NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Friday gave its nod to the National Board of Examinations (NBE) for extension of time to hold NEET-PG 2025 examination on August 3 in a one shift format.
A bench of Justices Prashant Kumar Mishra and Augustine George Masih allowed the plea by the NBE after having found its application for extension of time as "bona fide."
The NBE filed the plea as the apex court had on May 30 ordered to conduct the examination in a single shift and even if the examination has to be rescheduled from proposed June 15, it should be done.
The court had then held the examinations in two shifts would cause arbitrariness and the normalisation process can't be applied in a routine manner. It had also said the question papers in the two shifts can never be of the same difficulty level.
Upon hearing the counsel, the bench said, "We are satisfied that the prayer for extension of time to reschedule the exam on August 3, 2025 is bona fide. Accordingly, the time allowed by our order dated May 30 is extended and NBE is permitted to hold the exam on August 3, 2025".
The court, however, clarified, no further extension would be granted in the matter.
Also Read: SC to hear plea against NEET-PG 2025 exam in 2 shifts
On behalf of the NBE, Additional Solicitor General K M Nataraj submitted that there were practical difficulties in conducting the exam on June 15. High level meetings were done. Exam centres have to be doubled and security has to be ensured. Even if there is smallest breach, it will affect the sanctity, he said.
To this, the bench observed, the security has to be ensured whenever the exam is held. Even for June 15 exam, you had to arrange for security, the bench said.
The law officer said, earlier it was for 450 centres, now there will be nearly 1000 centres. So double arrangements needed to be done.
A counsel for the candidates opposed the application of the NBE, contending technical partner, TCS can't delay NEET-PG citing other exams.
The NBE argued that it didn't want the exam to be compromised in any way.
"The time is taken only for the benefit of the students," it contended.
The court, while disposing of the application of NBE, allowed the plea to hold the exam on August 3, 2025 as it is the earliest available date, even according to the technology partner TCS.
In its plea, the NBE stated prior to the direction of May 30, a total of 2,42,679 candidates were taking the examination at 448 test centres in 195 test cities in two shifts i.e. from 09:00 AM till 12:30PM and from 03:30 PM till 07:00 PM. However, now the examination will be conducted in one single shift and therefore half the candidates are to be located to other centres that are still to be identified.
"The application window will need to be reopened and candidates will need to be given a fresh opportunity to opt for the test city of their choice in accordance with the Information Bulletin. After the receipt of new test city choices from the candidates, the distribution of candidates at the test centres shall need to be done afresh. This process would also take some time," it pointed out.
The NBE also relied upon a communication by technology partner, M/s Tata Consultancy Services Ltd, which proposed to conduct this exam on August 3, in a single shift format from 9 am to 12:30 pm, in view of infrastructural and logistical challenges.
The plea also pointed out, conducting a computer-based test requires test centres with appropriate infrastructure and the identification of such suitable test centres with appropriate infrastructure involved assessment of multiple technical and logistical parameters including availability of secure examination premises; adequate number of compatible computer systems; three-tier power backup systems; network infrastructure; security software and hardware; trained technical manpower; anti-cheating and surveillance measures; prior record of compliance with examination integrity protocols.
"Furthermore, each test centre requires dedicated deployment of trained technical manpower, invigilators, administrative staff, and independent observers. Mobilizing and training such personnel across hundreds of new locations in under two weeks—particularly during a period of ongoing national and academic activities—is a logistical impossibility," it said.
The operational readiness of each test centre must also be verified through mock drills, load tests, and system audits to prevent any last-minute failures, which cannot be safely achieved without some reasonable extension of time, it stated.
