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May 20, 2025
A significant majority of NEET-PG 2025 aspirants have voiced a strong preference for the postgraduate medical entrance exam to be conducted in a single shift, according to two independent polls reported by Shiksha. The findings come amid ongoing debates over the fairness of multi-shift testing and increasing calls for reform from candidates and experts alike.
Poll Results Highlight Demand for Fairness
The first poll, which attracted 1,103 participants, found that 88% believe the Supreme Court should accept the appeal for a single-shift NEET-PG exam. Fairness was cited as the main reason, with only 5% supporting multi-shift tests and 7% leaving the decision to the court.
A second, smaller poll with 184 respondents yielded similar results: 91% (168 votes) favored a single shift, while only seven voters supported multi-shift exams with normalization, and nine preferred to defer the matter to the Supreme Court.
Concerns Over Multi-Shift Exams
The poll results come as the National Board of Examinations (NBE) and the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare face mounting pressure to address concerns about the fairness of multi-shift exams. Historically, NEET-PG has been conducted in a single shift, but recent discussions about adopting a multi-shift format-similar to NEET-UG and other competitive exams-have sparked opposition.
Candidates argue that normalization, the process used to equate scores across different exam shifts, does not fully eliminate disparities in difficulty levels. “Normalization doesn’t fully eliminate disparities in difficulty levels across shifts. A single shift is the only way to ensure every candidate faces the same paper under the same conditions,” a NEET-PG aspirant from Delhi told Shiksha.
What’s Next?
With nearly nine out of ten aspirants expressing a clear preference for a single-shift exam, the onus is now on the NBE and policymakers to consider these opinions as they finalize the format for NEET-PG 2025. The outcome could have significant implications for the perceived fairness and integrity of one of India’s most competitive medical entrance exams.
Disclaimer:
This article is based on information reported by EdexLive and Shiksha as of May 19, 2025. The poll results reflect the views of the respondents and may not represent the entire population of NEET-PG aspirants. Official decisions regarding the NEET-PG 2025 examination format are yet to be announced by the National Board of Examinations or the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare.
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