While the National Testing Agency (NTA) or the National Medical Commission (NMC) do not typically release official, precise statistics specifically categorizing the exact number or percentage of "repeaters" versus "first-timers" among the total NEET aspirants each year, it is widely acknowledged within the education sector that a very substantial portion of candidates appearing for NEET are repeaters. Estimating the Number of Repeaters:

• Total Aspirants: NEET-UG sees a massive number of registrations each year, often exceeding 15 to 20 lakh students. For example, in recent years, the number of registered candidates has been in the range of 1.8 million to over 2 million.
• Limited Seats: The number of available MBBS seats (government and private combined) is significantly lower than the number of aspirants, leading to intense competition. This high competition is a primary reason many students opt to repeat.
• Observations from Coaching Industry: Coaching institutes often report that a large percentage of their enrolled students, sometimes upwards of 50-70% in certain batches, are repeaters. While these are not official figures, they provide an indication of the trend.
• Success Stories: Many of the students who achieve top ranks and secure admission into premier medical colleges are repeaters who have used the additional year(s) to significantly improve their scores.

Why is the Number of Repeaters High?

1. Intense Competition: As mentioned, the vast number of applicants for a limited pool of desirable medical seats means that many deserving candidates may not succeed in their first attempt purely due to the competitive ratios.
2. Board Exam Pressure: Many students find it challenging to balance their Class 12 board exam preparation with rigorous NEET preparation simultaneously. They might prioritize boards in their first go and then dedicate a full year to NEET.
3. Desire for Improvement: Students who get a rank but not a college/course of their choice often opt to repeat to aim for a better outcome.
4. Aspiration for Top Colleges: Some students might secure a seat but choose to repeat to aim for a more prestigious institution.
5. No Limit on Attempts (Currently): With the removal of restrictions on the number of attempts (subject to annual verification from official bulletins), students feel less constrained to reappear if they believe they can improve.

Implications for Aspirants (Especially Repeaters):

• Increased Competition: A large number of experienced repeaters means the overall competition level remains high, and often increases. Repeaters bring with them a certain level of prior preparation and exam-taking experience.
• Higher Cutoffs: The dedication and focused preparation of a large repeater pool can contribute to pushing cutoff scores higher.
• Need for Strategic Preparation: As a repeater, your strategy must account for this competitive environment. You need to aim for significant improvement, not just marginal gains.

Actionable Insight: While knowing the exact number of repeaters might be difficult, it's crucial to understand that you are part of a large and highly motivated group. This shouldn't be discouraging but rather should underscore the importance of a well-planned, disciplined, and significantly enhanced preparation strategy during your repeat year(s). Focus on your own improvement, learn from past mistakes, and aim to perform at your absolute best to stand out in this competitive field.