SC Directs NBE to Clarify Policy on NEET-PG Answer Key Disclosure
Varnika Srivastava8 Nov, 2025
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On Friday, the Supreme Court directed the National Board of Examinations (NBE) to explain its policy on releasing answer keys for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test–Postgraduate (NEET-PG).
A bench of Justices P. S. Narasimha and Vipul Pancholi issued the order while hearing multiple petitions seeking greater transparency in the NEET-PG evaluation process. The court asked the NBE to file an affidavit stating whether it intends to release the answer keys and to clarify its official policy on the issue.
The petitions demand disclosure of answer keys, raw scores, and the normalisation method used in the exam, arguing that the lack of these details has caused doubts among candidates about the fairness of the results. Earlier, on September 26, a separate bench of Justices J. B. Pardiwala and K. V. Viswanathan had already sought responses from the Centre and the NBE on similar pleas related to transparency and accountability in the postgraduate medical entrance process.
NBE’s Argument Against Disclosure
At the hearing, the NBE’s counsel argued that the petitions were driven by coaching institutes seeking commercial benefit through access to the answer keys. The lawyer contended that releasing such information could undermine the confidentiality and integrity of the examination.
The NBE maintains that NEET-PG, being a high-stakes national exam, must remain confidential to prevent misuse and protect the credibility of the testing system.
Court’s Direction
The bench said the NBE must clearly state its policy in writing. It ordered the Board to submit an affidavit specifying whether answer keys and related details will be released, and if not, to explain the reasons.
This direction follows the court’s earlier order of April 29, which had called for greater transparency through the publication of raw scores, answer keys, and the normalisation formula. Until that order, NEET-PG candidates had no access to such information, raising concerns about the fairness of the evaluation process.
The Supreme Court will examine the NBE’s affidavit in the coming weeks before deciding on further action.