Earlier, the postgraduate medical entrance test was scheduled for June 15, but it was postponed after the apex court raised serious concerns about the Board’s proposal to conduct the exam in two shifts.
NEW DELHI: 5th June: The Supreme Court of India will hear an important application on Friday, filed by the National Board of Examinations (NBE), seeking the court’s approval to conduct the NEET PG 2025 exam on August 3.
Earlier, the postgraduate medical entrance test was scheduled for June 15, but it was postponed after the apex court raised serious concerns about the Board’s proposal to conduct the exam in two shifts.
In a previous hearing, the Supreme Court took strong objection to the idea of holding the NEET PG exam in two separate sessions, stating that such a system could result in variations in difficulty levels between the two shifts. The court warned this could impact the fairness of the exam.
However, the Supreme Court did not agree with this approach.
The Bench of Justices Vikram Nath, PV Sanjay Kumar, and NV Anjaria said the exam must be conducted in one single shift to ensure equal opportunity for all candidates.
The court rejected NBEMS’s argument that holding the exam in one shift would cause safety and security problems because of a shortage of exam centres.
The judges questioned why NEET PG could not be held in one shift when NEET UG, which has many more candidates, was successfully conducted in a single shift.
The bench observed:
“Holding the exam in two shifts could lead to discrepancies in difficulty levels, which may unfairly impact candidates.”
It further stated:
“A uniform examination must be conducted in a single session across the country to ensure fairness and transparency.”
Following the court’s remarks, the NBE has now approached the Supreme Court once again, this time requesting permission to reschedule the exam for August 3 and conduct it in a single shift as per the Court’s instructions.
ALSO READ: Supreme Court Seeks Reply on Plea Against Two-Shift Format for NEET-PG 2025
The NBE’s move shows its willingness to follow the court’s direction, which had earlier asked the Board to make the necessary logistical arrangements to hold the exam in one session.
The court had also made it clear that:
“If the Board required additional time to implement this direction, it could return to the court seeking more time.”
The issue was first brought to the court by the United Doctors Front, a group of medical aspirants. They filed a petition challenging the NBE’s decision to conduct the entrance exam in two shifts.
In their plea, the petitioners argued that:
- Different shifts could create unequal conditions for candidates
- Question papers might have varying levels of difficulty
- This would violate the principle of equal opportunity
They demanded that the exam be conducted in a single shift all over the country, so that every candidate is tested under similar conditions.
In the earlier proceedings, the Supreme Court took the petition seriously and issued a notice to the NBE, asking them to file a reply. This led to the present hearing scheduled for this Friday, where the Court will decide whether to allow the exam on the new proposed date of August 3.
Case Title:
Aditi & Ors v. National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences & Ors, W.P. No. 456/2025
FOLLOW US FOR MORE LEGAL UPDATES ON YOUTUBE
