Essays

Examinations are a vital part of our education system. They help in evaluating the yearlong preparation of a student. In India, examinations are much emphasized, as their result decide the mental capability of a child. The annual academic session beings from April and ends in March with the commencement of examinations. The cycle begins when a student is 3-4 years and continues till the student is 20-21 years old and every year the children go through the same process of preparing for examinations. Whatever, they study it is essential to judge their knowledge. In this competitive world, every child in expected to perform similarly, to obtain the maximum marks which of course is not possible if students as well as teachers try to perform their best. Every child is expected to score around 90%, irrespective of their mental calibre.

This pressure keeps on increasing year after year and children are forced with the expectations from parents to become either Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers or an IAS Officer.

The pressure and expectations are highest in the board examinations, i.e., X and XII standards and sometimes children spend more than 18-20 hours a day studying. Though, it is a good practice to study harder, but this also is injurious to health and can lead to many physical’ defects.

We all know that mental stress and burden is leading to various problems.

The tension and anxiety is on height when board examination results are declared. Everyone glues their eyes on the child who has appeared for the board examinations. And if a child fails, he/she is abused in a very bad manner  Sometimes the agony increases so much that children take unnecessary steps like running away from home or even try to attempt suicide. In the recent past, many cases of attempt to suicide have been discovered after the results were not up to the mark expected.

It is high time when we must discourage the youth from taking such steps and the best way is to change the age-old method of evaluating a child. Children are evaluated only a few days prior to examinations preparations. Rather they must be evaluated alt over the year. Some emergent situations can erupt that can hamper a child's study at the time of examination. May be he or she is very good in studies the whole academic year but at the date of result the student is declared failure. The criteria should be changed. A student's be judged on overall performance should annual basis. Grading is another method that has recently been introduced by the CBSE.

Above all, we as a society must not expect so much from a child. No one knows that what the future holds for them.

Children are the future of the nation and a sound and healthy mind can develop a sound and healing Country.