Common Mistakes MBBS Aspirants Make & How to Avoid Them

Are you a medical student who is preparing for NEET 2025? Do you also want to study MBBS and become a good doctor? If yes, then there are some common mistakes that almost 90% of the NEET aspirants make. Mistakes like not starting at the right time, not referring to NCERT books, not taking mock tests, and many other things are very common.

Preparing for the NEET exam is itself a big decision. Almost 23 Lakh students appeared for NEET UG in 2025. This shows the level of competition in NEET. If you want to get a good rank in NEET 2025 and get an MBBS degree, you must avoid these common mistakes in NEET preparation.

In this blog, we will discuss the mistakes that most aspirants make in their NEET MBBS journey. Along with this, we will also be reading about the ways in which aspirants can avoid the mistakes.

Common Mistakes by MBBS Aspirants During Preparation

Before starting your MBBS journey of preparation, you must know the mistakes made by other aspirants. This might not seem very important, but in reality, it is very important. The reason behind this is quite interesting yet obvious. In 2024, 23 Lakh students appeared in NEET UG. 

The competition is very high, and every other aspirant who is preparing for the NEET UG exam is your competition. This is because there are only 55,648 total MBBS seats in India that are government-funded. Almost 23-24 Lakh students compete for these 55,648 government seats, as government colleges are the best medical colleges in India for MBBS.

Below are some most common mistakes that most of the NEET MBBS aspirants make during their preparation.

1. Unplanned study routine

This is the mistake that almost 90% of the medical students make in their preparation journey. In the initial days, most aspirants tend to copy how others are studying, start with any subject, and study topics randomly. Students often try to grasp the entire NEET UG syllabus at once. Also, often students keep on studying the subject that they like or the subject they are good at.

2. Not studying from the NCERT books for NEET

Students who are studying for NEET often only focus on reference books provided by others, rather than focusing on the NCERT books. This is pretty common in students who study from any coaching institute. The reference books are very good for preparing students for such high competition, but the fact is that the NCERT is one of the most important books for NEET. Often, the same questions from the NCERT books are asked directly in the examination. Still, this mistake is pretty common among the students preparing for NEET UG.

3. Mismanagement of time

The mistake of ‘starting late’ is pretty common among medical aspirants. Students waste their initial days of preparation mostly in confusion, looking for multiple books, following many teachers, and taking advice from many people. All these instead of helping contribute to the wastage of preparation time.

4. Ignoring the importance of revision.

If you want a smooth preparation journey, then ‘revision’ is the key. It is natural to forget things, as it is almost impossible for any human to read everything once and then remember it for their entire life. This is where revision comes to the rescue. Most of the aspirants preparing for NEET UG ignore the importance of revision and leave it for last. And at last, everything becomes a cluster and results in confusion.

5. Not giving enough mock tests

Though you might have prepared well, it is important to give mock tests. Mock tests are very important as they give an idea of the level of preparation. Also, it gives examination exposure to the candidates. It plays a very important role in assessing the preparation that is done. Students often, due to examination/failure fear, avoid mock tests. But candidates must understand that a reality check is important.

6. Not having a clear plan.

Often, candidates start their preparation without any future plan. This leads to confusion in the future and a lack of clarity. Candidates start the preparation process without researching completely about the subjects, questions, and PYQs.

How to avoid the common mistakes during MBBS preparation?

Every candidate can avoid the common mistakes during MBBS preparation with correct guidance. In this section, we will be talking about how to avoid mistakes during the NEET prep. The tips for MBBS aspirants are given below:

• Plan a proper subject-wise study routine for every day and follow it strictly. Having a study routine is important so that all the subjects get equal time, and preparation is done well.
• It is advised to strictly follow the NCERT books for reference. Maximum questions are asked from the NCERT, especially in biology. Sometimes, even direct questions are asked in NEET from the NCERT textbooks. They are considered the best books for NEET preparation.
• Make a timetable and follow it. The timetable should contain everything. From the morning routine, subject-wise time division, to revision time. If you want to do a smooth preparation, a timetable is important.
• Do the revision every day. Revision is very important as NEET preparation is for years, and it is not possible to remember everything. So, include a revision time in your routine and revise everything on a frequent basis.
• Never miss mock tests, even if under-preparation. Do not leave mock tests because of the fear of scoring less. Your test score might not be very good, but it helps you to get examination exposure. It also helps you to know your level of preparation. A reality check is very important in any examination. Also, giving mock tests helps you to get an idea of the competition for the actual examination.

Common examination day mistakes by MBBS aspirants

Apart from the preparation mistakes, there are some mistakes that happen on the examination day due to examination pressure and stress. The stress is normal as NEET is a national-level examination with very high competition. But, you should be calm and focus on recalling whatever you have done without the fear of the result.

Below are some examination day mistakes and tips for MBBS aspirants for the examination day:

• After you get the examination question paper, the first thing you should do is relax!. After 2-3 minutes, read the entire question paper. Give at least 10-15 minutes to read the question paper. Then sort the questions in which you are very sure. Then attempt accordingly. Do not jump directly to solving the question paper.
• Divide the section-wise time for solving the question paper. Do not start randomly. Keep a good amount of time for the questions that seem tough to you.
• Mark the OMR sheet properly and carefully. Often due to anxiety, students may mark the wrong answer despite knowing the correct answer. Match the questions and the corresponding correct answers twice. 
• Do not look at other candidates and start rushing. Everyone has his/her own pace. Just cool down and solve the question paper without worrying about the result.
• Carry your own transparent water bottle in the examination hall. Keep your admit card and other documents properly before the examination. Always carry extra stationery.

Conclusion

So, in this blog, we have discussed the common mistakes by MBBS aspirants and tips to avoid common mistakes by MBBS aspirants. NEET is a high-level competitive examination that requires proper planning and preparation for the best results. Just don’t stress too much thinking about the results. Prepare well and keep the tips in mind. All the very best, future doctors!