For thousands of young doctors, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduate courses (NEET PG) represents both aspiration and agony. While the exam is designed to ensure merit-based access to medical specializations, it has increasingly been criticized for pushing aspirants into psychological distress, uncertainty, and burnout. Many young doctors feel that this single test defines not just their career but their emotional stability—prompting an unsettling question: Is NEET PG an experience that builds resilience, or an evil incarnation that drains the spirit out of medicine?
Around 2 lakh doctors appear for NEET PG every year, competing for nearly 50,000 postgraduate seats across India, highlighting the immense competition and emotional strain associated with the exam.
A growing body of evidence and firsthand experiences point to a worrying trend—rising depression, anxiety, and burnout among NEET PG aspirants. Nearly one in three candidates reportedly faces some form of depressive symptom while preparing for the exam, according to a 2024 multi-center survey of Indian NEET PG aspirants. [1] The long study hours, fear of failure, and social isolation make it more than just an academic challenge; it becomes a mental endurance test.
Students describe the months of preparation as emotionally taxing, with many feeling trapped in a cycle of study, self-doubt, and exhaustion.[2] The competition is fierce, and the pressure to secure a good rank can be overwhelming. The mental cost is immense, and support systems are often inadequate.
While NEET PG was envisioned as a fair and standardized evaluation, its execution has often left aspirants frustrated. Frequent postponements, unpredictable schedules, and delays in counseling have only intensified the stress. Each deferment means another few months of uncertainty—another round of revision, more expenses on coaching, and an extended wait for stability.[3]
The counselling process, too, remains a major concern. Many students describe it as confusing and unpredictable, with seat allotments that sometimes appear arbitrary.[4] This unpredictability fosters feelings of helplessness among aspirants who have already spent years striving toward postgraduate specialization.
Behind every NEET PG percentile lies a story of sacrifice. Aspirants spend months, often years, revising a vast syllabus, attending coaching sessions, and isolating themselves socially. For some, the fear of missing a seat outweighs the joy of learning. Many delay personal milestones—marriages, jobs, or family plans—while repeatedly preparing for the exam.
One common sentiment heard across forums and peer discussions is that “a single paper decides the fate of six years of medical education.” This statement reflects not only frustration but also the deep fatigue and emotional burden that come with the process. The system, in its current form, often measures endurance more than empathy or clinical aptitude.
Despite its flaws, NEET PG has undeniably created a generation of resilient doctors—individuals who can endure pressure, uncertainty, and competition. It fosters discipline, focus, and perseverance. Yet, this resilience is often born from suffering, and that should not be romanticized.
True resilience in medicine should emerge from compassion, curiosity, and commitment to care—not from being forced to survive a high-stakes exam system. When preparation becomes synonymous with mental struggle, it risks eroding the very empathy that defines good doctors.
A re-evaluation of the current system is long overdue. Experts and aspirants have proposed several reforms that could make NEET PG more balanced and humane:
Introduce continuous evaluation during the MBBS years to reduce dependence on a single, high-pressure exam.
Ensure synchronized and transparent counselling rounds to minimize confusion and stress.
Provide mental health support and counselling services for aspirants.
Adhere strictly to published timelines to avoid unnecessary postponements.
Adopt a holistic assessment system that values clinical skills, research aptitude, and service commitment, not merely exam scores.
Such reforms would not undermine merit; they would humanize it—ensuring that future doctors are both competent and compassionate.
This topic has sparked meaningful debate on MedBound Hub. Some doctors view NEET PG as a necessary benchmark that upholds meritocracy in medical education. Others describe it as a relentless mental treadmill that tests survival more than skill.
The common ground among all viewpoints is the urgent need for transparency, empathy, and mental health awareness in medical education.
Preparation is one thing, giving the exam is another thing- then there’s the whole process of counselling. And also in all of this, dealing with website glitches and crashes. It all takes such a toll on you.Dr. Mugdha, MBBS graduate
I’m currently preparing for next year’s NEET PG, but the competition and syllabus are so overwhelming that my brain gets saturated in a few days of preparation, and I’m again back to zero.Dr. Aditi Dikshit, MBBS, NEET PG Aspirant
As a fellow NEET PG aspirant, I understand the immense pressure the exam and its prep can put you through. It is very important, at this time, to make sure to focus on your mental and physical health, with a tighter focus on appropriate nutrition and sleep quality.Dr. Dhruvi Desai, MBBS, NEET PG Aspirant
NEET PG was meant to be a symbol of fairness—a way to ensure that only the best minds advance in the medical field. Yet, it has increasingly turned into a test of emotional endurance rather than academic ability. Depression, burnout, administrative chaos, and constant delays have made it a burden rather than a milestone.
Whether NEET PG feels like a formative experience or a punishing ordeal depends on one’s perspective. But the truth is undeniable: the future of healthcare relies not only on skilled doctors but on doctors who are mentally healthy and emotionally supported.
A healed doctor, after all, heals better. The responsibility lies not just with aspirants but with institutions to ensure the system nurtures, not exhausts, its healers.
Parimalam, Ardhanaari, Aashi Bhalla, Rama Rao Mannam, and Nappinnai Seran. “Prevalence of Depression Among NEET-PG Aspirants.” African Journal of Basic & Applied Sciences 6, no. 6 (2024): 1454–1459.
“Burnout and Mental Health Among Medical Students: Prevalence, Predictors, and Institutional Strategies for Prevention.” ResearchGate, 2024.
National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). Information Bulletin for NEET-PG 2025. New Delhi: NBEMS, 2025.
Priyadarsh, J., et al. “Is Current NEET PG Counselling Process Full of Luck and Gambling?” Journal of Family Medicine and Primary Care 12, no. 10 (2023): 2209–2213.
MSM