India's 'NEET' medical exam scandal drives students abroad
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But after two unsuccessful attempts, she has lost hope she can win a highly sought-after spot, especially after the national entrance exam was hit last month by allegations of irregularities, including paper leaks.
«I have zero confidence in this system. What is the point of slogging when others can get ahead by unfair means?,» Sanna, 20, who asked to be identified only by her nickname, said by phone from the western state of Rajasthan.
«I don't have the patience, time or money to pursue (a medical education) in India.»
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Instead, Sanna wants to study abroad in China, Russia or Kazakhstan, increasingly popular destinations for Indian students struggling with the high costs of prepping for exams and tuitions.
NEET-UG 2024: No retest, says Supreme Court
Exam leaks are common in India, where millions scramble to get into top government colleges to secure degrees that can line them up for well-paying, stable jobs in a country grappling with an employment crisis.
Sanna was one of the 2.4 million people who took the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (Undergraduate), or NEET-UG — the only gateway for admissions into undergraduate medical courses in India — in May, competing for more than 100,000 spots in government and private colleges.
An unusually high number of students scored a
