Supreme Court Orders NBE to Disclose Policy on NEET PG Answer Keys

New Delhi. : In a major step toward ensuring transparency in medical entrance examinations, the Supreme Court of India has directed the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to submit an affidavit clarifying its official policy on the publication of answer keys for NEET-PG exams.

The direction was issued by a bench comprising Justice P.S. Narasimha and Justice Vipul Pancholi during a hearing on multiple petitions that raised concerns over the lack of transparency in the postgraduate medical admission process.

The Court asked the NBE to clearly state whether it intends to release answer keys and raw score details of NEET-PG candidates. If the Board chooses not to do so, it must justify its decision in writing.

Petitioners Demand Greater Transparency

Petitioners appearing before the Supreme Court argued that the non-disclosure of answer keys, raw scores, and the normalization formula has created doubts among aspirants regarding the fairness and accuracy of NEET-PG results.

They emphasized that making this information public would help in building trust among lakhs of medical students who appear for the highly competitive exam every year.

Earlier, on September 26, another bench led by Justices J.B. Pardiwala and K.V. Viswanathan had issued notices to the Centre and NBE on similar pleas, seeking a transparent and accountable evaluation process for postgraduate medical admissions.

NBE Opposes Disclosure Citing Exam Integrity

Responding to the court’s observations, the NBE counsel argued that the petitions were influenced by coaching institutes seeking access to answer keys for commercial advantage.

The Board maintained that revealing the answer keys could “compromise the confidentiality and quality” of the exam system. It stressed that NEET-PG is a high-stakes national-level exam, and maintaining strict secrecy is essential to prevent misuse of the evaluation process.

Supreme Court Emphasizes Need for Clarity

The Supreme Court, however, insisted that the NBE must present a clear and written policy. The bench said that transparency in such a crucial examination cannot be left ambiguous.

This latest directive also builds upon the Court’s earlier order on April 29, where it emphasized that raw scores, answer keys, and normalization formulas should be made public in national-level examinations to enhance fairness and accountability.

The NBE is expected to file its affidavit in the coming weeks, following which the Court will review the submissions and may issue further directions to ensure transparency in the NEET-PG evaluation process.

Conclusion

The Supreme Court’s move is being seen as a significant step toward reforming the evaluation system in medical entrance examinations. With increasing scrutiny over the fairness of competitive exams, the Court’s direction could pave the way for greater openness and trust among aspirants preparing for NEET-PG and other national-level tests.

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