The Recurring Nightmare: A Pattern of Systemic Failures
The NEET PG examination saga reads like a chronicle of repeated governmental incompetence. What should be a straightforward, merit-based entrance examination has devolved into an annual spectacle of postponements, irregularities, and constitutional violations that mock the very principles of equality and fairness our Constitution enshrines.
Consider the events of 2024 alone: the examination was initially scheduled for July 7, then rescheduled to June 23, postponed again due to paper leak concerns on the very eve of the exam, and finally conducted on August 11 in two shifts – a format that fundamentally compromises the principle of equal opportunity. Each postponement represents not just administrative failure, but thousands of young doctors whose lives are put on hold, whose career trajectories are derailed, and whose faith in the system is systematically eroded.
The Two-Shift Travesty: Where Equality Dies
The National Board of Examinations' (NBE) decision to conduct NEET PG 2025 in two shifts represents perhaps the most egregious violation of constitutional principles we have witnessed in competitive examinations. When different question papers are administered across shifts, the inevitable result is variation in difficulty levels. This isn't a theoretical concern – it's a mathematical certainty that creates unequal playing fields for equally deserving candidates.
The NBE's solution? A "normalization" process borrowed from AIIMS New Delhi, applied without public consultation, expert scrutiny, or transparency. This opaque methodology, designed for aptitude-based examinations, is wholly unsuited for a content-heavy, memory-based examination like NEET PG. It's like using a hammer to perform surgery – technically a tool, but catastrophically inappropriate for the task at hand.
The Normalization Fallacy: Statistical Manipulation Disguised as Fairness
The normalization process operates on fundamentally flawed assumptions: that difficulty levels across shifts are identical, that candidate abilities are uniformly distributed, and that statistical manipulation can somehow restore fairness to an inherently unfair system. These assumptions crumble under the slightest scrutiny.
Unlike examinations such as GATE (which ranks within disciplines) or CAT (which tests aptitude), NEET PG is a ranking-based, memory-intensive examination that determines access to limited postgraduate medical seats. The normalization formula's application here is not just inappropriate – it's constitutionally impermissible because it creates artificial inequalities where none should exist.
Students: The Forgotten Victims of Administrative Arrogance & The Human Cost of Administrative Failures
Behind every statistic, every court filing, and every postponement announcement lies a human story of dreams deferred and aspirations crushed. These are young doctors who have already invested years in medical education, who have sacrificed personal milestones, and who now find themselves trapped in an endless cycle of preparation for an examination that changes its rules mid-game.
The psychological trauma cannot be understated. Students report anxiety, depression, and a sense of helplessness as they watch their peers in other fields advance while they remain stuck in this bureaucratic quicksand. Many have postponed marriages, turned down job opportunities, and depleted family savings – all while navigating a system that seems designed to test their endurance rather than their medical knowledge.
The Judicial Paradox: Justice Delayed, Dreams Denied
While we deeply respect the judicial process and the Supreme Court's commitment to constitutional principles, the reality of prolonged litigation creates its own form of injustice for students. The case of Manjunath B. Tadasad & Ors. v. National Board of Examination & Ors. has been pending since 2021, highlighting concerns about NEET PG transparency. Yet, examination after examination continues to be conducted with the same flawed methodology.
Each court date brings hope, but also extends the agony. Students find themselves caught between government intransigence and the necessarily deliberative pace of judicial review. While justice must be thorough, the cost of delay is measured in human years and broken dreams.
Our petition before the Supreme Court is not merely about examination methodology – it's about the fundamental constitutional guarantee of equality before law. Article 14 of our Constitution prohibits arbitrary state action, while Article 21 protects the right to livelihood and fair opportunity. The current NEET PG system violates boh these principles with brazen disregard.
The 2025 Battle: Single Shift, Transparent Process
Our current petition before the Supreme Court is not just about NEET PG 2025; it's about establishing a precedent for fairness in competitive examinations. We demand:
1.Single Shift Examination: Like every fair competitive exam worldwide, NEET PG should be conducted in one session with uniform question papers for all candidates.
2.Complete Transparency: Raw scores, answer keys, and detailed scoring methodologies should be made public immediately after the examination.
3.Expert Validation: Any scoring mechanism should undergo rigorous expert review and public consultation before implementation.
4.Grievance Redressal: A robust system for addressing scoring discrepancies and procedural irregularities.
The overwhelming support from 96% of aspirants in public polls for a single-shift examination cannot be ignored. Even Members of Parliament have written to the government demanding fair practices.
Justice Cannot Wait
As I prepare for the next hearing before the Supreme Court, I carry with me not just legal arguments but the hopes and dreams of thousands of medical aspirants. Their fight is not for special treatment but for basic fairness – the right to compete on equal terms, to have their efforts evaluated transparently, and to see merit triumph over manipulation.
The time for excuses is over. The time for half-measures has passed. NEET PG 2025 must be conducted in a single shift with complete transparency, or it should not be conducted at all.
The students have waited long enough. Justice delayed is justice denied, and in the case of NEET PG aspirants, denial of justice means denial of India's healthcare future.
The fight continues, and we will not rest until fairness prevails.
About the Author: Advocate Satyam Singh Rajput is representing the United Doctors Front (UDF) and NEET PG aspirants before the Supreme Court of India in the ongoing litigation challenging the conduct of NEET PG examinations. He specializes in educational law and constitutional matters affecting students' rights.