Kodikunnil Suresh, a Member of Parliament (MP) from the Mavelikkara constituency in Kerala and a prominent leader of the Indian National Congress, has recently expressed significant concerns regarding the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET-PG) 2025. In a letter addressed to Utpal Kumar Singh, the Secretary-General of the Lok Sabha, Suresh urged for an urgent discussion on the examination, specifically focusing on its transparency and fairness.
Scheduled to take place on June 15, 2025, the NEET-PG exam is set to be conducted in two shifts. This decision has triggered apprehension among medical aspirants over the implications of such a format on scoring and fairness in the examination process. Key issues raised in Suresh’s letter include the absence of a predefined normalization formula and the non-disclosure of answer keys, factors that have led candidates to question the integrity of the examination.
Suresh's letter detailed the following concerns regarding NEET-PG 2025:
- Lack of Clarity on Normalization Criteria: The two-shift examination format has raised fears that variations in difficulty levels could impact candidates' rankings significantly. The absence of a clear and transparent normalization formula has ignited worries about potential bias and inconsistency in evaluation.
- Non-Disclosure of Answer Keys: Unlike its undergraduate counterpart NEET-UG, the NEET-PG does not mandate the release of answer keys. This lack of transparency prevents candidates from verifying their answers and has led to doubts over the evaluation process and the final rankings.
- Unclear Service PG Score Criteria: Aspiring candidates from the service sector have expressed confusion regarding the calculation of Service PG scores, which encompass bonus marks and eligibility conditions. The vagueness surrounding these criteria has induced anxiety among many applicants.
In his correspondence, Suresh emphasized the necessity for prompt government action to assure fairness in medical admissions and to safeguard the futures of thousands of medical graduates whose careers may be jeopardized by this examination's structure.
In response to the announcement of the two-shift examination, the Junior Doctors Association (JUDA) has also voiced its strong opposition. In a letter directed to the National Board of Examinations (NBE), JUDA has requested that the NEET-PG examination be held in a single session instead of two. This position stems from concerns regarding the examination's integrity and the complications surrounding the normalization process.
The president of JUDA, Dr. Kuldeep Gupta, articulated the association’s stance, stating, "Single shift examination ensures uniformity in different level eliminating normalisation process and holds transparency and fairness of selections process." Gupta further noted that multiple shifts could lead to significant legal challenges, unnecessary disputes, and delays in the admissions process, ultimately causing distress among candidates who are already under immense pressure.
On social media, the All Foreign Medical Graduates (FMGs) Association has echoed these concerns, expressing gratitude to MP Kodikunnil Suresh for highlighting the issues in Parliament. The association emphasized that fairness and transparency in high-stakes exams like NEET-PG are non-negotiable, reiterating their demand for a single-shift format to ensure an equal opportunity for all aspiring medical professionals. A member of the FMGs Association shared, "Conducting NEET PG in two shifts raises serious concerns about fairness and transparency. Normalization of scores can never fully account for varying difficulty levels, leaving aspirants at a disadvantage. A single-shift exam ensures equal opportunity for all."
Adding to the overall tension surrounding NEET-PG 2025, there has been considerable anxiety among medical graduates due to the unresolved issues pertaining to NEET-PG 2024. The previous examination faced multiple scheduling disruptions and postponements, leading to incomplete counseling processes. Many candidates fear that similar problems could extend to the upcoming 2025 exam.
As the medical community watches for the government's response to these developments, one thing remains clear: the structure of NEET-PG 2025 is under intense scrutiny, with medical professionals and aspiring candidates uniting in their call for fairness and clarity in their futures. The upcoming months will undoubtedly be critical in determining the examination's trajectory, with impatience growing among those awaiting definitive resolutions.
