Two crucial petitions related to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Postgraduate (NEET-PG) 2025 exam, both challenging the two-shift exam pattern, were listed before the Supreme Court today, May 22.
However, the bench comprising Chief Justice BR Gavai and Justice Augustine George Masih did not take up the matters today.
With the postgraduate medical entrance exam scheduled in less than a month, the delay has left thousands of aspirants anxious. The cases are now expected to be heard next week, possibly by a vacation bench, though the exact dates are yet to be finalised.
What are the petitions about?
1. Dr Aditi & Ors v National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS)
Filed on April 29, 2025, by Dr Aditi and six other medical professionals, the petition contests the decision to conduct the NEET-PG 2025 exam in two separate shifts on June 15, 2025
The petitioners argue that administering the exam in two shifts can lead to discrepancies in difficulty levels between the different question papers, potentially disadvantaging some candidates. They contend that this approach violates Article 14 (Right to Equality) and Article 21 (Right to Life and Personal Liberty) of the Indian Constitution.
The lack of clarity regarding the normalisation process used to equate scores across different shifts is a significant concern. The petitioners highlight that even minor differences in scores can substantially impact rankings, affecting candidates' future opportunities.
2. United Doctors Front (UDF) vs NBE
The UDF petition also takes issue with the NBE’s decision to conduct NEET-PG 2025 in two separate shifts. The doctors' group argues that administering the test in multiple shifts introduces inconsistencies in difficulty level, putting some candidates at a disadvantage depending on the set of questions they receive.
The petition claims this violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution and demands that the exam be held in a single session to ensure fairness. The issue of shift-wise variation was also raised last year for NEET-PG 2024, with aspirants and coaching institutes flagging the lack of a transparent normalisation process.
On May 5, the Supreme Court issued notices to the NBE, the National Medical Commission (NMC), and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW) in response to the UDF’s plea, seeking their replies. But a final hearing is still pending.
With NEET-PG 2025 expected to be held in the third week of June, the delay in hearing both petitions has added to the stress levels of aspirants.
Both cases are now likely to be listed next week before a vacation bench of the Supreme Court, but advocates representing the petitioners say clarity on the schedule is still awaited.
