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If the last few weeks were hectic for the 10th and 12th class students, the previous two days did not turn out to be devoid of any sleepless nights either. The decision was to be announced, in the Indian terminology the 16–17 year-olds would know if they “proved” themselves enough, some — to shine in a newspaper, some — for that smile of ‘you did well’ from their parents and then there are those— who just want to clear the exams and be done with.

The Indian education system is one of its kind, it prepares one to perform well in the exams, but makes little effort into teaching students how to deal with their emotions after the results, it falls short on coveying the ways to cope up with failure and even success.

The whole society is developed around the notion about ranking people in the order of how they fare in their exams, parents, parents of friends who topped, media, everyone rushes to the champion and with the results, the failure is not the same as he/she used to be before the exams, at least this is how it is made to see.

The life’s first exam staged at a country-level, is the best opportunity to teach kids the importance of enjoying the process rather than relying on the outcome for the celebration and the importance of keeping the competitive spirit without rolling one’s eyes over the notions of brotherhood, camaraderie.

The biggest disappointment I find in the social system is that people (mostly parents) are outright jealous of others success and this, exactly this, develops enmity between peers, it further produces future parents who go on to behave in a similar manner. This toxic mindset of being green-eyed to the first names in the result list is actually how we are producing generations which are indifferent towards the needs of others.

Lastly, NO! If a result compares your kid with another, it doesn’t mean you have to too. Each person is different, but what is common between them is they all require support. They all are needed to be heard, and this responsibility majorly lies on their teachers and parents, as a large chunk of their school lives goes in the companies of these adults.

Also read: The state of Government exams in India (RAS)