SC grants approval for NBE to conduct NEET-PG 2025 exam on August 3
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday permitted the National Board of Examination (NBE) to conduct the NEET-PG 2025 exam on August 3 in a single shift, in accordance with its directives.
A bench comprising Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Augustine George Masih, which initially questioned the NBE’s request for a two-month window to hold the examination, deemed the board's plea "bona fide".
However, the top court made it clear that no additional time would be granted for conducting the NEET-PG 2025 exam. The NBE cited the Supreme Court’s May 30 order, explaining that organising simultaneous exams across the country in one shift would require around 1,000 examination centres.
The plea stated that the examination, originally scheduled for June 15 from 9 am to 12:30 pm, would now be conducted on August 3—the earliest possible date provided by its technology partner, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS).
It referred to previous communications with TCS, highlighting key preparations such as identifying examination centres, ensuring their availability, and implementing stringent security measures to prevent leaks ahead of the August 3 exam.
The bench expressed concern over the prolonged delay, noting that students who had rigorously prepared for the exam would bear the impact, and the selection process would be further postponed.
"The court issued its order on May 30. What steps have been taken since then? Examination centres were already identified for June 15, so the only task was to confirm their availability. Security arrangements are necessary regardless of when the exam is conducted," the bench observed.
Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj, representing the NBE, emphasised the need for meticulous arrangements to ensure a seamless nationwide entrance exam. He explained that identified examination centres must be technologically compliant and secure, necessitating extensive preparations.
Justice Masih remarked that the court was well aware of how TCS operates, given its extensive experience in conducting examinations, and stated that locating suitable centres should not pose a challenge.
The NBE’s plea sought permission from the Supreme Court to schedule the NEET-PG 2025 exam on August 3—the earliest available date provided by its technology partner, Tata Consultancy Services Ltd (TCS), in accordance with the court’s May 30 directive.
The plea emphasised that over a thousand examination centres needed to be booked and engaged, requiring significant time. It further noted that accommodating 242,679 candidates, including buffer seats, would necessitate infrastructure to support 270,000 candidates nationwide, demanding careful planning.
Thus, it proposed holding the NEET-PG 2025 exam on August 3 in a single shift from 9 am to 12:30 pm.
On May 30, the Supreme Court ruled that the postgraduate medical entrance exam, originally scheduled for June 15, should be conducted in a single shift, citing concerns over "arbitrariness" in holding it in two shifts. Authorities were instructed to ensure transparency and secure examination centres for the test.
The apex court’s ruling came in response to pleas challenging a notification that called for conducting the NEET-PG 2025 exam in two shifts. Among the petitioners was advocate Sukriti Bhatnagar, while several lawyers, including advocate Tanvi Dubey, appeared in the matter.
(inputs from PTI)
