Supreme Court Defers NEET PG Normalization Hearing Due to Waqf Case, Aspirants Await New Date

The hearing, originally set for May 22, 2025, was deferred due to the court’s focus on the high-profile Waqf case.

The Supreme Court of India postponed a crucial hearing on the NEET PG 2024 normalization process today, leaving thousands of medical aspirants in limbo as they await a rescheduled date. The hearing, originally set for May 22, 2025, was deferred due to the court’s focus on the high-profile Waqf case.

The petitions, including one led by Dr. Ishika Jain and other aspirants, challenge the National Board of Examinations (NBE)’s normalization process for NEET PG 2024, which was conducted in multiple shifts on August 11, 2024, with results declared on August 23, 2024. The petitioners are demanding the release of answer keys, individual scorecards, and the establishment of a grievance redressal mechanism. They also advocate for a return to a single-shift exam format, arguing that the multi-shift structure, combined with normalization, creates disparities in evaluation despite efforts to standardize scores across shifts.

The hearing was expected to be presided over by a bench comprising Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice A.G. Masih. However, the court had previously noted that since the matter pertains to the 2024 examination, no further hearing might be required—a position that has sparked concern among aspirants who fear their grievances may remain unaddressed. Today’s postponement, driven by the Waqf case’s precedence, has further delayed resolution, adding to the uncertainty for candidates vying for postgraduate medical seats across India.

Aspirants have taken to social media to express their frustration and rally support. One X user’s plea encapsulated the sentiment: “Dear respected faculty members, we humbly request your support in our fight for a single-shift NEET PG exam. Multiple shifts lead to unfairness despite normalisation. Your voice can bring change. Please stand with us.” This call for reform highlights the broader debate over fairness in competitive exams, a recurring issue in India’s medical education landscape.

The NEET PG 2024 normalization process has been a focal point of contention since its results were announced. Normalization adjusts scores to account for variations in difficulty across exam shifts, but critics argue it can disadvantage candidates in certain shifts, affecting their rankings and chances of securing seats in top medical colleges. The petitioners’ demand for transparency—through the release of answer keys and scorecards—echoes earlier Supreme Court interventions, such as the September 2024 hearing reported by India.com, where the court examined similar issues of fairness and transparency in NEET PG 2024.

The delay underscores the judiciary’s packed schedule, with high-stakes cases like the Waqf matter taking precedence. For NEET PG aspirants, this means a prolonged wait for clarity on an issue that directly impacts their academic and professional futures. The National Medical Commission (NMC) and the NBE have yet to issue statements on the matter, leaving students to rely on the judiciary for resolution.

As the Supreme Court prepares to reschedule the hearing, aspirants continue to advocate for systemic changes to ensure fairness in postgraduate medical entrance exams. The outcome of this case could set a precedent for how multi-shift exams are conducted in India, potentially influencing future iterations of NEET PG and other competitive examinations.

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