Well hello there. The topic for this piece has intrigued me ever since well forever. And I thought it was finally time to pen my thoughts down on the various characterictics which are very peculiar to Indian society and considering the current time frame we are in the first part of this series would constitute what I would sugar coat and call ' The Curious Mind'.
So as we all know the last couple of days have been the time for the declaration of various results. Now, if we look at western culture these results are not benchmarks unlike in the Indian society wherein the 10th grade and 12th grade results are held to be the key to success in one's life. Hence the entire piece revolves around why this happens, the common behavior of parents , students, neightbours and strangers and also it's drastic consequences on the students who's life apparently is decided by the grades attained in these examinations.
To start off with an anecdote, around a week back when I was travelling with my mom back home after packing up my luggage from hostel towards home she asked me a question which left me inspired to finally write this piece. The conversation went as such:
Me: Ah the results for ISC have been declared and the poor students are losing their heads.
Mom: Well I hope they all get good marks.
Me: Yeah well not everyone can excel at academics.
Mom: They have to...... I wonder how much X got in the exam.
Me: You mean my childhood friend whom we meet once a year maybe?
Mom: Yes who else. I'll get to know soon from the people in the same building.
Me: Why does it matter to you?
Mom: I don't know I'm just curious.
It's as if it has been inbuilt in the parents that they must know every student's marks in these supposedly benchmark years and keep a database in their brilliant minds because even though they are never going to need such information they must at all costs build an arsenal just in case they were under attack by the child's parents. They have to judge they have to compare and they definitely have to ensure that their daughter or son got more than the person in question , should've got more than them or will have to get more than him/her. The sense of competition is much appreciated but the extent to which it has been taken is condemnable. There are parents who regardless of the child's overall development have put him/her into classes that leave little or no time to socialise. They believe that if this is not done what will the neighbour say or to quote the popular yet cliche line ' you will get less than Sharmaji's daughter !'. Another hilarious story that I heard online was wherein a distant relative who hadn't called in years called up to know the JEE results of a friend of mine only to discover that she was a commerce student who was about to complete her first year in DU.
The consequences that this has on students lives is drastic. This is because there are some students who are interested in academics and hence this routine suits them greatly but what about the others is the question? What about the students who are great at dramatics, sports or other extra curricular activities? Just because this is not taken into consideration in their final report or percentage they are thoroughly undermined by the society as the people who opt for the easy way out. This pressurizes the student beyond limits at times due to which he/she succumbs to pressure and is hence is direly affected through drugs, alcohol, attempts to suicide etc. They start to believe that those digits or grades are what define them, it's all that there is to life and we can't blame them because we are part of the elaborate system that makes them believe it. Even yesterday when I ran into a junior from school after exchanging pleasantaries I couldn't stop myself from enquiring who topped the school.
Lastly , I do see changes albeit small , they are what one calls stepping stones. The new generation parents are realizing that academic success is not the only form of success and that the student must be guided to excel in what he/she is interested in. This has been taken a huge step forward by science which has led to gene testing to see if the child has the sports gene , the creative gene etc.
I believe that parents should encourage the child to do whatever he/she like and they will surely succeed in life and that's why I can't thank my parents enough because no matter how bad or good I did they were happy that I gave it my best and thats all that they could hope for.
ps: Keep your eye out for the next one ' The education system dilemma'
Alamelu
Pps: congratulations to all my juniors for the amazing results! You've made the school proud.
So as we all know the last couple of days have been the time for the declaration of various results. Now, if we look at western culture these results are not benchmarks unlike in the Indian society wherein the 10th grade and 12th grade results are held to be the key to success in one's life. Hence the entire piece revolves around why this happens, the common behavior of parents , students, neightbours and strangers and also it's drastic consequences on the students who's life apparently is decided by the grades attained in these examinations.
To start off with an anecdote, around a week back when I was travelling with my mom back home after packing up my luggage from hostel towards home she asked me a question which left me inspired to finally write this piece. The conversation went as such:
Me: Ah the results for ISC have been declared and the poor students are losing their heads.
Mom: Well I hope they all get good marks.
Me: Yeah well not everyone can excel at academics.
Mom: They have to...... I wonder how much X got in the exam.
Me: You mean my childhood friend whom we meet once a year maybe?
Mom: Yes who else. I'll get to know soon from the people in the same building.
Me: Why does it matter to you?
Mom: I don't know I'm just curious.
It's as if it has been inbuilt in the parents that they must know every student's marks in these supposedly benchmark years and keep a database in their brilliant minds because even though they are never going to need such information they must at all costs build an arsenal just in case they were under attack by the child's parents. They have to judge they have to compare and they definitely have to ensure that their daughter or son got more than the person in question , should've got more than them or will have to get more than him/her. The sense of competition is much appreciated but the extent to which it has been taken is condemnable. There are parents who regardless of the child's overall development have put him/her into classes that leave little or no time to socialise. They believe that if this is not done what will the neighbour say or to quote the popular yet cliche line ' you will get less than Sharmaji's daughter !'. Another hilarious story that I heard online was wherein a distant relative who hadn't called in years called up to know the JEE results of a friend of mine only to discover that she was a commerce student who was about to complete her first year in DU.
The consequences that this has on students lives is drastic. This is because there are some students who are interested in academics and hence this routine suits them greatly but what about the others is the question? What about the students who are great at dramatics, sports or other extra curricular activities? Just because this is not taken into consideration in their final report or percentage they are thoroughly undermined by the society as the people who opt for the easy way out. This pressurizes the student beyond limits at times due to which he/she succumbs to pressure and is hence is direly affected through drugs, alcohol, attempts to suicide etc. They start to believe that those digits or grades are what define them, it's all that there is to life and we can't blame them because we are part of the elaborate system that makes them believe it. Even yesterday when I ran into a junior from school after exchanging pleasantaries I couldn't stop myself from enquiring who topped the school.
Lastly , I do see changes albeit small , they are what one calls stepping stones. The new generation parents are realizing that academic success is not the only form of success and that the student must be guided to excel in what he/she is interested in. This has been taken a huge step forward by science which has led to gene testing to see if the child has the sports gene , the creative gene etc.
I believe that parents should encourage the child to do whatever he/she like and they will surely succeed in life and that's why I can't thank my parents enough because no matter how bad or good I did they were happy that I gave it my best and thats all that they could hope for.
ps: Keep your eye out for the next one ' The education system dilemma'
Alamelu
Pps: congratulations to all my juniors for the amazing results! You've made the school proud.
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