Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Challenge Over NEET PG 2025 Question Paper Secrecy
The Supreme Court has agreed to examine petitions challenging the National Board of Examinations’ (NBE) decision to withhold the NEET PG 2025 question papers and answer keys. During the initial hearing, the bench expressed reservations about the policy’s rationale, indicating that a thorough review is necessary before any final decision is reached.
Court Questions Policy Justification
A bench comprising Justices P.S. Narasimha and Vijay Bishnoi heard the matter on Tuesday. The judges voiced skepticism about the existing framework that keeps exam materials confidential, stating plainly that they are not fully convinced by the current arguments. “We intend to hear this matter in detail. The justification for this policy has yet to be adequately explained to us. We are not entirely satisfied, and we will scrutinize it,” the bench remarked during proceedings.
The comments came as the court took up multiple pleas seeking the release of the NEET PG 2025 question papers and corresponding answer keys for public access.
NBE’s Defense: Protecting a ‘Rare National Asset’
In its affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court, the NBE defended its position by describing the question papers as a “rare national asset” that must be safeguarded. According to the examination body, keeping these materials undisclosed is essential to prevent misuse and commercial exploitation—particularly by the private coaching industry, which could otherwise leverage the papers for profit-driven purposes.
The NBE argued that releasing the papers would undermine the integrity of the examination process and compromise the value of the question bank developed over time.
Petitioners’ Concerns: Lack of Transparency
Petitioners, however, have raised significant objections to this approach. They point out that NEET PG candidates receive different sets of question papers, and without access to the official answer keys, they have no way to verify their responses or identify where they may have gone wrong.
This lack of transparency, they argue, prevents candidates from receiving a fair, candidate-specific evaluation. The petitioners contend that the current system leaves aspirants in the dark about their performance, casting doubt on the overall fairness and credibility of the examination process.
Previous Notice in the Case
This is not the first time the matter has come before the apex court. Earlier, on September 26, a different bench—composed of Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan—had already issued notices to both the central government and the NBE regarding similar pleas. Those petitions specifically called for the publication of the NEET PG 2025 answer keys, arguing that withholding them violates candidates’ rights to a transparent assessment.
With the Supreme Court now signaling its intent to delve deeper into the issue, the case is expected to draw significant attention from medical aspirants and educational stakeholders alike. The outcome could set a precedent for how entrance examinations handle the disclosure of sensitive materials in the future.
As the legal proceedings continue, thousands of medical graduates awaiting clarity on their results will be watching closely. The court’s final ruling could not only impact this year’s candidates but also shape the broader discourse on accountability and openness in high-stakes national examinations.
