Supreme Court Approves August 3 for NEET-PG 2025 Exam in Single Shift
The Supreme Court has permitted the National Board of Examination (NBE) to conduct the NEET-PG 2025 examination on August 3. Acknowledging the NBE's rationale for needing approximately 1,000 centers to hold the exam in a single shift as per prior court directives, the court found the reasons for the new date bonafide. The apex court emphasized that no further postponements for the postgraduate medical entrance exam would be granted.
Unpacked:
The Supreme Court mandated a single-shift NEET-PG 2025 exam to ensure fairness, arguing that two shifts create disparities in question paper difficulty. The court found that normalizing scores across shifts is not a satisfactory or consistent solution, and holding the exam in a single shift ensures a level playing field for all candidates.
The NEET-PG 2025 exam, initially set for June 15, was postponed after the Supreme Court ordered the National Board of Examinations to conduct it in a single shift rather than two. Organizers cited logistical challenges in arranging enough centers for all candidates in one shift, requiring additional preparation time.
Students and associations have expressed frustration and concern over repeated postponements and last-minute changes. Groups like the Student Federation of India have criticized the exam body's planning and management, citing increased anxiety and uncertainty among over 200,000 aspirants, especially after last year’s multiple postponements and normalization controversies.
Holding the exam in two shifts previously led to complaints about uneven difficulty between question sets. Many students felt this created unfair advantages or disadvantages, and the normalization process to adjust scores was criticized for not fully addressing these disparities, prompting legal challenges and the Supreme Court’s intervention.