During the initial months of college, I was of the view that it was preposterous to feel anything but lucky for having cleared the cut-off. The selection criteria constitutes of a process that glorifies the prescribed rote learning and is miserably dependent on the standardised test scores for almost everyone. This is not only a hollow concept but also a determinant for one’s level of achievement among their peers.

What unsettles me the most is that the same orthodox system — that has succeeded in labeling so many of us as ‘stupid’ — is in charge of deciding the self-esteem and future of thousands of vulnerable students in our country. Being dyslexic as a kid, I have experienced the brute impact that it can have on someone by constantly reminding them of their incompetence.

Interestingly, I have been on the other side of the fence too — by topping the board exams in my school. I have been labeled as both — a stupid and a genius. Slapped and patted, despised and cherished. All by the same educational structure. But did I really get smarter during my final years at school? Or did I merely remodel myself to turn into an ideal fit for our profligate education system?