The Supreme Court (SC) hearing on the plea demanding the release of the NEET-PG 2024 answer key was deferred yet again, with the SC website now listing April 1, 2025, as the next tentative (computer-generated) hearing date.
The case, filed by Dr Ishika Jain and other aspirants, was originally scheduled for a hearing on March 25 before a bench comprising Justices BR Gavai and Augustine George Masih.
However, it was not taken up, reportedly due to the formation of a special SC bench in the second half of the day. This marks yet another delay in a case that has already seen multiple postponements over the past few months.
The petition, filed in September 2024, challenges the lack of transparency in the NEET-PG 2024 examination process, particularly the absence of publicly available scorecards and answer keys.
The Supreme Court first took up the matter on September 13, 2024, when it issued a notice to the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). However, since then, procedural issues and scheduling conflicts have led to repeated deferrals, leaving medical aspirants uncertain about the outcome.
The delay is particularly concerning as NEET-PG 2025 is set to take place on June 15, 2025.
Like last year, the exam will be conducted in two shifts, a decision that has sparked controversy among candidates who believe that a multi-shift format necessitates a complex normalisation process, potentially affecting fairness in scoring.
With the next hearing date now pushed to April 1, aspirants remain in a state of limbo.
The continued uncertainty surrounding the case raises concerns about the impact on candidates’ careers and the overall credibility of the medical entrance examination system.
