NTA may respond with available records even before DigiLocker goes live.
- Contact NTA’s helpdesk at 011-40759000 or nta@nta.ac.in for specific scorecard retrieval queries
The scorecard that will soon be on DigiLocker is already out. Here’s everything about the 2026 result: NEET 2026 Result Declared: Toppers, Scorecard, Cutoff and Counselling Guide
Download NEET 2026 scorecard at neet.nta.nic.in
Set up DigiLocker at digilocker.gov.in
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