Medical Dreams Turn into Nightmares

Dear Readers,

Double Helical, a comprehensive national health magazine, serves as a platform to acknowledge innovations, individuals, products, and services transforming India’s healthcare sector, paving the way for affordable, high-quality, and inclusive healthcare.
In this current issue, we focus on medical admissions as our special story. Today, medical admission processes for both undergraduate and postgraduate courses have increasingly turned into a marketplace, compromising educational standards and the quality of future doctors.
This transformation is evident in today’s high-pressure, cutthroat competition—not only for MBBS seats but beyond. The price one pays to become a doctor spans almost half a lifetime, with no assurance of a secure and fulfilling life thereafter. Compounding these hardships, anxieties, and frustrations are the often whimsical decisions taken by our regulatory bodies, frequently bypassing established protocols and failing to consult appropriate expert committees. Various stakeholders are taking advantage of this confusion, pursuing their own political, populist, and profit-driven agendas.
Three states—Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, and Karnataka—formally challenged the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) by passing resolutions in their respective state assemblies in 2024. These states argued that a centralised examination disadvantages rural students from different states and those passing state board examinations compared to students following the CBSE syllabus.
The opposition gained momentum following the 2024 NEET controversy, which involved allegations of paper leaks, scoring irregularities, and other malpractices. However, as of September 2025, despite these legislative resolutions, NEET continues to be conducted nationwide. The 2025 examination was held on May 4, 2025, with counselling processes currently underway.
Tamil Nadu’s government has maintained its opposition to NEET since its implementation, arguing that it benefits privileged urban students while disadvantaging rural ones. The state passed resolutions in 2024, but as of September 2025, the Central government continues to reject their requests for exemption.
The human cost of this ongoing battle has been devastating. Over 20 students have reportedly died by suicide related to NEET pressure in Tamil Nadu, a tragic trend that began with Anitha’s death in 2017. Chief Minister M K Stalin continues to maintain that “the biggest unfairness in the NEET examination is that it’s advantageous only to those who can afford special coaching classes.”
West Bengal’s legislative assembly passed a resolution against NEET in July 2024, with the state government arguing that Bengal was never in favour of conducting a national-level examination. The West Bengal Medical Counselling Committee has faced multiple disruptions in admission processes over the years, including various legal disputes related to reservations and procedural issues.
Karnataka became the third state to pass a resolution against NEET in July 2024, with the state assembly unanimously demanding exemption from the national examination. The state government argued that “Karnataka has built colleges, but the NEET exam is benefiting North Indian students and depriving our own students.”
Meanwhile, new challenges have emerged: The Supreme Court is currently hearing petitions regarding NEET PG 2025 answer key transparency, with students protesting against the use of only “Question IDs” instead of complete question papers and answers, making verification difficult. In Maharashtra, Students continue to face uncertainty as seat allotment processes face delays due to court hearings and approvals for new colleges.
The Supreme Court’s role has been crucial in maintaining NEET’s continuity, often overruling state-level decisions. This has created a peculiar situation where states officially oppose the examination they are compelled to implement.
While the Central government maintains that NEET ensures uniform standards and prevents capitation fees, the persistent state opposition suggests an urgent need for comprehensive reform. The challenge lies in balancing the goals of maintaining national standards while ensuring equitable access for students from all backgrounds.
The current deadlock between state aspirations and federal mandates is serving neither the cause of educational equity nor administrative efficiency. Until this fundamental tension is resolved through constitutional mechanisms or innovative policy solutions, the medical admission landscape will continue to remain turbulent, affecting the dreams and aspirations of millions of medical aspirants across the country.
The question is no longer whether NEET will continue—it’s whether the system can evolve to address the legitimate concerns raised by states and students while maintaining its core objectives of standardisation and merit-based selection.
This issue is packed with many more interesting, thought-provoking, and insightful stories that examine the evolving landscape of Indian healthcare and medical field. Do write to us with your feedback.

Happy reading!

Thanks and regards
Amresh K Tiwary,
Editor-in-Chief