Success and Happiness – Story of Exams in India

Success and Happiness – Story of Exams in India

Class 10th and 12th board exam results are out. Newspapers and internet are abuzz with toppers’ scores and their preparation strategies. Coaching centres and schools are flaunting their student’s results. Parents of toppers and high scorers are the talk of the town in peers and community. Children are scoring as high as 99% marks. With each year, the competition is increasing. This is creating a mixed impact. While best avenues for higher education and career growth open for the bright ones, it also creates immense pressure on students both mentally and physically.

Results and performance in board exams is a pure business for schools and coaching institutes today. Parents choose those schools and their admissions boom which give board toppers. Coaching institutes leave no stone unturned in marketing the results of their previous batch toppers.

The present age parents expect nothing less than 90% from their child. Expectations go on increasing. Relatives and friends may not wish birthdays and festivals but eagerly await board exam results and would never forget to call them on the result day. Cut throat competition and sky high expectation are leading to various physical, psychological and behavioral issues among students. There is tremendous pressure from both teaching institutions and families. Children are left with no leisure or recreational time for themselves.

Is it possible for every child to excel in academics? Every child performs according to his own abilities and interest. How far is it correct to keep pestering and pressurising the child to perform? If it is for his own good and future, then the future ofcourse is not dependent only on the result of the board exam, but on the contrary on the interest and aptitude of the child.

Good performance of a child is ofcourse a moment of pride for every parent and teacher but in life success and happiness are two very different things. Every child has his own potential, his own areas of interest. It is important to realise this.

A child may not perform well in his board exams but if proper direction and support is given he will still end up doing something which would make him happy in life. This is much more important than being successful any day !!!!