Madhya Pradesh: Medical Students Struggle With Anxiety, Panic-Attacks As NEET PG Exam Gets Postponed

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): The medical students have fallen prey to anxiety, insomnia, and panic attacks following the postponement of their NEET PG exam. The students are seeking medical assistance following the postponement.

Many students are deeply concerned about their future and career prospects, as their carefully laid plans have been disrupted. The uncertainty has left them in a state of distress, prompting them to seek professional advice and support.

When Free Press spoke to a few students, they told about the abrupt change that has not only impacted their mental health but has also heightened their worries about the next steps in their academic and professional journeys.

Anupama Tripathi, who had completed her undergraduate studies and was preparing for her postgraduate exam, shared her distressing experience, citing that the exam isn’t just associated with a single student; the whole family is involved. It was hard to deal with all this together.

She said, “For the second time, our exam got postponed, and we found out just 12 hours before the exam. I was in no condition to accept it; it took me a few days to come to terms with the cancellation. I immediately sought medical help because I couldn’t cope with it—I was feeling anxious, couldn’t sleep, and was experiencing panic attacks. I consulted a doctor for immediate intervention and medication”.

Yashika Singh, who completed her undergraduate studies last year and was preparing for her postgraduate exam, said, ‘Exam sirf ek din ka nahi hota hai’ (the exam isn’t just limited to a single day; it’s more than that). “I was sleeping the day before the exam and was ready to take it the following day when my friend called to tell me about the postponement. I couldn’t believe it. I cried my heart out that day, and it continued for the next two to three days. When it became unbearable, I consulted a doctor. Paying attention to mental health is important, and that’s exactly what I did. My sessions are still ongoing, but I am now accepting the reality”, she added.

Consultant psychiatrist Dr. Satyakant Trivedi said that students and their parents are coming to seek help. Their main concern is the uncertainty about their future. They are worried that medical studies require a lot of time, and now this cancellation and postponement of exams are adding to their stress. I am advising students and their parents to logically accept the situation and focus on what is within their control, rather than letting these issues overpower them.