Fri May 30 12:30:00 UTC 2025: **News Article:**

**Supreme Court Orders NEET-PG 2025 to be Held in Single Shift, Cites Arbitrariness**

New Delhi – In a significant ruling impacting medical aspirants, the Supreme Court has directed the National Board of Examination (NBE) to conduct the NEET-PG 2025 examination in a single shift, overturning the board’s plan to hold it in two shifts. The court, comprising Justices Vikram Nath, Sanjay Kumar, and NV Anjaria, emphasized that holding the exam in two shifts would create arbitrariness and not ensure a level playing field for all candidates.

The decision came in response to a batch of petitions challenging the NBE’s decision, with petitioners arguing that different shifts inherently have varying difficulty levels, giving some candidates an unfair advantage. The court agreed, stating that “Any two question papers can never be said to be of an identical level of difficulty or ease. There has to be a variation.”

The NBE had argued that a lack of examination centers prevented them from holding the exam in one shift. The bench dismissed this argument. They observed the exam is to be held across the country and the NBE should be able to identify enough centers for a single-shift exam.

The court also addressed the NBE’s argument that normalization would correct any differences in difficulty. Justice Nath stated, “Normalisation may be applied in exceptional cases but not in a routine manner year after year.”

While acknowledging the logistical challenges, the court instructed the NBE to make arrangements for a single-shift exam by the scheduled date of June 15, 2025, while ensuring complete transparency and secure centers. The court noted that the NBE could apply for an extension if necessary.

Senior Advocate Shikhil Suri and other advocates, representing the petitioners, argued that a two-shift exam prioritizes luck over merit and violates Article 14 and 21 of the Constitution due to the lack of fairness and transparency. The court agreed, highlighting that the NEET-UG exam, which has more candidates, is not conducted in two shifts.

The ruling is a win for students, addressing concerns about fairness and equal opportunity in the competitive medical entrance exam.

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