To restore fairness and transparency in the NEET PG exam, the Supreme Court (SC) has directed the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to conduct the NEET PG exam in a single shift on June 15 using a common question paper. No two question papers can have an identical difficulty level, the top court observed. The bench passed the order, while hearing a plea challenging a notification on holding the NEET-PG 2025 examination in two shifts.
NEET PG candidates alleged that the normalisation process in the double-shift exam was arbitrary and failed to account for the uneven difficulty levels between the two shifts.
A senior faculty member from a medical college says, “The board has earlier acknowledged that while the normalisation formula is meant to level the playing field, it is inherently artificial and cannot guarantee absolute fairness. However, the board only introduced the dual-shift exam model last year to manage the probability of malpractices, considering what happened during the NEET UG exam in 2024. Given the limited number of exam centres, the board’s focus was to hold the exam in a controlled environment with proper security measures in place.”
While the decision has been widely welcomed by the medical fraternity, it presents significant logistical challenges for NBEMS. “The board is currently in discussions with the third party–Tata Consultancy Services (TCS)–to expand the number of exam centres across the country. Conducting the NEET PG in a single shift will require additional centres, as well as upgraded security measures, including signal jammers and surveillance systems to prevent cheating,” informs the NBEMS source requesting anonymity.
The counsel appearing for NBEMS informed the SC that the board will have to arrange 900 extra centres to hold the exam in a single shift, which is not possible by June 15. This has fuelled speculation about a potential postponement. The senior faculty says, “There are chances of the exam getting delayed due to the logistical scale-up. Moreover, SC has also clarified that NBEMS may request an extension if required.” However, students have been advised not to rely on the likelihood of a delay and to continue their preparation as scheduled.
This move to a single-shift format is being viewed as a significant step forward in restoring student trust in the examination process. While logistical execution remains a challenge, the reform is expected to uphold merit and streamline the exam process.
