The journey of a NEET aspirant doesn’t always end with a medical seat. For some, it ends with shattered dreams, silent tears, and questions no one answers. This is my story — not just of failing NEET, but of what came after the failure.
—From NEET Aspirant to Hotel Worker: The Fall Was Real
in 2023, just one day after my NEET exam, I was sent to work at my uncle’s restaurant in Kota.
> “You failed NEET. Go work now,” my family said bluntly
.At the restaurant, reality hit hard:
I was picking up dirty plates from tables.Washing utensils in a kitchen that reached 48°C, while it was just 20°C outside.I stood for hours, sweating, while my dreams burned silently.
Mentally, I was disturbed.Nothing stayed in my memory.The same boy who once memorized entire biology chapters was now struggling to remember table orders.
—Humiliation Was Constant – From Everyone
even worse than the physical labor was the mental trauma:>
“Doctor banne gaya tha? Ab dekho, plates utha raha hai.
”That’s what the hotel staff used to say — laughing behind my back, sometimes even to my face.I didn’t have the strength to answer.My father would call and say:>
“If you fail this too, you’ll end up doing manual labor. That’s all you’re worth.
”And inside? I was breaking, completely.
-It Wasn’t NEET Stress — It Was Something Deeper
I always thought my anxiety and palpitations were due to NEET stress.But even after leaving studies, while working in that kitchen
—my heart still raced, I still couldn’t breathe, I still felt lost.
Doctors gave no clear answers.Then I met a Maulana, who said something that changed everything:>
“You’re under the influence of spiritual negative energy.”
And for the first time, it made sense.
—My Value Was Judged By Money, Not Effort
When the restaurant closed and I returned home, I gave my ₹2000 earnings to my mother.But my father taunted:>
“Your younger brother earns ₹10,000. What will this ₹2000 guy do?”
He worked 8 hours a day. I worked 16 hours.But he was a car mechanic — and I was just “learning.”
Nobody cared about my pain — only about my paycheck.
—I Took My NEET Books Back to the Restaurant
after a month, I went back to the restaurant — but this time, I carried my NEET books.
At night, I studied under dim kitchen lights.In the day, I worked like a machine.
When I rested for 10 minutes one afternoon, my aunt shouted:>
“You came here to work, not to sleep!”
They never paid me. They only insulted me.My aunt lied to my uncle about me.My uncle told my father.And again, my father said:
“Do the job. Or go work as a laborer.”
No one cared I was suffering from a mental illness.—
“You’re Worthless” — Even My Cousin Said ItWhen a new restaurant was started in partnership with my father, I stayed there with my elder cousin.He’d say:
> “Run! Work faster! You’re good for nothing.”
I told him many times about my heart issues.He laughed and said:>
“Only Sufi dargahs can fix you. You’re useless. Go home.”
They were my own family
— and yet, they broke me more than any exam ever could.
The Bridge Where I Planned To End It AllThere was a bridge near the restaurant.I used to go there, sit alone, and cry like a child.
One day, my health broke down so badly, I decided to run away.But at the railway station, my body gave up.I returned home.I met the same Maulana again.He treated me — and yes, I felt a little peace.But little did I know…
> The real test of life was just beginning.
And that, I will share in my next blog.
Conclusio:Failure Doesn’t Define You — Your Comeback Does
Everyone talks about NEET toppers, but no one talks about those who fall and break.
I didn’t fail NEET.
I failed to get support, care, and understanding.
But I didn’t give up.This is just the beginning of a new journey —A journey not of marks, but of meaning.
Have you ever faced something similar after a failure?
?Share your story in the comments. Let’s make this space safe for those who feel unheard.