'Feel Like Lab Rats': Why NEET-PG Aspirants Are Unhappy With The New Exam Scheme

The exam, which was to be held on 23 June was rescheduled, in the wake of the NEET-UG controversy, to 11 August.

(*Some names have been changed on request.)

"I feel like I've been punched in the gut," 25 year-old Nikita*, a 2024 NEET (PG) aspirant, said over the phone.

"All my plans and preparations have been turned upside down. The frequent changes in internship cut-off dates and NEET PG exam schedules have created a sense of uncertainty that's unbearable," she added after a brief pause.

Nikita was referring to the abrupt postponement of the NEET (PG) exam by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), an autonomous body under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoHFW), established to standardise postgraduate medical education and examination in India. 

The exam, originally scheduled to be held on 23 June was rescheduled — in the wake of the NEET (UG) paper leak controversy — to 11 August. But this isn't Nikita's only issue. She and several other aspirants The Quint spoke to expressed their concerns regarding the exam body's decision to conduct the exam in two shifts with a controversial 'normalisation method' to mark their scores.

"It's like rolling the dice," the 25-year-old said. "I've studied hard and prepared well, but now I'm at the mercy of a system that's beyond my control. It's not fair to judge us based on a system that's so arbitrary."

What is the 'Normalisation Method' and Why Are The Students Concerned?

The normalisation method of marking is adopted when an exam is held in multiple shifts, two in the case of the NEET (PG) exam. The question paper in each shift is different and has a unique difficulty level. At the time of marking the scores of the candidates, the bodies conducting the exam deploy an algorithm-based 'normalisation method' which balances scores as per the difficulty level of an exam.

While the NBEMS has not released the formula which will be used to normalise the scores, the technique has previously been used in several exams including the entrance to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS).

For context, this is how normalisation or marks works: Suppose the AIIMS exam is conducted in two shifts A and B. The examiners first calculate raw scores of candidates in each shift. Following this, average score score in each shift is calculated. Let us assume that the average score in shift A was 60 percent while that in shift B was 75 percent.

It is presumed that this variation in average marks is because of the difference in difficulty level of different shifts. It is to eliminate this difference in difficulty levels that scores are normalised.

Here, the average marks of both the shifts will be (60 + 75)/2, which comes to a total of 67.5 percent.

This means that a 60 percent score in shift A and a 75 percent score in shift B are both normalised to 67.5 percent score in total.

23-year-old Yash*, another aspirant, is concerned that this method of marking will add uncertainty to exam results. "The introduction of the normalisation method has added an extra layer of uncertainty to an already stressful situation. I'm worried that my chances of cracking the exam will be affected by factors beyond my control," he told The Quint.

Nikita, Yash, and several other aspirants proposed that instead of using the normalisation method the exam should be administered in a single shift. "This will ensure that all students are judged on a level playing field, without any external factors influencing the results," they said.

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'We're Being Treated As Lab Rats'

"The current system has elements of chance and luck that can be unfair to students. They are experimenting with our careers," said Yash. He argued that this process can unfairly boost or penalise scores based on the overall performance of students in the same shift.

"Normalisation introduces uncertainty and luck. Our rank now depends on factors beyond our control," remarked Nikita, noting that mid-rankers are particularly vulnerable to these shifts. With cutoffs rising each year, aspirants fear that such experiments could unfairly impact scores and affect their branch selection, jeopardising their year-long preparation for this crucial exam.

Previously, in April 2024, the University Grants Commission (UGC) announced that it was doing away with the normalisation process for marking the Common University Entrance Test-UG (CUET-UG) and the National Eligibility Test (NET).

What Are The Authorities Saying?

On 6 July, in an interview to The Indian Express, NBEMS Chief Abhijat Sheth said that the decision to conduct the exam in two shift was taken by consulting all stakeholders. "...decision was collectively taken by all stakeholders, and it has been done to improve the logistics. Conducting the exam in two shifts will result in better supervision, better arrangements and co-ordinations in different states and exam centres," he said.

Sheth added: "Shift system and normalisation process is an old and a legitimate process for same examination in shifts. Students should not worry that it will affect their result."

The aspirants, however, alleged to The Quint that their concerns are not being addressed by the exam body. "We have been writing to NBEMS regarding the same, but they are not responding," said Nikita.

"Nobody can contest the fact that single-slot exams are much more uniform and accurate than multiple-slot exams. It seems NBEMS just wants to get done with the exam hurriedly by conducting it in August, even at the cost of compromising the accuracy of the exam," she added.

What Are The Demands of The Aspirants?

The marking scheme is not the only concern most aspirants voiced to The Quint.

"Why do students always have to remind the National Medical Council about red flags, like the internship deadline date in the past?" an aspirant questioned.

"Why do students have to bear the brunt of NMC's failure to draft an academic calendar with the right dates, bridging unnecessary gaps?"

The aspirants also demanded the NBEMS to the release of the question paper, answer key, and candidate's answer schema to ensure transparency and reduce the waiting time between the exam and the start of counselling. "Declare ranks in 2 weeks of the exam," they urged, pointing that a delay in these procedures hurt the mid-rankers as they're unable to plan the year ahead.

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'Delay The Exam and Conduct It In a Single Shift'

The aspirants suggested that a further delay in exam will buy the exam body time and resources to conduct it in a single shift and won't impact the country's healthcare infrastructure. "The current final-year PG residents must complete their mandatory training until February 2025, thus avoiding a logistical nightmare of overlapping batches," one of the aspirants The Quint spoke to pointed out.

As per rules by the NMA, the current final year post-graduate residents need to complete mandatory 36 months of training before passing out. "This means they can only be relieved after February 2025. Conducting NEET (PG) in August and starting admissions this year would result in an unprecedented overlap of four postgraduate batches, creating a logistical nightmare for colleges struggling with accommodation and resources," another aspirant claimed.

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(The Quint has reached out to authorities at the NBEMS for a response. This story will be updated as and when we hear from them.)