What I saw as a NEET invigilator |
I was the examination invigilator of the recently held NEET examinations. The day began with the familiar discipline of a high-stakes test—rows of desks arranged with precision, admit cards verified, instructions repeated with clarity. As I moved towards the centre, one detail caught my attention. A few students took stress-related medicines before the examination began. There was no drama in the act, no visible panic—only a practiced routine, as if managing anxiety had become a part of preparation itself. That moment lingered. It was not simply about the examination anymore. It was about what had led these young individuals to a point where calmness needed assistance, where an academic test had acquired such emotional intensity. As the examination commenced, the hall settled into silence. Yet beneath that silence existed a tumult of emotions. One student in the front row appeared composed, turning pages steadily, marking answers with confidence. A few seats away, another student paused frequently, his pen hovering above the sheet as if negotiating with his thoughts. There was a student who adjusted posture repeatedly, another who requested water more than once and a few who maintained an almost rigid stillness. These were not signs of lack of preparation. They were reflections of inner states shaped over months and years. Each desk carried not just a candidate, but a story.
The NEET examination is not an isolated event. It is the culmination of an extended journey that often begins early in a student’s academic life. In many cases, this journey involves a restructuring of education itself. Formal schooling becomes secondary as coaching institutions take precedence. Some parents opt for dummy admissions in higher secondary schools, where the child remains officially enrolled but spends most of the day in coaching centers during school hours. This arrangement is seen as strategic. It allows students to focus entirely on preparation. Yet, it also narrows the educational experience. The diversity of school life—interaction, activities, informal learning—gradually disappears. The student’s world becomes structured, focused, and intense. Learning becomes targeted toward performance. Curiosity gives way to repetition. Over time, this environment begins to shape not only academic outcomes but emotional states.
The students in the hall represented varied journeys. I shall cite some hypothetical cases. There was a student who had been preparing for two years under a strict routine. His performance had been consistent, yet he carried a visible tension, as if the........