NEET: When MBBS Dreams Don’t Come True, How Students Found New Paths And Hope

Last Updated:May 27, 2025, 17:51 IST

NEET Alternative Careers: Every year, lakhs of students appear for NEET, but only a few clear the exam to secure limited MBBS seats.

NEET Alternative Careers: Every year, lakhs of students across India pin their hopes on NEET — the gateway to a medical career. In 2025 alone, around 21 lakh candidates appeared for NEET-UG, competing for just over 1.18 lakh MBBS seats in the country. Of these seats, approximately 55,648 are government seats, while about 53,256 are in private colleges. The competition is intense, with roughly 18 candidates competing for every seat. But what happens when the results do not turn out as expected?

Across Reddit, many students who did not clear NEET have shared their experiences — stories filled with disappointment, self-reflection, and ultimately, unexpected hope.

One Redditor recounted their experience of finding success beyond medicine: “I went into engineering and now earn more than Rs 20 lakh per annum at one of the Big Four firms. Not getting into medicine has perhaps been the best thing that could have happened to me. After failing NEET, I moved to a university in another state, which helped improve the gloomy atmosphere both at home and in my own mind. It really helped me move away from the constant feeling that both I and my parents were upset. I decided not to look back.”

“I performed well academically, earned scholarships, published a couple of research papers, and enjoyed university life. Later, I secured a job I liked and worked very hard, which paid off financially. Once my finances were stable, I was free to pursue anything I wanted. I made myself happy, and I made my parents happy. Even now, when I visit home, I make it a point to catch up with friends who became doctors. They helped me get out of my low period, and now, as they start their residency, I support them,” the Redditor wrote.

“Looking back, I feel the workload and lifestyle of medicine would not have suited what I wanted from life, and I consider my failure to clear NEET a fortunate event,” the Redditor added.

Another Redditor described their path from disappointment to success in engineering:

“I scored 640 and ranked around 5,000. I was disappointed with myself. I could not get into any of the top state government medical colleges and did not want to burden my parents by joining a private college. So, I enrolled in a top government engineering college.”

“I worked hard and now I am interning at Amazon. Some things in life happen for a reason. I spent my childhood thinking I was destined to be a doctor, but I realised medicine is not for everyone. Sometimes, when life gives you a sign that something is not meant for you, no matter how hard you try, it will not happen. But if you accept any opportunity you get and work hard, things will improve,” the Redditor added.

A third Redditor shared their experience of failure and self-discovery: “I did not clear NEET twice. The first time, I told myself it was just bad luck. The second time, I stopped deceiving myself. Watching friends get into MBBS and celebrate their white coat ceremonies, while I sat alone with NCERT books and regrets, felt like failing not just an exam, but also my family, my dreams, and my own self-worth.”

The Redditor continued, “But failure does not stop life. Life goes on, whether you allow it or not. I explored biotechnology, paramedical courses, and psychology. I took a diploma that led me into health technology. Today, I work at a company building AI tools to help doctors make faster diagnoses. I may not hold a stethoscope, but I help save time and, sometimes, lives.”

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The Redditor concluded, “It is not just me — a batchmate became a clinical researcher, another went into hospital management, and someone who used to cry after every NEET mock test now runs a successful NEET coaching YouTube channel.”

These stories highlight an important message: clearing NEET is not the only path to success or happiness. While medical seats remain limited and competition is intense, life offers many different paths to a fulfilling career. Sometimes, what feels like the end is just the beginning of a new journey.

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