While it is a sacred duty of society to develop children as worthy citizens with knowledge and excellent human qualities, many of them are made to meet the end of their life prematurely because of wrong academic targets set before them. Inordinate pressure on students for achieving top grades in examinations very often leads to fatal results like unbearable mental stress and psychological disorder that may ultimately bring an end to many blooming lives. It is believed by many in society that exerting pressure on young learners for rigorous studies right from early life would invariably lead to success in subsequent life but the outcome may often be just the opposite. Almost the entire academic arena of the country is infested with such an unholy rat race for higher scores without pursuit of real knowledge and development of human qualities. Mainly out of fear of failure to achieve goals set by guardians, teachers and society, as many as 310 students committed suicide in 2024.
Quoting findings of a study by Aachol Foundation, this paper reports that nearly half of the students who committed suicide last year were school children. An age-based analysis of the records found that teenagers have the highest rate of taking their own lives at 66 per cent of the total. Many students at the college and university levels have also killed themselves but it is evident from the above findings that young learners are most vulnerable to excessive pressure for studies. According to the study findings, the number of suicides in 2024 decreased in comparison with 532 in 2022 and 513 in 2023 but this is small consolation. A life once lost is lost for ever. The loss of a life means the end of a dream. Unnatural death of even a single person is unacceptable.
Better academic performance is no doubt important for acquiring knowledge and skill development. But it neither means that all students will have to be equally skilled in all subjects, nor is it possible in real life. Different students have different aptitudes and their development will follow different courses, yielding diverse outcomes. Therefore, scoring the highest marks continuously in all subjects must never be made a goal for young learners. But regrettably this is exactly what most of the guardians demand. As if to develop their children as versatile genius, equally expert possibly in all subjects, they engage several home tutors giving kids no time and scope for healthy mental, physical and intellectual growth. This is how they make studies a fearsome matter for children. A section of teachers of private coaching centres, driven by quest for name and fame of their respective institutions, continuously pressurise students to run after marks without creating real urge for knowledge.
Success in life does not depend absolutely on academic results; in practical life people even with better academic records may often fall behind others for a lack of certain qualities. Success to a great extent depends also on such personality traits as inquisitiveness, diligence, perseverance and determination. Alongside putting emphasis on academic pursuit, educators should also infuse human qualities in the minds of students.
The educational institutions need to be free from the rat race for high scores without pursuit of real knowledge and skill. The educational arena should be reformed to take the pressure off from young learners. Students need an environment where they will acquire knowledge with ease of mind and without fear of failure to achieve set goals prescribed for them. Educational institutions should also provide psychosocial support and take effective measures to remove the corrosive mental stress from the impressionable minds.
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