Supreme Court Questions NBEMS on NEET-PG Answer Key Policy

The Supreme Court on Monday questioned the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS) over its policy of restricting access to NEET-PG question papers and answer keys, asking the examination authority to provide a detailed explanation for its approach.

A bench of Justices P S Narasimha and Alok Aradhe said it was not fully satisfied with the board’s justification and directed NBEMS to file written submissions explaining how allowing candidates to retain copies of question papers could compromise the integrity of the postgraduate medical entrance examination.

The court’s observations came while hearing a batch of petitions raising several issues related to the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test-Postgraduate (NEET-PG), including demands for greater transparency through disclosure of questions and answer keys.

Supreme Court Seeks Written Explanation From NBEMS

The bench asked NBEMS to explain why disclosing examination questions could affect its ability to conduct future NEET-PG examinations fairly and securely.

“The National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences shall file written submissions explaining why disclosure of questions may compromise the integrity for upholding the exams for postgraduate NEET,” the bench said in its order.

Justice Narasimha questioned the board’s approach and said it needed to provide a stronger explanation for restricting access to examination material.

“What happens to transparency? You need much more explanation of what you are doing,” Justice Narasimha asked.

The judge also questioned why NBEMS believed its examination required a different disclosure policy from other examinations.

“We are not fully satisfied. You will have to explain to us exactly why you stand on a different footing from any other examination,” he said.

Why NBEMS Restricts Disclosure of NEET-PG Questions

During the hearing, counsel representing NBEMS argued that the question bank used for the postgraduate medical entrance examination was limited and needed to be protected as a national asset.

The lawyer explained that experts from across the country contribute to preparing the question bank and that repeatedly disclosing questions could reduce the pool of available examination material.

“They don’t have copyright as it becomes a national asset. If we start disclosing the questions themselves, year after year, all our questions in the next five-six years will be quoted,” the counsel told the court.

The NBEMS representative also argued that unrestricted access to answer keys and examination questions could affect the board’s ability to maintain the confidentiality of future papers.

“This is a difficult paper… we don’t want that they have a key,” the counsel added.

The board’s position is that protecting its limited question bank is necessary to preserve the examination process. However, the Supreme Court indicated that this argument required further clarification, particularly in relation to candidates’ right to transparency.

Lawyer Questions NBEMS Over Availability of Previous NEET-PG Papers

During the proceedings, one of the lawyers appearing in the matter challenged the board’s reluctance to disclose examination questions.

The lawyer told the court that previous years’ NEET-PG question papers were readily available for purchase on Amazon. The submission raised questions about why NBEMS continued to restrict official disclosure if earlier examination papers could already be accessed commercially.

The issue brought the debate over examination transparency into focus, particularly regarding the difference between the availability of previous question papers and the official release of questions and answer keys by the examination authority.

NEET-PG Transparency Versus Examination Integrity

The Supreme Court’s intervention highlights the need to examine two competing considerations in the NEET-PG examination process: transparency for candidates and the protection of the question bank used for future examinations.

Disclosure of questions and answer keys can help candidates understand their performance and assess whether the examination was conducted fairly. On the other hand, NBEMS has argued that releasing questions repeatedly could exhaust its limited pool of examination material.

The bench has not yet accepted the board’s explanation as sufficient. Instead, it has asked NBEMS to submit a detailed written justification explaining why greater disclosure would threaten examination integrity.

What Happens Next in the NEET-PG Answer Key Disclosure Case?

NBEMS will have to file written submissions addressing the Supreme Court’s concerns about its restricted disclosure policy. The board must explain why allowing candidates to retain question papers or access more examination material could compromise future NEET-PG examinations.

The court’s observations do not amount to a final ruling directing NBEMS to release all questions or answer keys. The issue remains under consideration, with the board required to provide further justification for its existing approach.

The proceedings could have implications for how examination authorities balance the confidentiality of question banks with candidates’ expectations of transparency in competitive examinations.