Hypertension. Fatigue. Anxiety. Emotional exhaustion. Self-doubt. We, as a society, must acknowledge that no single examination can fully assess the competence of a young and dynamic mind.
Mir Mushahir and Burhan Bashir
For lakhs of young aspirants across the country, the arrival of May carries a significance far beyond the changing season. It is a time closely tied to ambition, dedication, and the hopes nurtured through years of effort. Yes, we are talking about the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET).
NEET (UG) is a prestigious nationwide entrance examination conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA) once a year for admission to courses such as MBBS, BDS, BAMS, BHMS, and BUMS. However, it is particularly known as the only exam in India for admission to MBBS courses in various medical colleges. Lakhs of candidates write this exam, but government seats for MBBS are very limited, resulting in intense competition. In 2025, over 22 lakh students appeared for the examination, competing for around 63,000 government MBBS seats, resulting in a success rate of only about 3 per cent. Indeed, the competition is cutthroat. However, considering that this examination is a gateway to an undoubtedly noble profession, it is considered worth the hype. For those who wish to contribute to society and public healthcare, and for those who aspire to embrace the noble art of healing, cracking NEET is often seen as the way forward.
While the opportunities associated with NEET are widely discussed, the emotional cost attached to it often remains overlooked. This article will focus on the latter aspect.
Students preparing for this exam face unspoken distress and pressure from family, friends, and teachers. Thus, this exam has become a source of emotional burden and depression. Lakhs of students enrol in coaching institutes across states like the hotspot Kota (Rajasthan) and therefore remain away from home. This causes an increased burden on young students who have to live alone among strangers at such a tender age, without any emotional and moral support from their families.
In addition to this, the rapidly rising fee structure of coaching and hostels, coupled with daily expenses, causes a sort of silent stress among students, as they think of their parents going through immense trouble to meet these expenses. NEET has become a social benchmark through which students are often judged. Moreover, many parents, for whom MBBS represents the only path to stability and honour, fail to recognise their children’s natural abilities. In this process, young individuals who were once driven by aspirations often find their passions ignored and suppressed, losing their individuality in a system that resembles a factory.
Another reason worth mentioning is the lack of career counselling for children. There will be a majority who know about this exam and the profession it relates to, but there are a few who know about other career options and opportunities. As a result, students begin to see MBBS as the only meaningful and secure career path available to them.
What adds to the distress is the natural disposition among students to go for multiple attempts without adequately evaluating their progress. This is further aggravated by the unspoken expectations of their families, compelling them to go for three or four consecutive attempts. This results in the loss of valuable academic years for those who do not qualify, coupled with the psychological burden of watching peers progress in life.
All these reasons eventually lead to mental breakdowns, insecurities, self-doubt, thoughts of self-defeat, feelings of incompetence, the sense of having failed as a son or daughter, and emotional exhaustion. Unfortunately, sometimes this mental burden rises to a level where some students take extreme steps that deeply affect families and society as a whole.
Recently, Dr Mohsin Raj Mantoo, a cardiologist at AIIMS Delhi, highlighted how prolonged academic stress is increasingly leading to mental burnout among young NEET aspirants. He noted a rise in such cases presenting with hypertension, fatigue, anxiety, and an inability to focus—factors that may contribute to cardiovascular risks later in life.
With the problem now brought into sharp focus, its resolution may lie in embracing a more empathetic and deliberate approach. Several measures are worth considering:
Proper Counselling
Both students and parents must receive proper counselling. They should be made aware of diverse career paths and opportunities. A separate session should be conducted for parents to help them understand that they need to be sympathetic and friendly with their children. Parents must allow children to explore different fields and appreciate their choices rather than imposing unrealistic expectations. Instead of burdening them, they should empower them to pursue their own unique paths.
Reforms in Coaching Institutes
These institutes should not only teach the NEET syllabus but should also help students learn about other aspects of life by imparting moral education, timely career counselling, and emotional support at all times. The hectic schedule of long teaching hours should be reduced, and suitable breaks should be given. Physical activity should also be encouraged. Participation in sports, recreational activities, and regular walks can significantly improve mental health among aspirants. As the saying goes, a sound body harbours a sound mind.
Enforcement of Supreme Court Guidelines
Due consideration may be given to the meaningful enforcement of guidelines already laid down by the Supreme Court of India in this regard, including that the mental health of children should be valued highly; counsellors or psychologists should be recruited in every coaching centre; safe infrastructure should be made available; and, most importantly, batch segregation of students based on marks should be discouraged.
Redefining Failure
Failure in this examination should not be deemed the end of life. It is essential to recognise that NEET is merely a single examination conducted over a span of a few hours. Numerous factors beyond academic preparation influence its outcome, many of which remain beyond an individual’s control. Therefore, it is important for parents, teachers, and society alike to stop labelling students as “failures” on the basis of a single result. Instead of criticism and comparison, they deserve understanding, encouragement, and support, so that setbacks become lessons to grow from rather than burdens to suffer under.
Meaningful reforms in this way can help create a healthier educational environment—one where students are valued not only for their ranks but also for their well-being and individuality. We, as a society, must acknowledge that no single examination can fully assess the competence of a young and dynamic mind. Examinations should remain a part of life—not the definition of it.
The writers are MBBS students at GMC Srinagar
mu*********@***il.com