Last Updated on August 29, 2025
India’s medical education system, including the preparation for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), is notoriously demanding. The NEET UG 2025, had approximately 23 lakh students registered, competing for roughly 1.20 lakh MBBS seats. This creates a high-stakes environment, where the fear of failure is pervasive.
On 25 July 2025, the Supreme Court intervened in the tragic case of a 17‑year‑old NEET aspirant’s suicide, and subsequently laid down directives addressing issues covering mental health, infrastructure, accountability, and institutional culture.
The guidelines apply universally across all educational institutions in the country and include the appointment of qualified Mental Health Personnel in all Institutions with 100 or more students. Smaller institutions need to establish formalreferral networks with external professionals. It also mandates an appropriate Student-to-Counsellor Ratioand aMentorship programme whichmust be functional particularly during exam periods to provide informal support .The directives also includes a Mandatory Staff Training to be held twice a year for all teaching and non-teaching staff, covering psychological first aid, identifying distress signs, and other relevant topics. (Dr Anita R Bijoor)
PROBLEM STATEMENT
India’s medical education system, including the preparation for the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), is notoriously demanding. The NEET UG 2025, had approximately 23 lakh students registered, competing for roughly 1.20 lakh MBBS seats. This creates a high-stakes environment, where the fear of failure is pervasive.
Once into medical colleges, the scene is no better – It was revealed that a total of 1166 students dropped out of medical schools and there were 119 suicides involving medical students, in the past 5 years.(Medical dialogues –May 2025) .This data, collected from just 512 medical colleges across the country, was shared by NMC, in response to an RTI filed by the United Doctors Front, and it underscores the intense pressures facedby aspiring doctors and is a stark indictment of a collapsing support structure. The RTI further reveals that, of the 119 suicides, 64 were undergraduate (MBBS) students, and 55 were postgraduate (MD/MS) students. The dropout figures include 160 undergraduate students and 956 postgraduate students. (Dr Anita R Bijoor)
THE ROOT CAUSE
Medical profession is considered one of most demanding professions . Starting from the formative years as a medical student , they face a lot of stress due to academic and non academicfactors. As per research globally the prevalence of high stress and mental health issues in medical students is as high as 30-40%. In our 20 plus years of experience from medical academia ,academic overload, exam stress, confusion over study materials, continuous assessments, and the pressure to perform are some common academic stressors. The MBBS curriculum is intense, requiring students to manage large volumes of content, clinical postings, and community visits—all within tight timelines.
Non-academic stressors also play a major role. Many students struggle with loneliness, cultural adjustment, language barriers, homesickness, and social isolation—especially those from diverse backgrounds or non-English-medium schools. Added pressures from parental expectations and digital distractions further impact their well-being. In today’s competitive environment, students are also expected to stay updated with emerging fields like AI, bioinformatics, and research, while also developing essential life skills. These expectations increase workload and stress levels and students are unable to cope leading . This can be dangerous because chronic stress can damage both physical and mental health and affect patient care.(Dr Shilpa HD).
SOLUTION
While the Supreme Court directives are well intended, implementation may prove to be challenging for institutions, as many are not equipped with qualified and trained manpower to handle the student strength(.Dr Anita R Bijoor)
Also certain guidelines have been laid down by NMC to address these issues. Butthere is a huge gap in the implementation of strategies to ensure mental health wellbeing of medical students.Added factor is the counselling services provided in institutions to the students in need may not be utilised to full potential due to issues like students may not feel comfortable in seeking help in their own institutional set up due to confidentiality, stigma etc. This aspect has also been brough out in the survey report by task force constituted by NMC.(Dr Shilpa HD)
There is a lack of structured framework which offers tailored solutions exclusively for medical students. Since each students coping skills, and stressors are unique off the shelf solutions are not beeffective(Dr Shilpa H D)
WAY FORWARD
Recently a group of Like minded highly accomplished medical professionals have come up with a well structuredplatform- CopeMeds((one its kind and first in the country)a unique and only one of its kind, mental health wellness and holistic development platform(online)exclusively for healthcare professional students offeringtailored evidence based programs which cater to mental health issues of medical and allied healthcare students across the entire duration of their course, including comprehensive stress management program, First year coping program, Cultural diversity Coping program , Exam Stress coping program, and Life skills for Health care Professionals ).-Dr Anita R Bijoor
All our programs includes initial screening of the student objectively using validated tools and structured interview (maintaining full confidentiality) to know the stress profile, coping abilities and needs of individual student. A safe space Is provided for them to freely communicate and express themselves , their concerns and challenges. Each student has unique challenges with different learning and coping abilities . A targeted and tailored solutions are provided based on individual students analysis and needs . Recent technological advances like app based services, telehealth will be utilised in delivering such programs- Dr Shilpa HD
The programs are handled by a team of experts, who are an amalgamation of medical academicians, mentors and psychotherapists with vast experience combined with compassion and commitment.
Constituting a comprehensive and structured module/program which focuses on psychological wellness and which offers a targeted personalised intervention is a necessity rather than requirement. Such a program which will offer personalisedevidence based solutions based on objectively analysing students abilities and needs .This will enhance the mental and physical well being of medical students As the saying goes Prevention is better than cure, enhancing psychological wellness , creating awareness and intervening early will shape the future healthcare workforce to become competent professionals equipped with all necessary life skills delivering high quality patient care.
Authors:
Dr Anita R Bijoor-MBBS., MD., Ph.D, (PGDMH)
Dr Shilpa HD-MBBS, MD, Specialist certification in stress psychology for Healthcare(LSBA -London)