The ethical drift in medical education: Prioritising post graduate entrance preparation over professional competence

There is an emerging and deeply concerning shift in the culture of undergraduate medical education in India, with many MBBS students increasingly prioritising their preparation for postgraduate (PG) entrance examinations, such as the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test for Postgraduate (NEET-PG) and Institute of National Importance Combined Entrance Test (INI-CET), over conventional academic learning and bedside clinical exposure. This sometimes begins from the very first year of training. The rapid expansion of commercial, technology-driven coaching platforms has amplified this trend. While such platforms have facilitated access to learning resources and support exam preparation, their disproportionate influence on student priorities raises significant ethical questions regarding the purpose and integrity of undergraduate medical education.