In a significant ruling, the Supreme Court of India has directed that the NEET-PG 2025 examination, scheduled for June 15, be conducted in a single shift instead of two shifts. The decision aims to eliminate arbitrariness and ensure a level playing field for all medical aspirants.

Key Highlights of the Supreme Court’s Decision:

  • Single Shift Mandate: The exam will now be held in one shift to prevent discrepancies in question paper difficulty levels.

  • Transparency Assurance: Authorities must ensure complete fairness in conducting the test.

  • Bench’s Rationale: The court stated that two shifts create unfairness, as no two question papers can have the exact same difficulty level.

Background of the Case:

The ruling came in response to a petition challenging the National Board of Examinations (NBE)‘s notification for holding NEET-PG 2025 in two shifts. The plea, filed by Aditi and others, argued that multiple shifts could lead to unfair advantages due to varying difficulty levels.

Recent NEET-PG Reforms:

This decision follows the Supreme Court’s earlier verdict on NEET-PG counselling reforms, which included:

  • Preventing seat-blocking

  • Publishing raw scores, answer keys, and normalisation formulae

Why This Matters for Aspirants?

  • Fair Competition: Ensures equal opportunity for all candidates.

  • Reduced Stress: Eliminates anxiety over shift-based discrepancies.

  • Greater Trust: Reinforces transparency in medical entrance exams.

Final Verdict:

The bench, comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Kumar, and N.V. Anjaria, emphasized that a single-shift exam upholds constitutional fairness under Article 14 (Right to Equality).

This ruling is expected to set a precedent for future medical entrance exams, prioritizing merit and equity over logistical convenience.