With a limited number of seats for MBBS, more and more students are opting to take a drop year for the preparation of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test - Undergraduate (NEET UG). However, though repeating a year or not might be a personal choice, the industry experts and educationists we spoke to have contrasting views on the same.

A few medical education experts opine that considering NEET UG is an important examination, taking a gap year might be useful for the students and enable better preparation.

“It is not such a bad idea since medical education is no joke and if one wants to pursue their dreams, they must be given a chance,” said Dr Rohan Krishnan, Orthopaedic surgeon, Maulana Azad Medical College, Delhi and Chairman of Federation of All India Medical Association (FAIMA). 

When asked if students are missing out a great deal in such a fast-paced world, he replied, “Sometimes a lot of pressure is exerted on students. Even if the world’s moving too fast, these kids, who are young, have time to discover their passion and work for it and since now, the upper age limit has been eliminated, it shouldn’t be of such grave concern to them.”

Why drop out? 
There might be several reasons why students might decide to take a drop year ranging from financial to personal reasons. While only a very small percentage of NEET aspirants qualify for government medical seats in Indian colleges, private colleges charge exorbitant tuition fees making MBBS elusive for many.

“The total cost of pursuing MBBS can be more than a crore in private medical colleges, with most colleges charging 20-25 lakh per year. Even if one tries to take a student loan for their medical degree, they would not be able to pay back such a huge amount with what MBBS graduates are earning in today’s date. In my opinion, if repeating a year might give you a chance to get a government seat and save money, you should definitely go for it,” explained Dr Aviral Mathur, President of the Federation of Resident Doctors' Association (FORDA) and Resident Doctors Association, Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC).

Would it matter in the long run?
Several aspirants are hesitant about repeating a year as it might set them back one or two years or due to the fear of explaining why they took a gap year to others, particularly their future employers. However, Dr Mathur says that it should not be the deciding factor.

“I also took one year drop for preparation and I can say that it doesn’t matter. No one asks you how many years you dropped out and why. You might be a year or two older but you will begin to make friends and when you become a doctor or gain success in any field, it is worth it,” he added.

Shouldn't be your primary option
On the other hand, others believe that though it might be essential, it should not be the primary option for the aspirants.

“Students need to understand that the competition is increasing every year as the number of applicants, especially repeaters, is also going up. So, it is better if you focus on following a disciplined schedule while preparing and aim to give your personal best. Do not compare yourself with other aspirants when it comes to preparation,” stressed Gaurav Tyagi, career counsellor.

Experts also added that many students may fixate on taking a drop year even before attempting the exam due to fear of failure.

“There are unlimited attempts for NEET-UG so why waste even one? Many students give up in the last month before NEET and decide to take a drop because of the exam pressure. However, they should focus on managing the exam anxiety and pressure,” said Prateek Jain, Unacademy educator for NEET.