Srinagar, July 9 -- When the Education Minister of Jammu and Kashmir, Sakina Itto, felicitated NEET and JEE toppers recently, it made for a heartwarming photo-op.

These students had worked hard, cleared one of the country's toughest exams, and made Kashmir proud.

But beneath the applause was a question no one asked: Did these students ever really attend school during Classes 11 and 12?

The uncomfortable truth: they didn't. And they're not alone.

Across India, more than 37 lakh students appeared in NEET and JEE in 2025. It's safe to say that at least 35 lakh of them were attending coaching centers instead of schools. Some enrolled in these centers for a year, others for two or even three.

Their schedules often run 9 to 5, six days a w...