For Indian students, board exams have become synonymous with stress. It is shocking how a traditional form of assessment becomes the cause of so much pain and undue pressure. Question papers have become more and more difficult and only high scores are equated with success and achieving your dreams. It is common for students to attach the word “haunting” with boards.
A favorite topic of students is talking about the difficulty of choosing their desired streams. Not only are they expected to choose their career choices as soon as they pass their 10th grade board exams, they are expected and pressured to not choose anything outside from the common science or commerce (when the students may not necessarily have a full idea of the streams they are getting into).
Arts and Humanities are traditionally seen as fields taken by students with below average intellect. More so, the age-old discussion about “if you are smart enough, why take commerce instead of science?!” always shows its ugly head when trying to convince your parents. Most students though, have a burning jealousy over the freedom that western countries have the freedom of choice over the subjects they can choose- something that defines your future and career!
“My marks in 10th grade was pretty good, so people automatically assumed I had chosen Bio-Math and when I say I have taken commerce, there is an instant judgement. It was pretty discouraging, actually!”
– Yashwani, a 12th grader from Emirates National School, Sharjah
The onslaught of stress well before their semester even begins. Students are forced to attend summer classes so as to finish the overwhelming portions and then kickstart the period of overpreparation that include loads of reference books, question papers from previous years and tiring all-nighters. In all this the students find themselves miss spending time with their family and friends, and missing holidays like Christmas and New Year’s even more. Students find themselves frustrated from the pressure of not just competing with their peers but having to compete with their rival schools (so that the school’s reputation is improved and maintained).
While the issue may seem over-dramatized and hyped, it is unfortunately very real. The student’s mental health is often trivialized by the schools and parents and the stress is seen as a part of the process rather than something to be concerned about. This might be because mental health issues still remain as a topic full of taboo in India specially among students.
The increasingly stressed students are desperate for solutions and many reports suggest that they are worried about memory. Many even called the CBSE helpline, asking for solutions to improve their memory such as memory drugs.
Statistics suggest, 7.3% Indian teenagers from the age group of 13-17 suffer from mental health issues. The percentage is similar for both girls and boys. the statistics released by National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) for the year 2015 suggest that almost 8952 Indian students committed suicide. One extremely common reasons for students committing suicide is the pressure to do well in exams. In recent years, the cases of depression among students in India has risen. According to the National Mental Health Survey, 2015 conducted by WHO, 1 in 20 people in India suffer from depression and the instances of mental disorders from the age group of 13-17 age was 7.3%.
Many psychologists suggest that students suffer from anxiety and traumatic disorders related to fear of exams. The students fear not roots from their school but also from parents, who go to extreme levels to push their children, so they do well for their boards. The time of the life that students are supposed to cherish is unfortunately, the time they are pushed to the extreme which can prove to be extremely overwhelming for students. The fear of failure causes anxiety and self-worth issues and causes negative effects on their academic and social success. It doesn’t help when parents try to get rid of cable connection, internet, computer, just so that their children concentrate on get better grades.
The question that lingers in our minds is, is the purpose of education nothing more than selecting and prioritizing minds that solve the difficult numerical problems and memorize crazy number of facts, whilst excluding the rest the access to educational pathways of their choice? Education is seen as a transformative process by most and thought of as something that is capable of turning children into sensible young adults capable of engaging and surviving in their societal environments.
‘Every human being has a saturation point!!’
– Yashwani, a 12th grader from Emirates National School, Sharjah
But if our assessment system continues its focus on excluding instead of including, we will be enabling an unstable and unequal society. The current system is not suitable for Children whose interests and talents do not revolve around science or commerce and they will continue finding themselves under large amount of stress and pressure. These ‘excluded’ children may further suffer from issues such as self-esteem because of the denial of access to education that should be allowed without so much judgement and restriction.
Another question we should ask ourselves relevancy of an assessment system that tests a student’s ability to memorize their textbooks? Such examinations that don’t do more than show denial of access to education of one’s choice arbitrary at best. But even the students who score really well in such exam— how much do they really benefit?
The system fails to encourage the students in thinking critically, grasping a better understanding of our society, nor does it teach responsibility and empathy towards others. It fails at teaching students to prioritizing happy and fulfilled lives over the idea of overworking and earning well even if it means risking their mental and physical health.
The terror machine that the CBSE board exams has turned into is truly alarming. Its killing our society and the solution may not really be doing away with the exam but maybe reshaping ideology and philosophy behind what education is and the education system has become.
While we interviewed the students of 10th and 12th, we asked them a few questions about the pressure they face and if they would want to bring a change in the CBSE system.
Here’s what they had to say.
The News Minute @ MAHE 