Recently the results of annual 10th and 12th examinations of session 2025 were declared on the same date. The result instantly became the hot discussion and penetrated deep into physical and virtual communications.

In the past the discussion usually revolved around the pass and fail scenario. However, in the current context, the core of the discussion is who made it to the rankers’ club: toppers within topers. Is there anyone who truly talks and cares for the those who have not transitioned into the next grade or the ones who have performed average. Will they face the fate of silent exclusion? Who will own them? Not performing on the expected lines in a three hour pen–paper test is what actually defines them? Is this the sole criterion to evaluate their inherent potential or it just assesses the level of hard memorization or rote learning? Isn’t social media –glamorization of rankers and toppers rendering the other lot  vulnerable to increased psychological disturbance? The immediate outcome of this psychological fragility has been the suicide of a 12th class aspirant from Doda.

We need to start exploring better ways of evaluating the competencies and the larger emphasis given to pen-paper test needs to be scaled down. This is in sync........

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