‘Paper Leaks Can Inflict Immense Mental Trauma on NEET Aspirants’
Dr Sunil Jindal, a medical practitioner based in Meerut, UP, says the recent NEET paper leak must serve as a wakeup call to the National Testing Agency. His views:
The recent incident of the NEET paper leaks have cast a dark shadow over the dreams of aspiring doctors leading to the tragic suicide of 12 young students. This heartbreaking event highlights the immense pressure and emotional toll that exam frauds impose on our youth.
The story is all about shattered dreams and broken trust where these innocent children are nowhere at fault. Merely appearing for an examination to secure a future not just for themselves but of the country too, has resulted in so much trauma for our future generation.
NEET is a crucial gateway for students aiming to join the medical profession. When exam papers are leaked, the fairness of the competition is shattered. Students who have toiled for years suddenly find themselves in a rigged game, leading to feelings of betrayal and despair.
In the wake of such crucial paper leak, the first thought that irks me as a doctor is the mental health crisis that lakhs of students shall face.
The stress of preparing for NEET is already overwhelming. Add to this the uncertainty and unfairness of a leaked exam, and the mental burden becomes unbearable. The tragic outcomes we’ve seen are a grim reminder of the severe impact on students’ mental health.
Then of course, there is the serious botheration with regard to career delays and uncertainty, more so in the case of children who come from not a financially stable background. Their hopes of being an asset to their parents and family by securing a financially stable future lies bleak. Such paper leak incidents derail students’ career plans, causing delays and additional stress. The fear of not getting a fair chance can discourage even the brightest minds from pursuing their dreams, creating a ripple effect of demotivation and anxiety. All this is an extremely hopeless situation in such competitive times and such tough exams.
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And it is not the suffering of the student alone. It all leaves a huge impact on families and friends and demoralises every citizen of the country. People are disillusioned and no longer can believe in the education system of the country and its efficacy. Paper leak is something that should never happen and definitely never for such difficult exam as NEET or UGC NET. Life of the youngsters hangs on these exams. We, who do not actually go through it, cannot even imagine the plight of the student who stands mentally, emotionally and psychologically broken. Parents, who invest heavily in their children’s education, are left distraught. The social stigma of academic failure adds to the pressure, making it a shared family trauma.
So what actually needs to be done is that the government must never ever let this happen in future. Tighten security. Implement strict measures to prevent paper leaks and fraud. Do whatever it takes.
For now, provide mental health support immediately. Arrange for counselling and stress management resources for students. Ensure fairness. Build a transparent and accountable examination system to restore students’ faith in the process.
The recent NEET paper leak is a wake-up call. We must act now to protect our young aspirants from the devastating effects of exam frauds and ensure a fair path to their dreams.
(The narrator is a consultant andrologist and scientific director at Jindal Hospital and Fertility Center, Meerut. A gold medalist from MAMC, New Delhi, Jindal has a You Tube channel with more than 2M followers)
As told to Deepa Gupta
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