Toppers within toppers
Recently the results of annual 10th and 12th examinations of session 2025 were declared on the same date. The result instantly became the hot discussion and penetrated deep into physical and virtual communications.
In the past the discussion usually revolved around the pass and fail scenario. However, in the current context, the core of the discussion is who made it to the rankers’ club: toppers within topers. Is there anyone who truly talks and cares for the those who have not transitioned into the next grade or the ones who have performed average. Will they face the fate of silent exclusion? Who will own them? Not performing on the expected lines in a three hour pen–paper test is what actually defines them? Is this the sole criterion to evaluate their inherent potential or it just assesses the level of hard memorization or rote learning? Isn’t social media –glamorization of rankers and toppers rendering the other lot vulnerable to increased psychological disturbance? The immediate outcome of this psychological fragility has been the suicide of a 12th class aspirant from Doda.
We need to start exploring better ways of evaluating the competencies and the larger emphasis given to pen-paper test needs to be scaled down. This is in sync with the NEP 2020 which envisages 360 degree development of the child.
The obsolete rote-learning driven examination system: Rote learning has been the defining feature of Indian examination system for decades. Students are often encouraged to memorize text books and reproduce the information in exams. This method has several drawbacks. Firstly, it stifles creativity and critical thinking. Students are rarely encouraged to develop spirit of inquiry, analyze, or interpret information; instead they are compelled to focus on recalling facts. This approach in the long run fails to prepare students for real-world challenges where problem solving and critical thinking are essential. Why are we obsessed with exams at a time when some countries have abolished exams at primary and secondary levels? Aren’t there better ways of testing students knowledge and skills? The primary purposes of school education are to imbibe grit, perseverance, out of box thinking skills and learning abilities. Subjecting students to unhealthy competitions, celebrating rankers and making other students feel dejected are for sure not the purposes of school education. Too much emphasis on examination will have a negative impact on students and society. More focus will be on coaching centres rather than on learning. This sort of education set up will discourage curiosity and creativity. Our examination system right from the beginning becomes intensely competitive and stressful and starts promoting cramming as a way to move forward with high ranks
Glorification of rankers on Social media: Every other social media account is abuzz with glorifying the results of the toppers. This adds to the woes of those who are already being compared, judged, and humiliated who could not fetch marks as expected by the family and the society. Even the social media glorification of the toppers can derail them from their career progression as there are ample chances they might get carried away by this untimely attention. Choudhary Shahid Iqbal, IAS officer from Jammu and Kashmir shared an emotive post on his social media accounts: don’t compare children merely on the basis of the marks they secure. Every child is unique and needs to be nurtured and protected. Don’t subject children to increased psychological scrutiny at this vulnerable age. The life of the child must be central and needs to be prioritized. As per National Crime Bureau Records (NCBR) 14000 children in India die by suicide every year, which is largely attributed to exam related stress, unjust expectations from the parents and the family, no saying of the child in deciding his career path.
He has given his real life example that a student who secured just 55% marks in class 12th can go and secure 52nd rank in UPSC exam. Thus it is quite evident that securing good marks is not the sole criterion to guarantee career progression. It is high time to design assessment in such a way that it assesses multiple competencies of the child rather than merely relying on rote memorization.
Initiative in the right direction
The Union Education Ministry has constituted a panel recently headed by Higher Education Secretary Vineet Joshi, to suggest measures to reduce dependency of students on coaching centres and assess the effectiveness and fairness of existing examination system. The panel according a recent government order, will also brain storm on the gaps in the current schooling system that contribute to students’ reliance on coaching centres, particularly the limited focus on critical thinking, logical reasoning, analytical skills and innovation and the prevalence of rote learning practices.
Dr. Mushtaq Rather is an Educator and writes on issues related to education
