Beyond The Paper Leak: Emotional Trauma Among NEET Aspirants Raises Concern

As concerns over irregularities following a paper leak in the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) continue to distress lakhs of medical aspirants across the country, mental health experts have urged families, teachers, policymakers, and the media to respond with greater empathy and emotional sensitivity.

They also said that the episode has once again highlighted the urgent need to integrate structured mental health support into India’s competitive examination ecosystem, particularly for adolescents and young adults navigating high-stakes academic environments.

This year, more than 24 lakh students registered for NEET-UG, making it one of the world’s largest entrance examinations. However, following news regarding the paper leak, it is said to have prompted at least three students to die by suicide amid the uncertainty, as per reports.

Stressing that while examination irregularities cannot be overlooked, Dr. Naveen Grover, Professor at the Department of Psychology, Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences (IHBAS), Delhi, said such controversies can deeply destabilize students emotionally. Because many aspirants invest years of disciplined preparation, emotional energy, and family sacrifice into a single examination, he explained.

“Students may be engaging in catastrophization that their life is ruined. They need to be reminded that it may be a one-off setback to their potential career but not to their life,” he said, while also emphasizing the importance of accountability and a transparent investigation into examination-related irregularities.

Dr. Grover explained that repeated controversies can gradually create broader feelings of helplessness and mistrust among young people.

“They may be getting a generalizing belief that systems are not working fine. They need to be reminded that it is one event, which is in the realm of possibility, and now they need to move on,” he added.

At the same time, he cautioned families against offering superficial reassurance without genuine emotional understanding.

“The important point is that family members have to believe in it when they preach the above beliefs,” he said.

Mental health professionals said students experiencing severe stress often struggle to process emotional nuance during moments of heightened anxiety and disappointment. In such situations, family members must respond carefully without dismissing the student’s distress or reinforcing hopelessness.

“It is difficult for students to understand these nuances because they are currently emotionally aroused. So, they need to wait for their arousal level to come down. Till then, family members need neither confront nor accept their negative views. It is a delicate balance,” Dr. Grover explained.

As if the emotional burden surrounding entrance examinations—driven by intense competition, fear of failure, constant social comparison, and uncertainty over admissions for the students—was not enough.

The paper leak has added to their agony. Describing the situation as “highly disheartening”, Indu Verma, Senior Program Lead at the S M Sehgal Foundation, said controversies surrounding major examinations can profoundly affect the emotional well-being of students.

“It is important to immediately address and acknowledge the emotions and frustrations of the students, reaching out to them through empathetic listening and offering free counseling services,” she said. “For an aspirant, it is the shattering of their dreams and years of hard work and efforts,” she added.

Dr. Smitha Deshpande, Professor at the Department of Psychiatry, St John’s Medical College Hospital, Bengaluru, warned that students facing intense emotional distress may experience panic attacks, sleep disturbances, irritability, emotional withdrawal, fear about the future, reduced concentration, and persistent hopelessness. In many cases, aspirants begin internalizing systemic failures as personal inadequacies despite having no role in the controversy itself.

She recommended that students maintain structured routines, adequate sleep, moderate physical activity, and supportive social interaction, while limiting prolonged exposure to distressing discussions on social media platforms.

Dr. Grover also urged media organizations to exercise caution while reporting on examination controversies and student distress.

“Needless to say, the media has an important role to play in managing the mental health of young minds. There is a need to exercise restraint to avoid painting everything in red,” Dr. Grover said.

He also advised students to avoid excessive inward-focused coping techniques during periods of acute anxiety.

“Furthermore, students should not engage in inward exercises to overcome distress—for example, focusing on breathing or meditation, unfortunately suggested by everyone in times of stress."

“At present, it is best for them to engage in outward exercises such as physical exercise and distraction techniques. Inward exercises increase the disturbance within and create more interoceptive cues for anxiety,” he explained.

The mental health experts said that the Centre’s decision to reschedule the NEET-UG examination to June 21, 2026, has brought temporary relief to many aspirants, but warned that anxiety and emotional distress among students are likely to persist unless adequate psychological support mechanisms are put in place.

Dr. Mustafa Nadeem Kirmani, Associate Professor at the Clinical Psychology Department, Amity University Haryana, agreed as he said controversies surrounding national-level examinations can have serious long-term mental health consequences.

“It increases the chances of prospective aspirants taking extreme steps like suicide attempts, anger toward the system, and hopelessness. In the long run, it can lead to clinical depression,” he said.

“The solution lies in providing brief psychological interventions like reframing and training them to see this as an opportunity for further preparation and growth,” he added.

Doctors from the medical fraternity also urged policymakers and educational institutions to integrate mental health support into crisis-response systems related to examinations.

Dr. Kapil Khanna, consultant cardiologist at Yashoda Medicity Hospital, Indirapuram, UP, and National President of the Indian Association of Clinical Cardiologists (IACC), stressed the need for both procedural reforms and emotional support mechanisms.

“We as doctors and the medical fraternity in general must rise to the occasion to provide psychosocial support to mitigate anxiety among affected students,” he said.