Several NEET aspirants preparing to reappear for the medical entrance examination say they are facing heightened anxiety, disrupted routines, loss of confidence and growing distrust in the examination system following the cancellation of the earlier test.
Students who had spent months and, in some cases, years preparing for the exam said the cancellation came as a shock and forced them back into an intense preparation cycle.
Ridhima Bansal, who appeared for both the Class 12 board examinations and NEET this year, said the cancellation of the entrance test has left her emotionally drained and she is struggling to resume her studies.
"I was expecting a good score that would have helped me secure a seat in a medical college. I came out of the NEET exam feeling happy and confident that I would get into a medical college. Then suddenly, the news came that the exam has been cancelled," Bansal told PTI.
"When I reopened my books, I was not feeling like studying," she said, adding that the uncertainty has also affected her daily routine and mental well-being.
"Sleep issues have started because all-nighters are again happening. After the exam, I was sleeping peacefully. Now I am back to sleeping at 3 a.m., waking up at 7, attending classes, giving mock tests and studying again. Mental health is affected. I don't feel like eating," Bansal said.
She said the controversy has also weakened her faith in the examination system. "The trust is over because when the news came, NTA was saying it was just a few questions. But even if a few questions were out, that is also a paper leak. Why should even a few questions get out," she asked.
"I don't trust the system now," she added.
The National Testing Agency (NTA) did not respond to queries seeking its response on issues raised by students.
Another aspirant, Vaibhavi (17) said she was on a family vacation when she learnt that the examination had been cancelled and would be conducted again.
"I was disheartened about the exam being cancelled. I was on a family vacation when I got the notification that the exam is being cancelled and they are going to re-conduct the exam. So I panicked thinking what is going to happen now," she said.
Vaibhavi said the controversy affected her concentration and motivation.
"I don't feel like studying anymore. It's like more of a joke. You should read as much as you want, but it's not going to be good enough," she said.
"I would zone out while studying and keep thinking about what would happen now. I would completely zone out and not acknowledge anything around me," she added.
She said the break between the May 3 examination and the announcement of the re-test disrupted her preparation.
"There was a gap after May 3 exam and then suddenly we had to start preparing again. Once that continuity breaks, it becomes difficult to get back into the same rhythm," she said.
Vaibhavi also expressed concerns about the upcoming examination.
"My plan was to get around 550 or 530 marks so that I could get a government college. But everyone is saying that re-NEET will be very hard. I think the paper is going to be hard. So, I am scared," she said.
Madhuri Sudhir Shelar, who had prepared for NEET for two years, said she was devastated when she learnt that the examination had been cancelled.
"It hurt a lot because I had been preparing for two years. After studying so hard for so long, hearing this news was extremely painful. It felt very bad," she said.
Shelar said she had walked out of the examination centre believing her hard work had paid off.
"The paper was easy. Biology was especially easy. When I came out of the examination centre, I felt really happy. I thought, 'This time I'll make it'," she said.
However, the events that followed left her demoralised. She said her confidence has dropped sharply since then.
"My confidence has definitely dropped. I don't feel like studying at all. Everything feels very different. But I'm still studying because my future depends on it. I'm motivating myself, telling myself that I have goals to achieve and a future to build. That's the only reason I'm continuing," she said.
The NEET-UG for admissions into medical courses took place on May 3 but was cancelled by the NTA on May 12 amid allegations of a paper leak. The CBI is currently investigating this matter, and a retest is scheduled for June 21.
Psychologist Bhavna Barmi advised aspirants to focus on what remains within their control.
"The examination is around the corner, so they can start using good grounding techniques such as mindfulness, which will help them manage their anxiety," she said.
She also encouraged students to follow small, structured daily study routines so that they feel less overwhelmed.
Reassuring aspirants, Barmi added, "A setback doesn't define their entire journey. It's just a curve on the road, and they should see it like that." Meanwhile, the Delhi Parents Association (DPA) president Aprajita Gautam said the controversy surrounding NEET-UG had deepened students' distrust in the examination system, especially as it came amid reports of issues in other major exams.
"When children are on social media and see one issue after another, they begin to feel that the system is deteriorating," she said, adding that repeated controversies had created a sense of uncertainty among aspirants and parents alike.
According to Gautam, students who had performed well in NEET-UG were particularly affected by the prospect of a re-examination.
"A child who knows he or she has done well will naturally worry whether they will be able to perform at the same level again," she said.
Gautam said the lack of visible accountability had contributed to a growing trust deficit.
"Students and parents will believe in the system only when they see action being taken against those responsible. We often hear that people have been arrested, but there is little information about what happens afterwards," she said.
Timely acceptance of responsibility and transparent action against those involved in examination lapses would help restore confidence, she added.
Highlighting the emotional burden on aspirants, Gautam said many students spend years preparing for highly competitive examinations and are now being forced to relive the stress of preparation.
"The child who would normally be enjoying the summer break after the examination is back at home studying again. It is easy for adults to say, 'Just take the exam again', but for students, the psychological impact is much deeper," she said.
