Equating self-worth with exam results, driven by family comparisons and coaching marketing, is harming a generation’s mental well-being
Malik Tufail
In contemporary society, academic success is increasingly measured through marks and ranks rather than genuine understanding or intellectual growth. Students are judged primarily by their performance in board examinations, and parents often equate high scores with future security. This excessive focus on results has transformed education into a race for numbers, where learning gradually loses its true meaning.
Recently, the Class 10 and 12 board examination results were announced. While some students scored exceptionally high marks, others failed to qualify. However, failure in an examination is not the end of life or learning. Unfortunately, society has placed unnecessary importance on marks, which leaves students who perform poorly feeling isolated and vulnerable to anxiety and depression. Ironically, even students scoring between 300 and 350 marks are often considered “not good enough.” Failure in exams has become a social taboo, which is both unfortunate and harmful.
It is not wrong for parents to expect good results from their children. However, such expectations should never come at the cost of a child’s mental health. Constant comparison with peers—without understanding a child’s individual potential—creates emotional distress. When children are unable to meet unrealistic expectations, some resort to unethical practices, while others suffer from anxiety, depression, isolation, and in extreme cases, suicide.
The primary drivers of this marks-centric mindset are family pressure, societal attitudes, and the business model of coaching centres.
At the family level, parents often compare their children with relatives or neighbours who score higher marks. In many cases, this leads to daily verbal pressure, emotional torture, and unrealistic demands. Such an environment creates chronic stress, pushing students towards harmful coping mechanisms such as substance abuse or even suicidal tendencies.
At the societal level, marks have become a symbol of self-worth. While working hard to score well and achieve ranks is commendable, glorifying toppers at the expense of those who score less or fail is unhealthy. Students who do not qualify are often treated as if they have committed a moral failure, which deepens their sense of alienation.
A major contributor to this hollow reality is the commercialisation of education through coaching centres. These institutions promote marks-centric marketing by aggressively advertising toppers’ ranks, projecting success solely in numerical terms. Frequent test series, public rank lists, and constant comparisons create artificial competition, increasing anxiety rather than fostering learning. Education is reduced to exam performance, sidelining critical thinking, creativity, and holistic development.
Additionally, there is an excessive emphasis on medical and engineering careers after Class 12. Parents often force their children to opt for science streams, equating success only with becoming doctors or engineers. Many students are sent to expensive coaching centres without consideration of their interests, aptitude, mental health, or emotional well-being. This pressure has contributed to repeated incidents of student suicides, particularly in coaching hubs such as Kota.
Reported student suicide statistics in Kota reveal a disturbing trend, with cases rising sharply in recent years. The primary reasons cited include intense academic pressure, parental expectations, social isolation, and lack of mental health support. One heartbreaking suicide note read, “I am a loser,” reflecting how students internalise failure and see no alternative beyond a single examination—an outcome of deeply flawed societal expectations.
Furthermore, subjects like arts and commerce are undervalued. Choosing the arts is often considered a sign of academic weakness, even though these fields offer diverse opportunities and contribute significantly to society. Such stereotyping suppresses individual talent and narrows the definition of success.
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