Vijay Garg
This year once again the results of board examinations were in the headlines. In today’s generation, which considers marks and ‘rank’ as everything in life, in parallel with things that seem good and pleasant, there is a fear of failure in exams, low grades or rank, and expectations from parents and teachers. There were also reports of people committing suicide after failing to prove their worth. This is certainly a matter of great concern.
Incidents of suicide among children are commonly seen every year after the results of the examinations are declared. But parents, teachers and administration are not able to find any solution to it, nor is such a situation created that today’s children consider that if success is good then low marks or failure is an opportunity to improve themselves and achieve next success.
Why can’t it be explained to children that the goal of life is only to pass exams? Life is not over if marks are low or results are bad. The goals of life can also be achieved by doing something else. But the future seems to be at the most in school exams. It is captured within the scope of numbers and everyone from parents to students concentrate their thinking and understanding in this cycle. Its psychological effects are bound to emerge.
If we look at the entire structure of today’s school education, from studies to exams and results, in the culture of show off, it is the parents of the children who are seen to be more responsible, who, due to their hunger for unfulfilled ambitions, put pressure on the children to achieve or do not score 100 percent marks. At the same time, children in schools also face the pressure. In such a situation, apart from school classes, children trapped in the maze of internet and TV along with the stress and burden of tuition, coaching, exams, become confused. Whereas from the point of view of making a better future after studies, there is no assessment of marks in it.
Due to increasing ambition, children are not able to properly demonstrate their entire year’s studies and their abilities in a three-hour examination. The complexity of this situation can be gauged from where to become a complete personality. Children start their life journey and get trapped in the competition to score maximum marks and come first. The result of this competition is that many of the children who were supposed to study, play, jump and enjoy, are not shying away from committing suicide due to the stress and frustration arising from studies. The illusion of show-off marks is continuously attracting the child’s mind. Children have considered the results of board examinations as the foundation stone of their life, the ultimate truth, everything about their career. Whereas this is not the final truth. The truth is that numbers have no value in life. Because no one’s ability can be properly evaluated through marks or degrees.
There are many IAS, collectors, players, actors, singers, businessmen, artists, writers, scientists etc. who were very ordinary students. They did not top the class in their studies, even failed, did not even take graduation or post-graduation degree, yet by going ahead they are bringing glory to the country by achieving a new position in their respective fields. If today’s generation learns from them then they too will forget the victory and defeat of life in terms of numbers.
According to one’s talent, ability and interest, apart from studies one can achieve success in sports, music, painting, business, acting or any other field. Children should also learn from failures. Try to become a better and better person. It needs to be kept in mind that success can be achieved with continuous hard work, patience, confidence and determination. Even if you do not get success, you should not lose courage, you should try again. If children laugh and remain focused towards the goal, then success will definitely come sooner or later. All such figures show what kind of ambition today’s children have become victims of. His dreams are big and if they are not fulfilled, he does not hesitate to embrace death.
The question is, where do they ‘learn’ to embrace this kind of thinking at the society or school level? If they are given timely counselling, advice, teachers and family members explain something to them, then the children may not reach the decision of committing suicide. Whereas the disintegration of joint families, busyness of working parents children are becoming lonely and neglected due to the routine of life.
In the desire to move ahead in the competitive era, today the game of numbers and ranks have become the game of life. Who is ultimately responsible for the increasing graph of these suicides? Today’s education system, administration, parents, social environment or modern culture. We will definitely have to think seriously about this.
(The author is retired principal, educational columnist and can be reached at [email protected])
