Dreams and Deadlines: The Life of Medical Students in Delhi’s Coaching Hubs

The city of Delhi is famous for many things. From historical monuments, rich history, and politics to food. In addition to its attractions, Delhi has become an education hub where students from across India come to prepare for various examinations in different fields. One of the disciplines that has gained a lot of traction among students is medicine. The city has become an important hub for preparing medical examinations like NEET, FMGE, and NEXT. Gautam Nagar, a highly congested residential area situated near Green Park is filled with Medical coaching centers offering all kinds of medical courses and PGs (Paying Guest) for students who come from all over India with a dream of cracking these exams so that they can get into medical colleges, start their internships or get certification for starting their medical practice. 

Growing Significance of Coaching Centers 

Although Gautam Nagar has coaching centers and institutes for several fields, the area is most populated with medical coaching centers and medical students. Classes in these coaching centers start as early as 8 am and continue till late evening. Faculty conduct regular classes for different batches as well as one-on-one doubt sessions for students who need extra attention. In the area, you will see many coaching centers that have been functioning there for decades and keep expanding as the whole business becomes increasingly lucrative. 

Furthermore, many coaching centers offer only one specialized course. Students who completed their MBBS abroad commonly seek coaching centers to prepare for the FMGE exam. Successfully passing this exam is essential for them to practice medicine in India. However, even after huge enrollment in FMGE courses in these coaching centers, the ratio of students who pass the test is very low. During a conversation with a coaching center, we learned that fewer than 20% of the students who enrolled passed the FMGE examination. We also got to know that most students in the batch are repeat candidates who did not pass the examination on their first attempt.

Student Life:

In these coaching centers, medical students run on a tight schedule, attending classes from morning to evening. It is followed by self-study, revisions, and doubt classes. Institutions conduct regular mock exams to help students in their preparation. However, these exams increase the pressure students already face during exam preparation.

The area also has various spots for fun activities, including parks, badminton courts, and food corners where students gather to discuss topics beyond their studies. These moments with peers serve as stress relievers.

To summarize, coaching hubs like we have in Gautam Nagar provide a nurturing ambiance for students to prepare. Many students succeed in their preparations and many don’t. However, overall experience gained during this preparation period is invaluable and often benefits students in their future endeavors.

By Ritik Singh

_MSM