Supreme Court Directs NBEMS To Conduct NEET-PG 2025 In One Shift

NEW DELHI: In a major relief to the NEET PG 2025 candidates, the Supreme Court has asked the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to hold NEET-PG 2025, scheduled for June 15, in a single shift instead of the proposed two shifts.

A Bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Kumar, and NK Anjaria rejected the NBEMS’ argument that there were not enough centres to accommodate all NEET PG candidates.

“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 and one shift,” the Bench observed.

“Holding the exam in two shifts leads to arbitrariness and cannot give a level playing field. The question papers in the two shifts can never be of the same difficulty level. Last year, it may have been held in two shifts, given the facts and circumstances of that stage. But the examining body ought to have considered making arrangements for holding the examination in one shift,” said the Bench.

“Normalisation may be applied in exceptional cases but not in a routine manner year after year,” it added.

Referring to the NEET PG 2025 scheduled for June 15, the Bench said, “There is still more than two weeks for the examining body to identify the centres to hold the examination in one shift. We direct the respondents to make further arrangements for holding the examination in one shift, and also ensure that full transparency is maintained and secured centres are identified.”

Appearing for NBEMS, Senior Advocate Maninder Acharya tried to explain why the two-shift decision was taken. Acharya said the exam is held online, and that there are limited centres for online exams. “All important examinations in which a large number of candidates appear are held like this,” she argued.

“We have very limited centres even for the June 15 exam. Infrastructure for Wi-Fi, good computer safety security, etc. All possible problems have been considered, and then this solution has been given,” she added.

But, the Bench did not agree, pointing out that even NEET-UG, which has far more candidates than NEET PG, is held in a single shift.

Apex court questions online pattern

The apex court also sought to know why it was being done online. “Why can’t you do it straightforwardly? Why do you need an online exam? It’s just a multiple-choice exam,” the Bench asked.

In reply, Acharya mentioned that NEET PG was being held online to avoid human intervention.

Justice Nath told the counsel that NBEMS need to find a way to hold the exam in a single shift.