The recent declaration of Class 10th and 12th results by the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education has brought joy to many students and their families. Numerous students have secured distinctions and top positions, and they rightfully deserve appreciation for their hard work and determination. Unlike in the past, when students received minimal recognition for their achievements, today’s youth are rewarded more generously and visibly, which is indeed a positive shift in our academic culture.
However, amid the celebrations and social media posts highlighting percentages and ranks, a sobering reality must not be ignored: we, as a society, tend to glorify exam results far too much, often at the cost of a child’s mental and emotional well-being.
There is no doubt that academic excellence should be acknowledged. But we must also understand the danger of turning results into a spectacle. Overhyping exam outcomes creates an unhealthy pressure cooker environment for students. This kind of pressure can distort the true purpose of education—learning, growth, and exploration of one’s interests—and turn it into a race for numbers.
Psychiatrists and education experts have consistently warned us about the psychological toll of this obsession with marks. Every year, after board results are declared, news reports emerge about students who are unable to cope with their performance and take drastic, irreversible steps. These are not isolated incidents; they are tragic reminders of how a flawed perception of success can destroy young lives.
We need to start asking the difficult questions: Are we preparing students for life, or just for exams? Are we teaching them how to think, adapt, and grow—or merely how to score?
It is crucial that parents and teachers become more conscious of the messages they convey to children, both explicitly and implicitly. When the spotlight is constantly placed on the highest scorers, when students are compared based on their marks, and when career conversations revolve solely around academic success, we inadvertently send a dangerous message—that their worth is tied to their exam performance.
This couldn’t be further from the truth. Many successful individuals in various fields did not shine in board exams. History and experience both show that life does not reward academic success alone. Creativity, resilience, emotional intelligence, communication skills, and adaptability are just as important—if not more—in navigating adult life and the professional world.
Even for distinction and position holders, there is no guaranteed reward. There’s no automatic job placement or life security that comes from scoring 95% or topping a district. Success in exams is a milestone, not a destination.
It is time to reframe the conversation around education. Exams are a part of the journey, a tool for assessment, not a final verdict. Our focus should be on instilling curiosity, encouraging critical thinking, and nurturing emotional strength. We should celebrate effort, growth, and passion, not just percentages.
Let us not reduce education to a scoreboard. Let us remind our children that they are more than their results—and that real learning is about understanding, growing, and becoming a better version of themselves.
The writer is a teacher at the Education Department
Hilal Bukhari
bu*****************@***il.com