The Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has submitted a stern letter to the National Board of Examinations (NBE) demanding an immediate reversal of plans to conduct the crucial NEET PG 2025 examination across multiple shifts.
The doctors' association warns that the proposed format could severely compromise the integrity of India's premier postgraduate medical entrance test.
In their official communication dated May 23, 2025, FAIMA leadership expressed "deep concern" over NBE's decision to abandon the traditional single-shift format for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Postgraduate (NEET-PG) medicine. The association argues that multiple shifts would introduce inherent unfairness through the dreaded process of mark normalisation.
Normalisation nightmare
FAIMA's primary objection centres on the normalisation process required when different question papers are used across shifts. The federation contends that varying difficulty levels between shifts make it virtually impossible to establish a truly equitable scoring system, potentially giving some candidates undue advantages while disadvantaging others based purely on their assigned time slot.
"Different question papers in different shifts inherently introduce variations in difficulty levels, making it challenging to establish a truly fair normalisation process," the letter states, highlighting concerns that have plagued multi-shift examinations in the past.
Legal battles and delay
The medical association warns that the multi-shift format could trigger a cascade of legal challenges and disputes, ultimately delaying the entire admission process. This would add to the already mounting stress experienced by medical graduates preparing for one of India's most competitive examinations.
FAIMA emphasises that NEET PG determines career prospects and specialisation opportunities for thousands of medical graduates, making the examination's sanctity non-negotiable. The federation argues that a single-shift format naturally ensures uniformity in difficulty levels while eliminating the controversial normalisation requirement entirely.
A united medical front
The letter, signed by prominent FAIMA office holders National Chairman Dr Manish Jangra, National President Dr Akshay Dongardive, Vice-President Dr Divyansh Singh, and General Secretary Dr Jupi Talukdar, represents the collective voice of medical professionals across India.
"Given the immense stress that medical graduates already undergo in preparing for NEET PG, adding the uncertainty of normalisation further exacerbates their anxiety," the federation stated, calling for the NBE to maintain student confidence in the examination system.
FAIMA's appeal to the NBE emphasises the need to uphold "principles of fairness, transparency, and meritocracy" in what they describe as a "critical matter" affecting thousands of medical aspirants nationwide.
