I dont think you have to think 10000 times before you go to Manipal... If somebody failed twice in second year exams then there has to be some explanation for it apart from the place...
Anyway...as far as the OP's question goes....KMC Mangalore and KMC Manipal are both good. If you look at the ratings then KMC Manipal is always higher....this has more to do with the Manipal campus as it is like a university town in the United States and when judging parameters for the University campus at manipal they look at everything (not just the quality of teaching at Manipal)...
Anyway...I've been two KMC Mangalore twice...my friends were there and I went to vist...I thought the place was pretty cool...KMC mangalore and manipal are a little more than an hour apart...Mangalore is a city and therefore KMC Mangalore students enjoy the city amenities and a wider area to enjoy...On the other hand KMC manipal is located in the main campus (which is kind of isolated if you ask me...)...Nevertheless both places have teaching standards that are good (by Indian standards that is)...
If youre considering Manipal but are in the US and have never had first hand experience with the Indian education system then it could be a problem...People come from a wide range of backgrounds and how each individual handles the change in culture, system, food, weather, language etc depends on the person... While somethings seem to be relativey unimportant it would be unwise to shrug them off ....I think some people dont know hardship at all...I've been reading things on this forum for a little over a month now and see that med students make huge deal about how hard it is over here etc....But if you go to a med school in india you will not only be working as hard as you do here but you will also be putting up with a lot of other stuff that could become unbearable( you should check out the thread on SRMC and see what the guy over there has to say about the place)...
The Indian education system in general is very different...very regimental and the people over there dont mind it because thats all they've ever known....US students on the other hand have a different perspective on how things ought to be...and therefore have a plethora of ways to describe the new place...
In all...I think it would require some self reflection on your part (especially if you have been in the US all your life) before you decide to go to any academic institution in India...be it manipal...SRMC or any other place...If you think you could handle it then go....I'm sure you'll love the place...
