The Supreme Court on Friday instructed the National Board of Examinations (NBE) not to hold the NEET-PG 2025 exam in multiple shifts, citing concerns over inconsistency and varying difficulty levels. The court has directed the NBE to make necessary arrangements to conduct the exam in a single session, rejecting the NBE’s argument that logistical constraints necessitated multiple shifts.
In its observation, the Court stated: “We are not ready to accept that in the entire country and considering the technological advancements in this country, the examining body could not find enough centres to hold the examination in one shift.” This rebuttal directly addresses the NBE’s claim of insufficient infrastructure, emphasising that technological progress should enable a fairer single-shift examination process.
The court’s move comes after growing concerns from aspirants and experts over the fairness and transparency of conducting the postgraduate medical entrance exam in multiple shifts—a system first introduced in 2024 and widely criticised. The two petitions—filed by United Doctors Front (UDF), and Dr Aditi Gupta along with six other doctors—raised alarm over the use of different question papers in each shift and an opaque score normalisation process. Petitioners argued that the lack of transparency and inconsistent evaluation standards threaten the integrity of one of India’s most important medical entrance examinations.
UDF welcomes 'landmark judgement'
Welcoming the judgement, Lakshay Mittal, the president of UDF, told The Free Press Journal, “It’s a landmark judgement which will ensure fairness and transparency in the PG-Medical entrance test. It will not only benefit the aspirants but will also ensure that the best of the students become future doctors, and it will make the healthcare system only better.”
Sudha Shenoy, a parent representative, expressed relief over the decision, stating, “It’s a much-awaited decision, and we are very happy that the SC has given a good verdict for the PG students. In fact, NBEMS should have been sensitive on this matter and not done two shifts intentionally for the 2025 batch when they were successfully holding it in a single shift till 2023.”
She further criticised the NBE, adding, “They should not have taken advantage of the students’ situation just because they managed to conduct the exam in two shifts last year after multiple postponements.”
Activists, Parent Represntatives welcome SC judgement
Brijesh Sutaria, a Mumbai-based medical education activist, told the FPJ, “I genuinely feel sad for the NEET PG 2024 batch, who were compelled to accept a two-shift examination system with normalisation scores despite genuine concerns about fairness and transparency. They bore the brunt of a flawed transition without a single hearing or timely intervention.”
“However, this landmark Supreme Court judgement is a true victory for NEET PG 2025 aspirants and a strong message to all regulatory and examining bodies: you cannot gamble with the future of India’s doctors,” he added.
“This is the second remarkable and much-awaited order from the apex court on medical education, and it is evident that the Hon’ble Judges have examined every layer of the issue with microscopic precision. The verdict restores trust in the system and reinforces that justice, when delivered firmly, can course-correct systemic lapses,” Sutaria further noted.
