The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear two significant petitions today, May 20, 2025, concerning the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Postgraduate (NEET PG).
These cases, which raise critical issues regarding the exam’s transparency and the fairness of its two-shift format, are being closely watched by aspirants, especially with the exam scheduled for June 15, less than a month away.
1. Ishika Jain vs National Board of Examinations (NBE)
A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih will be hearing a petition concerning the alleged lack of transparency in the NEET-PG 2024 examination process
This petition, filed by Dr Ishika Jain and other aspirants, demands the release of answer keys, individual scorecards, and the establishment of a grievance redressal mechanism. They argue that the absence of these measures undermines the credibility of the examination and leaves candidates without recourse in case of discrepancies.
The petition was originally filed in September 2024 and has faced several deferments since then.
During previous hearings, the opposing counsel claimed that the petition had become “infructuous” since counselling for NEET-PG 2024 had already concluded.
However, the petitioners firmly rebutted this claim, asserting that their plea aimed to ensure long-term transparency in the examination process, not just relief for this year’s candidates.
2. United Doctors' Front (UDF) vs NBE
Another petition, which was filed last month by the United Doctors' Front, raises similar concerns regarding the NEET-PG 2025 exam, especially pertaining to its two-shift format.
A bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih will hear this petition today.
The UDF has filed a petition challenging the decision to conduct NEET PG 2025 in two shifts, each with different question papers. The petitioners contend that this format leads to variations in difficulty levels, thereby subjecting candidates to unequal standards of evaluation.
They also express concerns about the transparency of the normalisation process used to equate scores from different shifts.
The Supreme Court has issued notices to the NBE, the National Medical Commission (NMC), and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), seeking their responses.
