New Delhi: In a significant directive issued today, the Supreme Court has ordered that the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test-Post Graduate (NEET-PG) 2025 examination be conducted in a single shift. The top court’s decision, coming just ahead of the June 15 examination date, aims to uphold transparency and ensure a level playing field for all aspiring medical professionals.
A bench, led by Justice Vikram Nath and also comprising Justices Sanjay Kumar and N V Anjaria, specifically instructed the relevant authorities to make all necessary arrangements for the examination to proceed in one consolidated shift. The court underscored that holding examinations in multiple shifts inherently introduces an element of “arbitrariness,” a concern it sought to eliminate.
Emphasising its stance, the bench observed that it is practically impossible for any two question papers to possess an identical level of difficulty or ease. This observation was central to its ruling, as it directly addressed the potential for disparity that a two-shift examination format could create among candidates.
The court’s order was passed while hearing a plea that directly challenged a notification proposing the NEET-PG 2025 examination be held in two shifts. The petitioners argued that such a format carried a significant risk of unfairness due to inevitable variations in difficulty levels between the shifts, potentially disadvantaging some candidates.
The plea, filed by Aditi and others, specifically sought a directive for the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to conduct the exam in a single shift. Their contention was that this would maintain “just, fair, reasonable and equitable” grounds of competition for all candidates appearing for the highly competitive examination.
This ruling follows a recent verdict by the apex court which issued a series of directions aimed at curbing seat-blocking practices in NEET-PG counselling. That verdict also mandated the publication of raw scores, answer keys, and normalisation formulae of the examination, all part of a broader push for greater transparency and fairness in the medical entrance process.
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