New Delhi, May 2, 2025 — The United Doctors Front (UDF), led by its National President Dr. Lakshya Mittal, has filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) against the decision to conduct the NEET PG 2025 exam in two shifts. The announcement was made via Dr. Mittal’s official X (formerly Twitter) account.
In his tweet, Dr. Mittal stated:
“OFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: United Doctors Front (UDF) @UDF_BHARAT through its National President @drlakshyamittal, has officially filed a PIL regarding NEET PG 2024.”
Although the tweet refers to NEET PG 2024, the legal action is in response to concerns related to NEET PG 2025, which is scheduled to be held in multiple shifts. The application forms have already been released, with the deadline set for May 6, 2025.
This decision has triggered widespread outrage among aspirants and young doctors, who fear the two-shift exam model will compromise fairness and equal opportunity.
“We prepare for months, sometimes years, with one goal in mind — a fair shot at a postgraduate seat,” said Riya Sharma, a NEET PG aspirant from Bhopal. “If the paper is tougher in one shift and easier in another, how is that a level playing field?”
🚨𝗢𝗙𝗙𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟 𝗔𝗡𝗡𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗖𝗘𝗠𝗘𝗡𝗧🚨
𝗨𝗻𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝗗𝗼𝗰𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀 𝗙𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁 (UDF) @UDF_BHARAT through its National President @drlakshyamittal , has officially filed a petition in the 𝗛𝗼𝗻’𝗯𝗹𝗲 𝗦𝘂𝗽𝗿𝗲𝗺𝗲 𝗖𝗼𝘂𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮 demanding a 𝗦𝗜𝗡𝗚𝗟𝗘… pic.twitter.com/dM2xXL0lKV
— DR.LAKSHYA MITTAL (@drlakshyamittal) May 1, 2025
Many doctors point to the NEET PG 2024 exam as proof that the two-shift system leads to inconsistencies. They claim that in the previous year’s exam, some students received papers with a higher number of questions from scoring subjects like PSM and Pharmacology, while others got tougher, more clinical questions.
“Last year, I was in the second shift, and most of my friends in the first shift had a much easier paper,” said Dr. Arjun Mehta, a 2024 candidate from Pune. “Despite similar preparation, our ranks were completely different.”
Authorities have defended the system by stating that normalization will be used to balance scores between shifts. However, students and experts remain skeptical.
“Normalization can work when there are minor variations in difficulty,” said Dr. Neha Kulkarni, a medical educator. “But when the weightage of subjects or the pattern of questions differs so widely, normalization becomes meaningless.”
The main concern is that candidates who receive favorable subjects in their shift may score higher, regardless of preparation, while others may lose their chance at a seat simply due to the timing of their exam.
“The real issue is transparency. No one knows how normalization is applied, and that makes it hard to trust the results,” said Dr. Rajat Gupta, a NEET PG coach from Delhi. “Until NBE shares exact methods and ensures subject balance, the doubt will remain.”
As a result, the United Doctors Front has approached the court, demanding a single-shift examination or a more transparent and equitable process.
“We are not against the system, we are asking for fairness,” Dr. Lakshya Mittal told reporters. “Doctors across the country deserve a just evaluation, not luck of the draw.”
The PIL filed by UDF is expected to be heard in court soon. The outcome may have a significant impact on not only this year’s exam but also the future conduct of NEET PG and other national-level exams.
Meanwhile, online protests have intensified, with hashtags like #NEETPG2025, #OneShiftOneExam, and #JusticeForDoctors trending on X.
Lakhs of medical graduates are now watching closely, hoping for a resolution that ensures equal opportunity for every candidate, regardless of the shift they are assigned.
Shreya Gandhi is a writer at MedicoDrive.com with a Master’s in English from Mumbai. She covers medicolegal cases, NMC/DCI updates, medical education, and health news from India and around the world. Passionate about journalism, she brings clarity to complex medical topics.