After an entire
year of hard work and sacrifices, the
fateful board exams commenced and the tiny flakes of hope that kept us going
began to melt. It began with English, which was easy for English lovers to
glide through, but was not set for average students. Next came the Physics
paper. Rumours are that the paper had content which wasn’t included in the
portion. Either way, the paper was in no way moderate and students ended up
having a nervous break down. Chemistry wasn’t amazing either, but everyone was
still shocked over Physics, so Chemistry brought some respite. Next came
Biology. Most students were confident of this subject but were utterly shocked
when handed the question paper. Students around me in the exam hall visibly
paled. The paper was tricky and only a Biology lover would be able to solve it
satisfactorily. The Mathematics paper, which was next, landed upon us like a
bomb. Questions were quite difficult and the paper was lengthy. After that came
second language and I had opted for Portuguese. The paper was again a major
disappointment as it was said to have had content which was not from the
prescribed syllabus. Overall, the board exams proved to be a devastating and
nightmarish experience. Although some students claim to have done well in the
exams, the majority of the students don’t believe they will clear some of the
papers. When I spoke to people about how difficult the papers had been, most of
them believed that this was a conspiracy carried out by the board of education
and coaching classes.
I don’t understand
why the papers were not set considering the aptitude of an average student. Is
the board of education trying to say that an average student has no right to
education? Does it believe that only those of a particular intellect deserve to
do well? Besides, why do the board exams have to be so tough when there exist
competitive exams to test those who are ‘extremely intelligent’? This
ridiculous and insensitive act on the part of the board has broken our spirits
and has shattered our dreams. Who will be responsible if a student takes to
drastic measures due to the board exams? The board? For setting such tough
papers? Or the mindsets of family and friends? Or perhaps society, for
encouraging the production of a generation of robots, who are programmed to
work beyond their capacity and to perform well, come what may; a society that
worships narrow intellect above sensitivity, compassion and empathy.
We, young adults, are
supposed to be ‘living’ and aren’t supposed to be merely ‘alive’. What is the
point of this system of education, when it only manages to imbibe a culture of
self-hatred and self-loathing. It is heart-wrenching how many children of my
age confess they’d rather be dead than alive doing what we are doing. It won’t
be a surprise to me if our generation grows up to be one consisting of skilled,
mass-destructive psychopaths.
