NEW DELHI: The decision to conduct the exam in two shifts for NEET PG 2025 is being strongly scrutinised by postgraduate medical aspirants and doctors. Most fear that last year’s normalisation problem will be repeated and have asked the authorities to change their approach. Doctor associations have officially petitioned the Union Health Minister and NBEMS, demanding that the exam be conducted in a single shift for fairness and transparency.
NBEMS has scheduled NEET PG 2025 in Computer Based Test (CBT) mode for June 15. Major medical associations, including United Doctors Front (UDF), CMJ Doctors Welfare Federation India and RTI activist Vivek Pandey, have petitioned Jagat Prakash Nadda and NBEMS to revise this decision.
Doctors’ Concerns Over Fairness and Transparency
| Concern | Issue Highlighted |
| Lack of Fairness | The normalization process may not accurately reflect candidates’ performance across shifts. |
| Inconsistency in Ranking | Different normalization formulas (Z-score, T-score, percentile-based) produce varying ranks. |
| Increased Stress on Aspirants | Candidates are worried about unpredictable ranking outcomes due to multiple shifts. |
| Potential Legal Disputes | Previous cases have shown legal challenges over unfair ranking calculations. |
| Transparency Issues | NBEMS has not disclosed the normalization method, raising doubts about fairness. |
Medical Associations Demand Change
The United Doctors’ Front (UDF) criticized NBEMS’s decision, calling it a repeat of last year’s mistakes. In a post on X (formerly Twitter), UDF’s national president stated:
“NEET PG 2025: A Flawed Decision? NBEMS has announced NEET PG 2025 in two shifts despite the normalization mess in 2024! Unfair scoring, legal disputes, and candidate anxiety—why repeat the same mistakes? We have officially written to Health Minister J.P. Nadda to reconsider and conduct NEET PG 2025 in a single shift! We demand fairness, transparency & trust in medical exams.”
The Federation of Resident Doctors’ Association (FORDA) also expressed strong opposition, questioning NBEMS’s motives:
“Last year, they postponed the exam. What’s their excuse this year? Booking an exam center for three hours versus eight hours—where is the financial gain? Are NBEMS officials benefiting from this decision?”
Doctors Call for a Uniform Examination Process
| Argument | Reasoning |
| One Nation, One Exam | If the government can implement One Nation, One Election, it should ensure a uniform national exam. |
| Consistency Across Exams | NEET UG, AIIMS, and INI-CET are conducted in a single shift; NEET PG should follow the same model. |
| Avoiding Rank Discrepancies | A single-shift exam prevents differences in difficulty levels, ensuring fair rankings. |
| Eliminating Normalization Issues | A single test removes the need for controversial normalization processes. |
| Boosting Trust and Transparency | Standardized testing ensures merit-based selection and prevents legal disputes. |
- Dhruv Chauhan, National Coordinator of IMA-JDN, compared the One Nation, One Election initiative to the demand for a One Nation, One Exam policy.
- “A government that can conduct One Nation, One Election should be able to conduct One Nation, One Exam for NEET PG.”
- The Uttar Pradesh Doctor Welfare Association backed the call for a single-shift exam, highlighting the impact of minor rank differences.
- “When a single mark can change ranks by thousands, how can NBEMS guarantee fairness across shifts? If fairness is the goal, the solution is simple—one shift, one exam, a level playing field for all.”
- With growing pressure from medical associations and aspirants, the final decision now lies with NBEMS and the Union Health Ministry.
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