In a landmark ruling, the Supreme Court of India on Friday directed the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to conduct the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test – Postgraduate (NEET-PG) 2025 in a single shift on June 15, citing fairness concerns. The verdict comes in response to two petitions—one filed by United Doctors Front  (UDF) and the other by Dr Aditi Gupta along with six other doctors—raising alarm over the use of different question papers in each shift and an opaque score normalisation process. 

Dr Lakshya Mittal, president of UDF, one of the main petitioners, speaks with The Free Press Journal on how the verdict addresses longstanding issues of arbitrariness and restores trust in one of India’s most important medical entrance examinations.

Excerpts from the interview

FPJ: The Supreme Court has directed the NBE to conduct the NEET-PG 2025 exam on June 15 in a single shift, citing ‘unfairness and inconsistency’ in multiple shifts. As the main petitioner, how do you feel this landmark judgment addresses the concerns you raised about arbitrariness in the examination process?

Dr Mittal: I’m thrilled with the Supreme Court’s decision. Since 2024, when the multiple-shift exam was introduced for the first time, students, activists, and parents have been fighting for a single-shift exam due to the unfairness it caused. Back then, the apex court didn’t consider our pleas, citing a lack of time. But now, in 2025, the court has given a landmark judgment by addressing our concerns about arbitrariness, ensuring all students face the same exam in one shift. Every aspirant in this nation has welcomed this decision, as it makes the process much fairer and more consistent.

FPJ: The court noted that conducting the exam in multiple shifts leads to varying difficulty levels and rejected the NBE’s argument about logistical constraints. What specific issues did UDF highlight regarding the two-shift system, and how does this ruling ensure fairness for aspirants, as you mentioned it will benefit them and future doctors?

Dr Mittal: We pointed out that the two-shift system often had different difficulty levels, which made it unfair—some students got tougher papers, affecting their scores. This was a big problem for aspirants. The court’s ruling for a single shift ensures everyone gets the same paper, leveling the playing field. This fairness will benefit aspirants and help select future doctors based on equal standards.

FPJ: The Supreme Court observed that the NBE lacks enough centres for a single-shift exam and suggested using substandard centres with poor infrastructure. From UDF’s perspective, what steps should the NBE take to address these infrastructural challenges and ensure a secure and fair examination process by June 15, 2025?

Dr Mittal: The NBE needs to act quickly to find better centres, even if it means working with more schools or colleges to host the exam. They should ensure these centres have proper facilities like electricity, seating, and security to avoid issues like power cuts or cheating. UDF will keep pushing NBE to prioritise quality infrastructure so the exam on 15 June 2025 is smooth and fair for all students.

FPJ: You described the verdict as a landmark judgment that will benefit the healthcare system by ensuring fairness and transparency. Can you elaborate on how this shift to a single-session exam will improve the quality of the PG-Medical entrance test and support the students’ situation, as you noted in your statement?

Dr Mittal: A single-session exam ensures every student faces the same test—the best candidates are selected based on merit. It also supports students by reducing stress and confusion from multiple shifts, helping them focus better and perform to their true potential.

FPJ: You mentioned this verdict ensures transparency in the healthcare system. How do you think a single-shift exam will impact the trust of aspirants in the NEET-PG process?

Dr Mittal: A single-shift exam removes doubts about fairness, as everyone gets the same test. This will rebuild aspirants’ trust in the NEET-PG process, knowing the system values their hard work equally.

FPJ: The NBE claimed logistical constraints for multiple shifts, but the court rejected this. What message does this send to other examining bodies about prioritising fairness?

Dr Mittal: This verdict sends a clear message that fairness must come before convenience. Examining bodies must prioritise equal opportunities and transparency, even if it requires extra effort. The Supreme Court has shown that excuses won’t be accepted when students’ futures are at stake.