Mental Health Crisis Among NEET Students: The Hidden Cost of Re-exam
As over 1.42 lakh students in Tamil Nadu prepare for the NEET-UG re-examination on Sunday, many are reporting heightened stress and anxiety, raising concerns about the mental health toll of the disrupted exam process. The re-test follows the cancellation of the original exam on May 12 due to allegations of a question paper leak.
Students like Kudiyarasi K. from Chennai describe sleepless nights and fear of an excessively difficult paper. 'As the paper was leaked last time, I am scared it would be a very tough question paper for this exam. This worry is causing me undue stress and I’m not able to sleep,' she said.
For many, the cancellation shattered their sense of security. Preethi (name changed) said it took her a week to recover from the shock. 'All we can do is revise, even that is of no help as we had poured our soul into the exam and had just started relaxing when the news broke. Now, I feel like I’m back to square one,' she explained.
The stress extends beyond academics. Sahana, 19, and her family lost nearly ₹1 lakh in non-refundable bookings after their planned trip was cancelled due to the rescheduled exam. She also faced extra fees from her coaching institute to continue preparation. Similarly, M.R. Guru from Coimbatore opted out of the re-test altogether, choosing engineering instead of medicine. He said, 'After writing the test, I was already under stress waiting for the results. The announcement of a retest created uncertainty again.'
Despite the challenges, some students remain determined. A.M. Srinithi, 17, from Tiruchi, chose to study on her own rather than accept free coaching for the re-test. She said her experience has changed her perspective on the medical dream. 'My parents, like many others, have spent over a lakh on my coaching classes alone. I don’t want to waste time and money chasing an uncertain dream.'
In response, the Tamil Nadu government has offered free coaching for government and aided school students. In Tiruchi, teachers held special sessions to boost preparedness. Nataraj, the district organiser, noted, 'Despite the additional pressure, many candidates remain focused on achieving their goals and view the re-examination as another opportunity.'
Education activist V. Eswaran highlighted the need for decentralisation in medical admissions. He argued that a single national-level exam should not be the sole criterion, as any disruption creates immense uncertainty and stress for students.
Officials have arranged 307 centres in Tamil Nadu, with 22,128 candidates in Chennai alone. As students head to these centres, the conversation around the mental health impact of high-stakes examinations continues to grow.
