BENGALURU: The number of repeat NEET-UG candidates seeking admission into medical and dental colleges in Karnataka has nearly doubled, rising from 28,064 in 2023 to 53,616 this year. This reflects the trend seen in last year’s results, where repeat test takers outperformed first-time aspirants.
In 2023, of the 11,000 available MBBS and BDS seats in the state, repeat candidates secured 7,012.
Unlike the JEE for technology courses, NEET has no limit on the number of attempts an aspirant can make. The data indicates intense competition, with nearly 24 candidates vying for each medical seat.
“Repeaters tend to secure more seats because they dedicate more time exclusively to preparing for the entrance test,” said H Prasanna, Executive Director of the Karnataka Examinations Authority, which oversees admissions to undergraduate professional courses in the state.
This year, the number of students registered for NEET includes 11,111 from the 2023 batch and 10,658 who cleared their Class 12 exams in 2022. Interestingly, two students from the 1997 batch also appeared for NEET-UG this year, alongside candidates from 1999, 2000, and 2002.
Among the successful repeaters in NEET-UG 2023 were candidates from batches as far back as 2007, 2009, 2010, 2011, and 2014. The highest number of repeat candidates securing MBBS or BDS seats, totaling 4,600, were from the 2022 batch. Another 1,640 successful candidates were from the 2021 batch.
“With around 24 lakh students competing for one lakh seats this year, writing NEET is becoming as competitive as the civil services exams. Cracking it on the first attempt is increasingly difficult, causing many bright first-timers to lose seats to those who have spent an extra year or two preparing for the test,” said Sridhar G, founder of a coaching centre that is now starting a batch exclusively for repeat candidates.
