Opinion | Snakes And Ladders: How NEET Has Now Become A Trauma Machine For 22 Lakh Students |
Opinion | Snakes And Ladders: How NEET Has Now Become A Trauma Machine For 22 Lakh Students
Updated: May 13, 2026 15:42 pm IST Published On May 13, 2026 15:23 pm IST Last Updated On May 13, 2026 15:42 pm IST
Published On May 13, 2026 15:23 pm IST
Last Updated On May 13, 2026 15:42 pm IST
The journey of a NEET (National Eligibility cum Entrance Test) aspirant in the post-2024 era is no longer a conventional academic challenge. It has evolved into a prolonged psychological endurance test where uncertainty, institutional mistrust, and emotional exhaustion have become inseparable from preparation itself. For the student who began preparing in mid-2024 for the 2026 examination cycle, the experience did not begin with ambition alone. It began under the dark shadow of investigations, paper leak allegations, grace-mark controversies, and a national debate over the credibility of the examination system itself.
For nearly 22 lakh students and their families, the NEET ecosystem transformed from a merit-based competition into an emotionally volatile environment where the rules themselves appeared unstable. From a psychological perspective, this is not merely academic stress. It is systemic trauma generated by repeated exposure to uncertainty, perceived injustice, and the fear that effort may no longer guarantee outcome.
I. Psychological Arc: The Snakes and Ladders of Despair
To truly understand the mental landscape of a NEET aspirant, one must imagine the preparation process as a giant board of Snakes and Ladders. In earlier years, students believed that discipline, consistency, and intelligence would eventually help them climb the ladders toward success. In the post-2024 atmosphere, however, the board itself appears distorted. The ladders are fragile, while the snakes are institutional and unpredictable.
1. The Starting Point (June 2024)
Unlike previous batches, the 2024-2026 cohort entered preparation carrying the psychological baggage of the previous controversy. The widely discussed issue of 67 toppers securing a perfect 720 score, followed by allegations involving grace marks and paper leaks, deeply altered the emotional starting point of aspirants.
This created what psychologists describe as Moral Injury, a condition in which individuals feel betrayed by systems that are expected to uphold fairness and ethics. Instead of studying with optimism, many students developed a defensive mindset. Their motivation subtly shifted from "I will succeed through hard work" to "I must outperform corruption itself". This distinction is critical. One mindset builds confidence; the other builds anxiety.
The first major "snake" in the game emerged here: the frightening realisation that effort and outcome may no longer have a reliable relationship.
2. The Monastic Grind (2025)
The next 18 months resembled a form........