Controversy erupts over NEET PG 2025 conduction, Doctors Slam Two-Shift Format
Critics argue that the normalization process for NEET PG 2025 is flawed, potentially leading to score discrepancies and inaccurate rankings.
New Delhi: The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) has announced that the National Eligibility Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET PG) 2025 will be conducted on June 15, 2025, in two shifts. The first shift is scheduled from 9:00 AM to 12:30 PM, and the second from 3:30 PM to 7:00 PM.
This decision has sparked a significant backlash among medical aspirants and professionals, primarily due to concerns over the normalization process, a statistical method used to adjust scores across different exam shifts to ensure fairness. Critics argue that this process is flawed, potentially leading to score discrepancies and inaccurate rankings.
Also Read: BREAKING NEWS: NBE Announces NEET PG Exam 2025 Date
Doctors and Aspirants Raise Concerns Over Normalization Issues
Reflecting on last year's issues with normalization, many candidates have taken to social media to express their apprehensions. One doctor tweeted, "NBEMS has announced NEET PG 2025 in two shifts despite the normalization mess in 2024!... Why repeat the same mistake?"
Unified Doctors Front (UDF) and FAIMA Oppose Two-Shift Format
The Unified Doctors Front (UDF) has officially written to Health Minister J.P. Nadda, urging reconsideration of the two-shift format. They argue that a single-shift examination will ensure uniformity and fairness for all candidates.
Similarly, the Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA) has strongly opposed the decision. A FAIMA representative stated:
Previous Normalization Issues Raise Concerns
The controversy stems from previous instances where multi-shift exams led to disputes over score normalization. Many aspirants argue that different shifts often vary in difficulty, and despite NBEMS's efforts to normalize scores, the process remains flawed and unreliable. Many fear that variations in difficulty levels between the two shifts could unfairly impact scores, affecting merit rankings and admissions. This concern stems from past experiences, particularly NEET PG 2024, where issues with score normalization sparked major debates.
Medical professionals argue that multi-shift exams have historically resulted in discrepancies despite normalization efforts, leading to potential legal battles and student protests.
The NEET PG 2024 exam, originally scheduled for July 7, 2024, was abruptly preponed to June 23 before being canceled just 10 hours before the scheduled start. The final exam was conducted on August 11, 2024, yet even months later, the counselling process remains incomplete.
This prolonged delay has shaken students’ confidence, raising concerns that similar disruptions could affect NEET PG 2025 as well.
Uncertainty Over NBEMS Response
With mounting opposition from students and doctors, aspirants are calling on NBEMS to revert to a single-shift format to avoid the issues seen in previous years. As of now, NBEMS has yet to address the growing concerns, leaving the medical community in anticipation of further clarification regarding NEET PG 2025’s examination process.
