As candidates prepare to retake NEET-UG on Sunday, most point out that this has only increased the mental pressure and stress they face. “As the paper was leaked last time, I am scared it would be a very tough question paper for this exam. This worry is causing me undue stress and I’m not able to sleep,” said Kudiyarasi K. from Chennai.

While many students are hoping that the re-exam will be held with no glitches, most point out that they have lost hope in a fair examination. After the NEET-UG, originally held on May 3, was cancelled on May 12 amid allegations of a question paper leak, students had expressed their disappointment. Preethi (name changed) said she could not study anything new as it took at least a week for her to get over the shock. “All we can do is revise, even that is of no help as we had poured our soul into the exam and had just started relaxing when the news broke. Now, I feel like I’m back to square one,” she said.

1,42,489 students

According to officials, 1,42,489 candidates will write NEET at 307 centres in Tamil Nadu on Sunday. In Chennai, 22,128 students will be write the exam at 43 centres. A.M. Srinithi, 17, started training for NEET at a franchise coaching institute while simultaneously studying Class 12 in 2025 in Tiruchi. Though her institute offered free tutoring for the re-test, she opted to study on her own. Though becoming a doctor had been a dream since childhood, Srinithi said her NEET experience had changed that outlook. “My parents, like many others, have spent over a lakh on my coaching classes alone. I don’t want to waste time and money chasing an uncertain dream.”

M. Vignesh of Alagapuram in Salem Corporation said he prepared well for the exam held in May. “For the past month, I have been preparing for the re-exam. I believe this time I will perform well and clear it. But the whole experience has been stressful for me as well as my parents,” he added.

The State government had offered a free coaching programme for NEET to students of government and aided schools. In Tiruchi, teachers held special coaching sessions to ensure students were adequately prepared for the re-test. “Despite the additional pressure, many candidates remain focused on achieving their goals and view the re-examination as another opportunity to prove themselves,” said Nataraj, district organiser of the initiative.

Opting out

However, some candidates, such as M.R. Guru, have opted out of the retest despite writing the exam on May 3. A CBSE student from a private school in Coimbatore, Guru said: “I spent nearly three years preparing for NEET and around ₹4.5 lakh on coaching alone. Medicine was my ambition, but the examination process itself has been mentally exhausting. After writing the test, I was already under stress waiting for the results. The announcement of a retest created uncertainty again,” he said, adding that he decided to join an engineering course.

For 19-year-old Sahana, the re-exam is not just an academic hurdle, it has brought forth a wave of financial and personal stress. After her initial exam, she and her family had planned a highly anticipated trip, booking tickets months in advance. Because her parents are government employees, securing the necessary leave planning six to seven months ahead. The rescheduling of the exam forced them to scrap the entire trip, incurring a loss of nearly a lakh in non-refundable bookings. Adding to the burden, Sahana was also hit with extra fees from her private coaching institute to sustain her preparation.

Marumalarchi Makkal Iyakkam (MMI) founder and education activist V. Eswaran said the retest issue highlighted the need for decentralisation in medical admissions.

He said a single national-level examination should not be the sole criterion for admission to medical courses. “States must be given a greater role in the admission process. Students spend months preparing for the examination and any disruption, including a retest, creates uncertainty and stress. Decentralisation would help ensure that admissions are better aligned with the educational systems and needs of individual States,” he added.