Dr Jyoti Gupta from Uttar Pradesh's Kushinagar is the first doctor in her family. A junior resident at the Delhi State Cancer Institute, she spent the past year juggling long shifts at work and preparing for the NEET-PG exam.
A day before her the National Eligibility Entrance Test (Postgraduate), she spent Rs 7,000 to travel to Meerut, where her exam centre was, and checked into a hotel.
Just as she finished her revision and was ready to go to sleep, she received a phone call from her senior that "had her life come crashing down."
Less than 12 hours before the exam was set to begin, the Union Ministry of Health and Welfare postponed the test as a "precautionary measure" in view of the recent allegations questioning the "integrity" of competitive examinations. The new date for NEET-PG is yet to be announced.
"I was in shock and disbelief. It felt like my year-long hard work had gone to waste. I won't get leave again and I cannot afford to quit. This is my second attempt... Why are they playing with our lives?"Dr Jyoti Gupta to The Quint
Dr Gupta is the eldest of four siblings – and the exam will not only determine her future, but also that of her family.
Nearly 2.5 lakh MBBS graduates, who were to appear for the computer-based NEET-PG test, conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS), have been affected by the ministry's abrupt decision to postpone the test.
The Quint speaks to some of the aspirants who vocalised their mental agony over the postponement and expressed concern about their future.
'In Mental Distress... Can't Explain Anger in Words'
NEET-PG serves as the only entrance exam for admission to MD, MS, and PG diploma courses for doctors. This year, NEET-PG already saw several changes in dates. Initially set to take place on 3 March, the NBEMS postponed it tentatively to 7 July. A few days later, the date was advanced to 23 June.
But at 10 pm on 22 June, the Health Ministry released a statement, saying:
"The Ministry of Health sincerely regrets the inconvenience caused to the students. This decision has been taken in the best interests of the students and to maintain the sanctity of examination process."
The last-minute decision sparked anguish and anger among students at a time when there have been nationwide protests over alleged irregularities, including paper leaks, in the conduct of competitive exams like NEET (Undergraduate) and National Eligibility Test (NET), all conducted by the National Testing Agency (NTA).
Dr Sunreet Jakhar, 26, who travelled nearly 450 km to his hometown in Sri Ganganagar from Jaipur, was among the many aspirants who found out about the postponement after he reached the centre.
"I undertook a really long journey to my hometown from Jaipur. Since I was tired and stressed about the exam, I went to sleep early. No one was home at the time. I didn't check my phone and had deleted social media a few months back to avoid distractions. When I reached the exam centre in the morning, I was shocked to see the notice of cancellation outside."Dr Sunreet Jakhar, a MBBS graduate from Jaipur National University
Jakhar, who was preparing for his exam from Jaipur for over a year, had packed his belongings and booked a one-way ticket to his hometown in the hopes that he would not have to go back again.
"I am in disbelief that this has happened. This is the last thing you expect from the government... The last 15-20 days were the worst, and now we have to live through that period again," he added.
Another NEET-PG aspirant from Tamil Nadu, who did not want to be named, said, "The mental stress a doctor undergoes is nothing compared to any other profession. We do 36-hour to 48-hour shifts, where we run floor to floor without food and water. On top of that, studying for 19 subjects for an exam that keeps getting postponed and preponed without an explanation."
"I understand that the government is trying to interfere in the exam process to maintain its sanctity, but intervening a night before the exam is not right. Had they done it at least a week before the exam, it would have saved a lot of pain for us," the aspirant said.
"Does the government not know how frustrating this is? The medical system has completely collapsed. How many times do you change the date of one exam?" asked another aspirant, 25-year-old Dr Samyak Bansal, from Rajasthan's Tonk district, who had been studying 10-12 hours every day for the last three months.
'Spent Huge Sums To Travel for Exam'
Like Dr Gupta, 23-year-old Dr Sonu Kumawat, an AIIMS Jodhpur graduate from Maharashtra's Thane, spent roughly around Rs 6,500 to reach his destination. Having prepared for the exam since December 2023, Dr Kumawat told The Quint:
"I travelled in second AC so that I could study and revise peacefully. I have been in mental stress, studying for nearly 10-12 hours a day. The seats are limited – and we need to get our preferred specialisation. When I saw the message in my inbox at 10 pm, I thought it was fake news. But when I saw the Health Ministry's tweet, I was devastated. I couldn't sleep all night. I am still in denial."
While many aspirants typically give up their jobs to prepare for the exam, doctors like Dr Gupta were forced to take up a job to financially support her family.
An MBBS graduate from Rama Medical College and Research Centre in Kanpur, Gupta had failed to secure the specialisation she had hoped for in 2023. But to support her father, she had to take up a job.
"It's been a very tough year for me. I usually work between 9 am and 5 pm at the hospital, and I study from 6 pm to night. It's very hard for doctors to get leaves to prepare for their exam. But due to my hectic schedule, I had to take leave, and my salary was also cut. I kept telling myself that after 23 June, I can relax. I had booked tickets to go home. But now what? Who will bear the cost of my lost time? I can't afford to go home now," she told The Quint.
'Cancellation of Exam Shows Govt's Lack of Seriousness'
"I am exhausted, having followed the same routine for one year. It's not about me... my whole family has been involved."
This is what at least seven students told The Quint.
"I am seriously hurt by the lack of seriousness of the government that is playing with the lives of lakhs of doctors. They [the ministry] said that this was done to maintain the exam's sanctity, but they haven't given us a proper reason as yet. What are they hiding? The government should take strict action if there are irregularities. Prime Minister [Narendra] Modi should address this."Dr Arun Kumar, resident doctor at Rajiv Gandhi Super Specialty Hospital in New Delhi
Meanwhile, Dr Dhruv Chauhan, national council coordinator of the Indian Medical Association-Junior Doctors Network, believed that the postponement of the exam showed "the failure of the government to handle such important tests."
"They have taken the education sector for a ride. When the NEET-UG scam happened, they should've looked into NEET-PG too, and seen if there were irregularities. If they actually were considerate, they would've cancelled it a few days back."Dr Dhruv Chauhan
Even as the students restart their preparations, there's no clarity on when the exam will take place and how much time do they have to prepare for the exam again.
"There are different phases while preparing for a competitive exam like this... With so much uncertainty, it's hard to prepare and study all the 19 subjects. We have no timeline," Dr Jakhar said.
Dr Kumawat from Thane added, "We have no choice but to continue to stay motivated. There is always the question of how we will now schedule our studies and revise everything on time, but at the end of the day, nothing is in our hands. We need to be prepared for the worst now."
(At The Quint, we question everything. Play an active role in shaping our journalism by becoming a member today.)