NEET PG 2025: 2 Petitions Filed In SC Demand Single-Shift Exam Citing Fairness And Transparency Concerns

Mumbai: Two separate petitions have been filed in the Supreme Court challenging the controversial two-shift format proposed for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET-PG) 2025, with petitioners demanding a return to a single-shift examination to ensure fairness and transparency.

The first petition has been submitted by the United Doctors Front (UDF), a national medical association representing thousands of doctors and aspirants. The second has been filed by Dr Aditi Gupta and six other doctors. Both petitions highlight serious concerns over the use of different question papers in multiple shifts and an opaque normalisation process that petitioners argue undermines the integrity of the examination.

Brijesh Sutaria, a Mumbai-based medical education activist, told The Free Press Journal, “Two fresh Supreme Court petitions have challenged the NEET PG 2025 two-shift exam format — a repeat of last year’s unresolved chaos. Both raise serious concerns about unfair normalisation, lack of transparency, and demand a single-shift exam with answer key disclosure. Aspirants deserve clarity and justice, not silence. I urge the Hon’ble Chief Justice of India to ensure these petitions don’t go unheard again. The voices of India’s future doctors, on whom our entire healthcare system will rely, must be heard and respected.”

The petition by UDF has been filed under Article 32 of the Constitution, citing a violation of aspirants’ fundamental rights under Articles 14 and 21 — the right to equality and the right to a fair and merit-based opportunity. The association has taken a firm stance against the National Board of Examinations’ (NBE) decision to conduct the exam in two shifts, with UDF National President Dr Lakshya Mittal calling the move “arbitrary and non-transparent”.

“Our petition is in response to overwhelming concerns raised by NEET PG aspirants across India,” said Dr Mittal. “Conducting exams in two shifts with different levels of difficulty and applying a normalisation formula without transparency directly impacts the fairness and credibility of the entire process.”

Dr Mittal also pointed to last year’s controversy when the National Testing Agency (NTA) did not disclose individual candidate scores or provide clarity on the normalisation process. “This led to massive distrust among candidates,” he told the FPJ. “We conducted an online poll, where an overwhelming 96% of respondents were not in favour of multi-shift exams.”

In the last week of April, the UDF also wrote to Union Health Minister JP Nadda, urging him to intervene. Their letter stated that 96% of 2,513 poll participants supported a single-shift format to maintain fairness, transparency, and uniformity in evaluation.

The two-shift model, which the authorities introduced last year citing concerns over undergraduate paper leaks, has drawn significant criticism from both students and education advocates. Critics argue that unlike undergraduate NEET, NEET-PG is a secure computer-based exam and was conducted in a single shift until 2023 without any reported breaches.

Sudha Shenoy, a parent-representative, welcomed the petitions. “It’s a good move and I hope the Supreme Court listens to the students’ plea for the sake of transparency and equity. I just hope the court does not push the case to new dates like last year, leaving students in prolonged uncertainty.”

As NEET PG 2025 approaches, the Supreme Court’s response to these petitions will be closely watched by aspirants nationwide, many of whom feel their future hinges not just on their preparation, but on the fairness of the system that evaluates them.