Doctor commits suicide on poor PG NEET score

Mumbai: In an unfortunate incident, a 25 year old doctor leaped to death after not having cleared his PG National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), on Monday. He jumped off the seventh floor of his Lokhandwala residential complex, in Kandivli.

The investigating police sources claimed that the doctor who had been working with municipal KEM Hospital, Parel, was undergoing a depression as he had not scored sufficient marks to get a seat in a post graduate course.

"He jumped off the terrace of the building he lived in. He has left a suicide note, which said that there was no foul play and he did this by his own wish," said Dilip Yadav, Senior Police Inspector, Samta Nagar Police Station. The doctor was under severe depression after the NEET result was declared on January 15, Yadav added.

"His family and friends confirmed that the exam stress and poor results bothered him as he wanted to pursue post-graduation," said Yadav.

NEET a single window entrance examination for students who wish to appear for graduate medical courses in India(MBBS/dental course (BDS) or postgraduate courses (MD / MS) in a government or private medical college, is currently being looked at skeptically by sections of the medical fraternity, in view of the stress factors related to it.

Dr Sagar Mundada, President, Youth Wing, Indian Medical Association, revealed that the IMA is planning to file a PIL in the Supreme Court, requesting for changes in the current pattern of the exams, which is allegedly leading to undue mental pressure for students, as reported in the HT.

"In the current pattern, NEET exams are spread across a week with exclusive paper patterns for every student which turns the test in a gamble. There have been instances where bright students are unable to clear the exams, affecting the quality of post-graduate doctors. We demand a less theoretical and uniform exam pattern for everybody, which will eventually better the quality of doctors," said Dr Mundada.

Speaking about exam stress, leading Medical Education Expert, Dr Mukesh Bhatia said, " Its unfortunate to see that sometimes students give into the exam pressure without duly thinking about the future.It is extremely important that these students are counselled properly. One time failure in one exam does not mean the end of the world. In my own career of over 30 years, i have come across in-numerous students, who while not succeeding at their first attempt, show wonders with added zeal the very next year. "