In the wee hours of a fine Sunday morning, young minds of India stood anxiously in long queues in front of school and college premises to pursue their dream. The next few hours they spend there would make a big difference in their life. They are about to take up one of the most difficult entrance exams of our time. It is a race more than an exam.
While Indians’ lust for engineering seemed to fade out, a new longing has evolved. This time, it is the quest to become a doctor. Ever since the Indian government introduced the NEET for pursuing medicine, there have been suicides and controversies. Well, disputes are none of my concern. But what about the lives lost in this war?
Why do students commit suicide over an exam? Who should be held accountable?
Approximately 15 lakh students in India prepare for NEET every year. However, only a few students could make it to the medical colleges. It is the reality. But none of us are ready to accept the fact and move on.
NEET has joined the group of highly competitive exams of India. And we are not new to see youngsters taking their lives over failure in exams. However, my question is simple. How long are we going to let this happen?
NEET alone has swallowed the lives of more than 20 youngsters as of now. It doesn’t have to be NEET, but any exam in its order seems to do the same. What do these suicides tell us? Well, let’s talk about it.
The fear of failure
Everyone, from their birth, is taught to be successful, which is a good thing. But we seldom teach our kids to deal with failures. Unfortunately, as a society, we celebrate only successful people. On the other hand, failures are treated poorly and often made fun of. Societal discrimination is one of the main reasons people fear failing.
Ghosting
Many parents abandon their kids when they fail. We have even seen or have parents who despise us when we don’t live up to their expectations. It is indeed a pandemic still prevailing in our country. This kind of attitude towards children pushes them to the verge of life.
Peer Pressure
Peer pressure is something that everyone experiences in our life. The pressure exerted by high-performing kids on others in the class amounts to stress. This stress could be overwhelming for many kids.
Coaching Centers
Most of the coaching centers are far worse than boarding schools. These coaching centers also impose hyper positivity on student’s minds. It cultivates fear rather than motivating them to achieve their goal.
What should be done?
Instead of debating on news channels or protesting against the exam, we must accept the fact and teach our kids how to handle failures. Parents are the ones they look up to for support during this ordeal. Treat them with love and affection when they fail. These are times they need to be loved more.
Many students are still fighting the battles their parents had sought. Most youngsters are into the race just because their parents want them to run.
What can help?
Well, therapy could help. The Tamil Nadu government has recently set up counseling centers to help NEET students cope with stress. More than 300 psychiatrists are working on this cause. Sometimes, I feel like it is not students who need counseling but parents. If a kid doesn’t get support from his/her own home, it is a mere misfortune.
Any student’s relationship with their parents tells a lot about their mental health. Maybe, it is a good idea if parents attend psychiatric counseling along with their kids. By this, parents could understand their kids, what they are going through. And work it out. Nowadays, it is quite easy to find help online. Websites like ThreeBestRated®, Justdial, etc., provide a list of psychiatrists in the city.
Nothing is more important than someone’s life. Be kind to your children. Teach them failure is also a part and parcel of life. Suicide is not the answer.
