SC pushes for transparency in NEET PG 2025, asks NBE to disclose answer key policy

I n a move seen as pivotal for examination transparency, the Supreme Court on Friday directed the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to disclose its official policy on publishing answer keys for the NEET-PG 2025 exam. The directive comes as part of an ongoing series of petitions questioning the opacity of postgraduate medical entrance evaluations.

A bench of Justices P.S. Narasimha and Vipul Pancholi instructed the NBE to submit an affidavit detailing its stance on whether answer keys can be released publicly, and under what conditions. The court’s intervention marks another chapter in the continuing debate over how much information should be shared with candidates to ensure both fairness and examination integrity.

During the hearing, the NBE’s counsel contended that demands for full answer key disclosure were being pushed by private coaching institutes seeking access to question sets arguing that such access could compromise future examinations. The bench, however, emphasized that transparency is an essential part of fairness, and directed the Board to clarify its framework for disclosure rather than rely on broad security concerns.

The case stems from multiple petitions highlighting that NEET-PG candidates have no access to answer keys or raw scores, which raises questions about how normalisation and ranking are handled. In April, the Supreme Court had already directed the publication of raw scores, answer keys, and the normalisation formula, signalling the judiciary’s intent to establish clearer standards for transparency in national-level competitive exams.

Meanwhile, the Medical Counselling Committee (MCC) has extended the Round 1 choice-filling deadline for NEET PG 2025 counselling until further orders. The extension offers aspirants more time to finalise college and course preferences under the 50% All India Quota (AIQ), 100% Deemed/Central Universities, and AFMS institutions. According to the earlier schedule, the process was to run from October 28 to November 5, 2025.

The MCC notice, available on its official website, advised students to monitor updates frequently and refrain from relying on unofficial sources.

Education experts say the Supreme Court’s direction could set a precedent for transparency in national examinations, including other large-scale tests conducted by bodies such as NTA and AIIMS. Many have argued that controlled disclosure such as releasing provisional answer keys or allowing candidates to challenge questions can strengthen trust without compromising exam security.

For lakhs of medical aspirants, the court’s intervention represents a critical push for accountability in one of India’s most high-stakes examinations.