In a landmark decision aimed at promoting fairness and transparency, the Supreme Court of India on Thursday directed the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to conduct the upcoming NEET-PG 2025 examination in a single shift. The exam is scheduled for June 15.
A bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sanjay Kumar, and Justice N.K. Anjaria issued the order while hearing petitions challenging NBE’s decision to conduct the exam in two shifts.
The court emphasized that conducting the postgraduate medical entrance exam in multiple shifts could lead to arbitrariness and unequal difficulty levels, undermining the principles of a level playing field.
“Conducting the exam in two shifts results in arbitrariness and fails to ensure a level playing field. The question papers can never be exactly equal in difficulty,” the bench observed. “While last year’s multi-shift format may have been due to exceptional circumstances, the examining authority should have taken steps to ensure a single-shift exam this year.”
The NBE argued that it lacked sufficient exam centres to accommodate all candidates in a single shift. However, the Supreme Court dismissed this reasoning, stating:
“We are not convinced that in a country of this scale, with significant technological advancements, the examining body could not identify enough secure and credible centres to conduct the exam in one shift.”
With over two weeks remaining before the scheduled exam date, the Court concluded that there is adequate time to make necessary arrangements. It further instructed the NBE to ensure full transparency and efficient logistics for the smooth conduct of the exam.
Why the Controversy?
Concerns over conducting NEET-PG in multiple shifts have been building since 2023, when the NEET-PG results were announced on August 23. Many aspirants alleged discrepancies and unfair score normalisation, leading to widespread dissatisfaction.
Students claimed that inconsistencies between question papers and a lack of transparency in the normalisation process negatively impacted their ranks. These grievances were supported by unofficial answer key comparisons and led to growing demands for change.
In response, two key petitions were filed in the Supreme Court:
- The first, by Dr. Ishika Jain and a group of aspirants, requested the release of answer keys, individual scorecards, and the creation of a grievance redressal mechanism.
- The second, filed by the United Doctors’ Front, directly challenged the two-shift format of NEET-PG 2025, citing unequal difficulty and lack of score normalisation transparency.
Understanding Score Normalisation: Why It Matters
In large-scale exams held in multiple shifts, normalisation is used to adjust scores based on paper difficulty. For example:
- If students in Set A average 70 marks,
- Set B averages 75, and
- Set C averages 80,
It suggests Set C was easier. Normalisation compensates by reducing marks for easier sets and increasing marks for tougher ones. While this method attempts to level the field, critics argue it’s not always accurate or fair in high-stakes exams like NEET-PG.
With the Supreme Court’s latest directive, NEET-PG 2025 is now expected to be held in a single shift, ensuring uniform difficulty, greater transparency, and equal opportunity for all candidates.
