Abid Hussain Rather
Two days ago, Jammu and Kashmir State Board of School Education (JKBOSE) announced the results of 12th class examination. Out of 93,340 candidates registered for the examination, only 68,385 (74.3%) were declared as pass and rest couldn’t qualify the said examination. While people were sharing the success stories of toppers in various streams on social media, journalists were interviewing the families of the candidates who qualified the said examination with flying colours despite many hardships, hurdles and impediments; a sad news surfaced on the social media that a female candidate from Baihama village of Kulgam district suffered a fatal cardiac arrest after knowing her results which showed that she has to reappear for exams in three subjects. The sorrowful news casted a pall of gloom over the area, leaving her family, friends, neighbours and relatives in shock and mourning. This is not the first time that such bemoaning incident has happened in the valley, but we have witnessed such dolesome episodes many times in the past years when students committed suicides or tried to harm themselves due to failures in examinations or because of securing low grades in various examinations and being pressurized by their families especially parents to get high secures in the examination. It is very unfortunate that we are living in a society where success is measured by the the marks secured in the examination and failure is considered as fatal. This notion has lead to an unhealthy competition which in turn has creates a toxic environment where students feel their self-worth is tied solely to their academic performance. But we forget that examinations should be viewed as a learning process rather than a final judgment of one’s abilities or potential. In our valley there has been a trend that media outlets and pseudo journalists rush to the houses of toppers to glorify them; highlighting their celebrations which exacerbates the pressure on those who secure low grades or fail to qualify the examinations. This trend has resulted in many negative impacts. We equate academic success with future success in life. Here, parents, educators, and the students themselves place immense importance on achieving high grades. This pressure is often compounded by societal expectations and the competitive nature of education systems. Students are frequently subjected to rigorous schedules, intensive tutoring, and high-stakes testing environments. The fear of failure and the potential consequences – such as disappointing family or diminishing future career prospects – has lead to overwhelming stress and anxiety in our students. This pressure is not limited to high school or college exams but extends to entrance exams for prestigious institutions and competitive exams for scholarships and job placements. When our students fail to meet the high expectations of their families and teachers, their emotional fallout leads to disastrous incidents.
In the journey of life, examinations often stand as significant milestones, marking the progress of an individual’s educational journey. However, equating examination results with future success is a misconception that can lead to undue stress and a limited perception of potential. The reality is far more nuanced, and numerous examples demonstrate that failure in examinations does not predetermine failure in one’s career.
Examinations are designed to assess knowledge and understanding of specific subjects within a defined period. While they are important tools in the educational system, they are not comprehensive measures of a person’s abilities or potential. There are many factors which contribute to the examination outcomes like stress anxiety, health issues, personal circumstances such as family issues, financial stress, or other responsibilities. Additionally, we must not forget that not all students excel in the conventional testing format. Some may have strengths in areas not covered by standard exams. So, taking these things into consideration, society in general and parents in particular should not judge the potential and capabilities of our younger generation on the basis of their performance in their examinations and they should not be rebuked on their low performance/ grades in the examination. Excoriating the students on their low performance has always negative impacts on their mental health and their cognitive abilities. We have already witnessed the suicidal cases of some students in our valley when they were pressurized by their families for securing high grades in examinations and castigated for their low performances.
We must not forget that history is witness to the fact that numerous successful individuals have experienced academic setbacks but went on to achieve remarkable success in their careers. Albert Einstein is often cited for his struggles in school, Einstein failed the entrance exam to the Swiss Federal Polytechnic in Zurich. Despite this, he revolutionized physics with his theory of relativity. Thomas Alva Edison was described as “unteachable” by his teachers, but in his later period of life Edison was a prolific inventor whose creations include the phonograph and the electric light bulb. The famous English writer J.K. Rowling before achieving success with the Harry Potter series, faced numerous rejections and financial struggles. There are numberless other examples to show that neither low academic performance means that it can become hurdle in achieving our goals nor high grades guarantee successful career but what all counts is the consistency in our learning process and continuous struggle till we achieve our goals. We as a society must understand that academic setbacks do not necessarily hinder long-term achievement. Rather, career success often hinges on skills and attributes that are not always measured by examinations. In conclusion it can be said that failure in an examination is not a definitive measure of a person’s potential or future success. It is essential to recognize that everyone’s journey is unique, and setbacks can serve as powerful motivators for personal and professional growth. Embracing a broader perspective on success, which includes resilience, creativity, and interpersonal skills, allows for a more inclusive and realistic understanding of career potential. By shifting the focus from academic performance to individual strengths and capabilities, we can foster an environment where everyone has the opportunity to succeed.
(The author is an academician, columnist, freelancer and occasional writer and can be reached at: [email protected])
