New Delhi, May 30, 2025
The Supreme Court of India is currently hearing a petition filed against the decision to conduct the NEET-PG 2025 examination in two separate shifts. The case, which directly impacts thousands of postgraduate medical aspirants across the country, raises questions about the fairness and standardization of the competitive exam.
The petition, filed by medical aspirants and supported by various doctors’ associations, argues that holding the same exam in multiple shifts creates an unequal playing field. The core issue raised is that despite normalization processes, candidates may still face variance in question difficulty and evaluation, potentially affecting their ranking and admission prospects.
A bench led by Justices Vikram Nath and Sanjay Kumar is hearing the matter. During proceedings, the Court was informed that the National Board of Examinations (NBE), which conducts the test, opted for the two-shift model due to logistical constraints, including high candidate volume and limited exam center capacity.
Petitioners, however, contend that academic merit should not be compromised due to administrative convenience. They have requested that the exam be conducted in a single shift or that an independent mechanism be established to verify the reliability of the normalization process used to equalize scores across shifts.
The bench acknowledged the importance of fairness in a high-stakes exam like NEET-PG, and has asked the NBE to submit a detailed affidavit justifying its methodology and explaining the safeguards in place to ensure parity among all candidates.
With NEET-PG 2025 scheduled for June 15, the matter is time-sensitive. The Court is expected to take a final view in the coming days, which could lead to changes in the exam schedule or format depending on its findings.
Why It Matters:
• NEET-PG is a nationwide entrance exam for medical postgraduate courses in India.
• The format of the exam affects over 2 lakh medical graduates annually.
• Any decision by the Court could set a precedent for future competitive exams conducted in multiple shifts.
