Today we are living in an age where we not only find The Best but The Bestest of The Best. A child is not satisfied with 90% – I mean it’s like what is 90%, its just like a slap in the face. The world is getting a 100% and how on earth can he be happy with JUST A 90%? How can he face his relatives, his friends?? Doesn’t he feel ashamed of himself??
I found her crying!!!!
I had done my schooling upto 10th standard from the State Board and had shifted to CBSE for my 11th and 12th. I had secured Distinction marks in my 10th standard and I passed out my 12th standard with a good 96%. But then, my best friend that time had scored 94% and when I called her up, I found her crying!!!! She told me that she was ashamed of herself that how could I score more than her because I had to adjust my learning and writing skills according to the CBSE style which was much different than my State Board education for 10 years, whilst she had been always a student from CBSE and she did not require any such kind of adjustments.
This incident stayed at the back of my head but then, something happened few days back and I was compelled to go back to it. My neighbor who used to study in the same school as me had passed her 10th Boards with a hooping 90% (90% from State Board is like WOW!!!). I went to congratulate her but she did not seem really about it.
What is the use of this 90%?
When I pestered her a lot, she said, “Baa (that’s how elder sisters are addressed in Assamese), I didn’t get a State rank when 2 of my friends did. What is the use of this 90%?” You could imagine my horror when I heard this. I told her that in my time, I had scored 87% and missed the state rank by mere 2 marks but I wasn’t in the state she was in right now. With the score she had, she will definitely get into a good college or junior high and continue her further studies. What was the reason to be upset?? But she continued reiterating “My friends have got ranks baa..how am I supposed to face them?”
Are marks and scores really so important?
After I left her place, I just wondered are marks and scores really so important? Aren’t we supposed to be good people first? A 5-year old doesn’t have time in the evening for games because he has dance, music and sports classes after school and homework after all that!!
Parents won’t understand them…
I do agree that we need to study well, score good marks to continue our studies and jobs. Yes, I too was a good and most importantly hardworking student and probably that’s why I am where I am now. But losing all hopes from life, going into depression, quitting studies and worst, committing suicide are the commonest things that we observe almost everyday now among students because they are not able to cope up with the failures they suffer and most importantly, they fear that they would become less than their contemporaries and their parents wont understand them.
When we want to achieve anything in life
When we want to achieve anything in life hard work, perseverance and most importantly, patience are of utmost importance.Success thus, indeed come to those who work hard and are patient.
I just want to tell the young people through this article – lets just not make marks and percentages a benchmark of our intelligence and hard work. Einstein had said “a person who never made mistakes has not learned anything new.” We all fail, we all stumble….lets just pick ourselves up when we fall, dust off ourselves and continue with new zeal. And to all the parents of young people – please do not overburden you child with your unfulfilled dreams and aspirations. Support him, help him, don’t try to fit him into the crowd; try to make him one in the crowd. And its my heartfelt request to everyone “Be good human beings first and teach others to be the same….because we all have to do what this song tells us:”
Heal the world…make it a better place….For you and for me and the entire human race!
