A fresh bench comprising Justice Vikram Nath and Justice Sanjay Kumar will hear the petition filed by the United Doctors Front (UDF) challenging the two-shift format of the upcoming NEET PG 2025 examination.
As noted on X (formerly Twitter) by @advsatyamrajput, the matter has been reassigned, with the next Supreme Court hearing now scheduled for May 30.
Initially filed on May 1, UDF’s petition urges the Court to direct the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) to hold the exam in a single shift on June 15. The group argues that the current two-shift model — introduced in NEET PG 2024 — has led to doubts over fairness, with aspirants questioning the normalisation process used to equate scores across shifts.
In its plea, UDF claims the format compromises transparency and uniformity, and violates Articles 14 and 21 of the Constitution, which guarantee the right to equality and a fair, merit-based evaluation.
The association has cited concerns that candidates facing harder papers in one shift are placed at a disadvantage, and has demanded disclosure of the scientific basis behind the normalisation formula.
NBEMS, in its reply, challenged the petition’s maintainability, arguing that UDF lacks locus standi and represents only a handful of aspirants. It further claimed that delaying the exam would disrupt the academic calendar and strain India’s already stretched healthcare system.
However, Medical Dialogues reports that UDF’s online poll found 96% of over 2,500 respondents preferred a single-shift format. A separate signature campaign, launched after NBEMS claimed only seven petitioners were objecting, has already garnered over 6,000 signatures.
UDF maintains that it represents the interests of 2.5 lakh aspirants and doctors nationwide, and its counsel has dismissed NBEMS' claims as baseless.
The outcome of the hearing on May 30 could determine whether NEET PG 2025 proceeds as scheduled or faces a last-minute format change.
