NEET PG 2025: Supreme Court Dismisses Plea to Halt Counselling, Transparency Hearing Scheduled Next Week

In a significant development for medical aspirants, the Supreme Court of India on September 4 dismissed a plea seeking to halt the NEET PG 2025 counselling process, even as a separate hearing on the matter of transparency in the examination process has been scheduled for next week.

The petition—filed by NEET PG candidates—raised concerns about the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) not publishing the complete set of questions along with the answer key. While the court declined to stop the ongoing counselling, it has agreed to look into the transparency-related issues during the next hearing.

Background: A Promise Reversed

The controversy began when NBEMS initially announced that, for the first time, it would release the NEET PG answer key, response sheets, and question paper to bring greater transparency to the exam process. The move was welcomed by students and various medical associations who have long demanded greater accountability in medical entrance tests.

However, in a surprising turn, NBEMS later issued a “corrective notice”, stating that only question IDs—and not the full set of questions—would be released. This triggered a backlash among aspirants, who claimed that publishing only IDs renders the answer key unverifiable, as candidates would be unable to match answers without knowing the corresponding questions.

Supreme Court Responds: Skepticism Over Motive

During the September 4 hearing, the Supreme Court bench expressed reservations about the motives behind the Public Interest Litigation (PIL). The judges questioned whether the petition was genuinely aimed at improving transparency or merely challenging the results due to dissatisfaction with scores.

“Why do you think there is no transparency? Is it because you got less marks?” the bench asked the petitioners.

The court further commented that aspirants often misuse Article 32—which allows individuals to move the Supreme Court for enforcement of their fundamental rights—to disrupt examination processes, rather than pursuing genuine reforms.

Still, the bench acknowledged the importance of the issues raised and instructed all parties involved to compile the necessary paperwork, listing the matter for a detailed hearing next week.

Petitioners’ Argument: Verification is Impossible Without Questions

The petitioners emphasized that publishing only question IDs and matching them with answer keys is not sufficient for verifying the correctness of answers. Since most candidates do not have access to the original questions, the current format of disclosure effectively shuts down any chance of meaningful challenge or review.

Their main concern revolves around the lack of transparency and accountability in high-stakes exams like NEET PG, where a single mark can determine a student's future in medicine. Without access to questions, students cannot identify errors or discrepancies in the evaluation process.

Court Declines to Halt Counselling Process

One of the key demands of the PIL was to pause the NEET PG 2025 counselling until the matter of transparency was resolved. However, the Supreme Court firmly rejected this plea, making it clear that counselling would proceed as scheduled.

This decision brings relief to thousands of qualified candidates awaiting admission under the All India Quota (AIQ) seats. All students who cleared NEET PG 2025 based on their merit rank are eligible to participate in the ongoing counselling.

NEET PG 2025: Key Details

• Date of Examination: August 3, 2025
• Mode: Online (Computer-Based Test)
• Exam Cities: 301
• Test Centres: 1,052
• Total Candidates Appeared: Over 2.42 lakh
• Exam Conducted by: National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS)

Despite being conducted in a single shift across the country, the exam continues to draw scrutiny due to the lack of access to full question papers and answer keys—especially in light of growing demand for transparent evaluation systems in India’s competitive exams.

Timeline of Events

The Bigger Picture: What’s at Stake?

This case is not just about one examination cycle. It reflects a broader demand among India’s competitive exam aspirants for transparent, verifiable, and accountable systems. With over 2.42 lakh students participating in NEET PG this year, any ambiguity in the evaluation process can have widespread consequences.

Medical aspirants and support groups are pushing for reforms that ensure:

• Access to complete question papers and keys
• Verifiability of results
• Error correction mechanisms
• Standardized disclosure norms across exams

Whether the Supreme Court's upcoming decision will set a precedent for greater transparency in competitive examinations remains to be seen.

What’s Next?

The Supreme Court has adjourned the matter for next week, when it will review the documents and arguments related to the transparency plea. Until then, the NEET PG counselling process will continue, and all qualified candidates are advised to participate without delay.