ELVIN J

In a significant development the National Board of Education (NBE) has clarified that the NEET-PG 2025 exam will be held in a single shift. This announcement has been made following a directive from the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court's ruling came in response to concerns raised about holding the exam in two shifts, which the Court observed could lead to inconsistency and arbitrariness in the assessment of candidates.

The National Board of Examinations (NBE) had initially scheduled the NEET-PG 2025 exam for June 15, 2025, but with the Court's intervention, the exam has now been Postponed. A new date for the exam will be issued by the NBE in due course, as the necessary arrangements to accommodate the changes are being made. The primary reason for the delay is the need for additional infrastructure and test centers, which are required to conduct the examination in a single shift across the country.

In an official statement, the NBE confirmed the Supreme Court's decision. The statement referred to the Court's judgment in Aditi & Ors vs National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences & Ors, W.P. No. 456/2025, which directed the NBE to take steps to ensure the exam is held in a single shift. The Court stressed that maintaining transparency and selecting secure centers should be prioritized in the new arrangements. According to the NBE, the exam will now be conducted in one shift, ensuring that all candidates are tested under similar conditions and that no unfair advantage is provided to anyone.

Also read - Reasonable Accommodation Upheld As Fundamental Right | AIIMS Directed To Admit Candiate With Disability Without NEET Reappearance

The NBE also reassured candidates that proper arrangements would be made to maintain the integrity of the examination process. The official announcement reads:

"In accordance with the Supreme Court's directive, we will ensure that NEET-PG 2025 is held in a single shift. All necessary arrangements will be made to ensure transparency and fairness, and secure exam centers will be identified and fully equipped for the examination."

The Supreme Court's order followed petitions challenging the NBE's earlier decision to conduct the exam in two shifts. The NBE had initially planned to divide the exam into two shifts to accommodate a larger number of test centers and candidates. However, the Court found that conducting the examination in two shifts could create a situation where the difficulty levels of the two sets of question papers would not be equal, thereby disadvantaging some candidates.

In its judgment, the bench of Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sanjay Kumar, and Justice NV Anjaria pointed out that having two separate shifts would lead to arbitrariness. The judges noted:

"When an exam is held in two shifts, it is impossible to ensure that both question papers have identical levels of difficulty. This disparity could result in some candidates having an easier paper while others face more challenging questions. The result would be an unfair system."

The Court also rejected the NBE’s claim that there were not enough test centers to hold the exam in a single shift. The judges stated that the examination is to be conducted across the entire country, not just in one city, and pointed out that advancements in technology and infrastructure should have made it possible to find sufficient centers for the exam.

"The exam is being held across India, not in a single city. Considering the technological advancements in the country, we do not accept that the National Board of Examinations cannot secure enough centers to conduct the examination in a single shift," the Court said.

Also read - IAS Officers Can't Write ACRs Of Indian Forest Service Officers Up To APCCF Rank | Reporting Authority Must Be Immediate Superior Within Forest Department

In light of this ruling, the NBE is now tasked with making the necessary adjustments to the exam's logistics, including identifying additional centers and ensuring the necessary infrastructure is in place. This decision aims to uphold the principles of fairness and transparency, ensuring that all candidates are tested under the same conditions.

The postponement of NEET-PG 2025 comes as a relief to many candidates who were concerned about the potential disparity between the two shifts. It also provides the NBE with the time needed to rework its arrangements for conducting the exam in a manner that will be considered just and equitable.

The revised date for the exam will be communicated shortly, and students are advised to stay updated through official channels to avoid any confusion.

Case Title: Aditi & Ors. v. National Board of Examination in Medical Sciences & Ors.
Case Number: Writ Petition (Civil) No. 456/2025
Bench: Justice Vikram Nath, Justice Sanjay Kumar, Justice N.V. Anjaria.

 [Read/Download order]