New Delhi: The Supreme Court has stated that it will examine whether publishing the answer keys for the NEET-PG examination could compromise the integrity of the postgraduate medical entrance test. While stressing the importance of transparency, the Apex Court clarified that it will not entertain individual allegations of discrepancies in the NEET-PG 2025 exam.
Court Seeks Clarity on NBE’s Non-Disclosure Policy
During the hearing, the counsel for the National Board of Examinations (NBE) informed the Court that students are required to sign a non-disclosure agreement regarding the answer keys. When asked by the bench, the counsel admitted that this was an unwritten policy, prompting the Court to direct the NBE to clearly disclose its stand on the issue.
Petitions Seek Greater Transparency in NEET-PG
The directions came during the hearing of several pleas demanding more transparency in the NEET-PG exam process, including the publication of answer keys. The petitioners have argued that disclosing answer keys would enhance fairness and accountability in the conduct of the exam.
Confusion Over Bench Assignment
During the proceedings, the Court questioned why these petitions were listed before the present bench, as a separate bench comprising Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan had already been hearing similar matters. That bench had, on September 26, issued notices in three petitions seeking publication of NEET-PG answer keys and increased transparency in the exam process.
NBE Argues Against Disclosure of Answer Keys
According to reports, NBE’s counsel argued that releasing the answer keys could compromise the quality and credibility of the examination. He further alleged that the petitions were being driven by coaching institutes that wanted access to question booklets and answer keys for commercial purposes.
Court Cites UPSC Precedent
Justice Narasimha referred to the approach adopted by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), which, following judicial scrutiny, began publishing provisional answer keys after its preliminary examinations. The judge asked whether a similar model could be explored for NEET-PG to balance transparency with exam integrity.
NBE Asked to File Affidavit Clarifying Policy
After NBE’s counsel admitted that the non-disclosure rule was not officially documented but followed as a convention, the bench directed the NBE to seek instructions and file an affidavit stating its clear policy position. The affidavit will clarify whether NBE intends to formally maintain or revise its current non-disclosure stance.
Background: Previous Orders on Transparency
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court had directed the NBE to publish raw scores, answer keys, and normalisation formulas for the sake of transparency. However, the exam was later ordered to be conducted in a single shift. Two major petitions are currently pending before the Court — one filed by the United Doctors’ Front (UDF) and another by NEET-PG 2025 aspirants challenging the NBE’s “corrective notice” issued on August 21. The petitioners claim that the current mechanism for answer key disclosure remains “opaque, unintelligible, and incapable of meaningful verification.”
Summary:
The Supreme Court has asked the National Board of Examinations to clarify its stand on the publication of NEET-PG answer keys amid growing demands for transparency. While the Court acknowledged concerns about exam integrity, it also emphasized that public accountability must not be compromised. The matter will be heard further after the NBE submits its affidavit.
