MRS. A. Y. PAUL USHA RANI , DR. J. JOHNSI PRIYA
DOI: https://doi.org/The development of higher-order cognitive abilities is essential for students aspiring to enter the medical profession, where complex problem-solving and evidence-based reasoning are indispensable. Among these cognitive abilities, working memory plays a pivotal role in temporarily storing and manipulating information required for reasoning, comprehension, and learning. According to Alan Baddeley (2003), working memory functions as a limited-capacity system that supports complex cognitive activities such as learning and reasoning. In the context of the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET), which serves as a gateway to medical education in India, aspirants are expected to process large volumes of scientific information and apply conceptual understanding to solve problems efficiently. However, while NEET predominantly evaluates content knowledge and application skills, it often overlooks underlying cognitive mechanisms such as working memory that significantly influence reasoning performance.
