NEET PG 2024 Centres Cut To 500 For August 11 Exam; Supreme Court To Review Postponement Request

The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) will conduct the NEET PG 2024 examinations on August 11 across a reduced number of 500 test centres, a decrease from the usual 1200 centres. This change aims to enhance oversight and security during the examination process, sources familiar with the matter reported on Thursday.

The reduction in test centres is intended as a precautionary measure to ensure tighter control and vigilance over the examination environment. In response to this change, most students have been allocated centres within their city to minimise the need for long-distance travel.

The examination will be held in two shifts, each with a separate paper, and will be administered online. As the exam will take place in shifts, scores will be normalised to account for any variations.

Earlier on Thursday, the admit cards for the rescheduled exam were released to candidates. This year, the NEET-PG, organised by NBEMS in collaboration with its technical partner TCS, has encountered several issues. The exam had previously been postponed from its originally scheduled date of June 23 as a precautionary measure.

Supreme Court Hearing

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear a petition on Friday seeking the postponement of the NEET-PG examination, which is set for August 11. The petition argues that the allocation of exam centres in cities that are difficult for some candidates to reach poses significant inconvenience.

The plea was brought to the court's attention by lawyer Anas Tanwir, and a bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) D Y Chandrachud and Justices J B Pardiwala and Manoj Misra has agreed to review the matter. The court noted the urgency of the situation and decided to list the issue for Friday.

The plea contends that the reduction in the number of centres, while aimed at preventing malpractices, has created difficulties for candidates who now face challenges in arranging travel to their assigned centres.