Editorial

Toppers have become akin to Gods for one more reason- Pick up any newspaper and they ore present with their names and photos in all the small and big advertisement given by the coaching institutes. Take the example a Delhi PMT top ranker- Till last count his photo was seen in more than ten advertisements, each congratulating him for his rank, claiming him to be their front runner student - either of classroom coaching or test  series or some other programme (although he says that he went to only two institutes). It is not difficult to ascertain  the truth behind the omnipresent topper but the crux of the ' matter is that the intense hard work done by the student over past 1 - 2 years for the PMT preparation has been ' discredited and replaced by the name of the coaching institutes who claims itself to be the sole reason for his success - not with standing the fact that the student may or may not have enrolled for any of its programme.

This has become a marketing gimmick for some of the coaching institutes to attract gullible PMT aspirants, who without ascertaining the facts given in the advertisement make a beeline (or admission to the institutes. The parents are equally responsible for this as they also don't verify the facts and the institutes cash in on their insecurity as they would like to secure their child's admission at any cost.

'The intense competitive environment further intensifies this insecurity. The lure of money is also responsible. Some of the toppers are ready to endorse any institute and issue a favourable statement for a bit of financial" incentive. The institutes in a bid to improve their financial bottom lines resort to such unethical practises.

The former principal of D.RS., R.K. Puram, New Delhi had once rightly commented that an intelligent student who Is sincere and hard working can very well be a merit ranker on his own, and sadly the coaching institutes takes ALL  the credit for his success.