May 30,2025
In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court of India on 30th May 2025 has directed the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to conduct the NEET-PG 2025 examination in a single shift, overturning the previously planned two-shift format. The verdict, delivered by a bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Kumar, and NV Anjaria, seeks to ensure fairness and transparency in the national postgraduate medical entrance examination scheduled for June 15, 2025.
Traditionally held in one session, NEET-PG assesses thousands of medical aspirants seeking admission to postgraduate courses. However, NBEMS had announced a two-shift format for 2025, citing logistical constraints. Under this plan, candidates would have appeared in either a morning session (9:00 AM – 12:30 PM) or an afternoon session (3:30 PM – 7:00 PM), with results normalized to adjust for any differences in question difficulty.
The proposal sparked widespread opposition from aspirants and medical groups, who feared that question difficulty disparities across shifts could unfairly influence rankings. Previous experiences from NEET-PG 2024 highlighted concerns that score normalization methods lacked transparency and could not fully compensate for variations in exam difficulty.
Several organizations, including the United Doctors’ Front (UDF) and the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA), advocated against the multi-shift approach. A survey conducted by UDF found that 96% of over 2,500 aspirants favored a single-shift format to maintain fairness.
In its ruling, the Supreme Court rejected the two-shift format, emphasizing that conducting exams in multiple sessions introduces arbitrariness. “Any two question papers can never be said to be of an identical level of difficulty or ease. There has to be a variation,” observed the bench.
NBEMS argued that logistical challenges necessitated the two-shift format, stating that normalization could ensure fairness. However, the Court dismissed this claim, ruling that normalization “cannot be applied in a routine manner year after year” and should only be reserved for exceptional cases. The judgment pointed out that even NEET-UG, a larger-scale examination, is conducted in a single shift, questioning why a similar approach could not be implemented for NEET-PG.
Justice Sanjay Kumar reinforced the importance of fairness, stating, “Even if there is just one candidate with a redressable grievance, the court has to interfere. It does not matter the number of candidates who have come here.” The Court directed NBEMS to make necessary arrangements for a single-shift examination, asserting that with over two weeks remaining, there was sufficient time to reorganize logistics, secure additional centers, and deploy invigilators.
Impact on NEET-PG 2025 Candidates
The Supreme Court’s directive ensures that all NEET-PG aspirants will be assessed under identical conditions, eliminating concerns over unequal difficulty levels between shifts. The ruling is expected to restore trust in the examination process among India’s estimated 2.5 lakh medical aspirants.
The NBEMS must now restructure logistical arrangements to accommodate all candidates in a single session on June 15, 2025. This may involve expanding venue capacities, recruiting additional invigilators, and strengthening computer-based testing infrastructure. The Court has permitted the NBEMS to seek a reasonable extension if necessary but has rejected concerns that transitioning to a single-shift format would disrupt the academic calendar.
Candidates can expect admit card releases in the coming days, reflecting the updated single-shift schedule. The NEET-PG 2025 results are anticipated by July 15, 2025, as per the official timeline.
The decision has been met with widespread approval from medical professionals, aspirants, and education experts. Groups such as UDF and FAIMA have lauded the Supreme Court for upholding fairness in medical entrance examinations. Many aspirants have expressed relief and gratitude on social media, viewing the ruling as a critical step toward ensuring equitable assessments for future doctors.
With this landmark verdict, the Supreme Court has reaffirmed its stance on exam fairness, sending a clear message on maintaining transparency in national-level assessments. As NEET-PG aspirants finalize their preparations, they now have clarity on the exam format, allowing them to focus entirely on their studies.
