Skip to content Skip to navigation

The aftermath of examination results

It is that time of the year when the results of the 10th and 12th examinations have been declared across India and Assam is no exception and as it happens every year there is a lot of noise around the hits and misses of students and educational institutions.

One noteworthy aspect of this year’s results has been the poor show of some premier institutions mostly from Kamrup Metro in both the HSLC and HS examinations. It is for the first time in its rich history that no students from Gauhati Commerce College figures in the rank chart of the commerce stream and the century old Cotton College’ contribution in the rank chart of Science and Arts stream is only two students.  Similarly, supposedly premier schools of Assam from Guwahati Metro do not find any mention in the rank list of HSLC. This below par performance of thesepremier educational institutions is generating some strong debatesin academic circles and the student fraternity on the quality of education being imparted by these institutions but in reality the reasons may be very differentaltogether.

Looking at it from another perspective, it is heartening to see that students from across Assam including the interior parts of the state have fared well in these examinations and this actually could point at the fact that the quality of education is gradually improving throughout the state. This is a healthy sign as for the overall development of the educational sector; quality education has to be available in every nook and corner of the state. Students need to get the best possible education at their own town or villagewhich will help them to perform better and reduce the financial burden of their parents. There is some apprehension on the decrease in the pass percentage but though it may have dipped slightly, it is not a major source of concern as it is still at a reasonable level.In India, the curse of education has been that quality education is available to only the privileged few i.e. either the ones who are born in metros and big towns or the students who have the financial backgrounds to relocate to these places and study so in a way, this year’s results are a welcome change for Assam and needs to be encouraged. It would also be beneficial if the Government thinks on the lines of setting up good quality schools and colleges in various interior parts of the state instead of concentrating on only the traditionally “good old colleges”. The lamp of education needs to go to the villages and only then will society and state prosper.

In the aftermath of the results, there is the usual noise from a lot of parents and guardians on their wards not faring upto their expectations.  It is appreciated that parents and guardians will have some expectations from their wards but the “expectations” of parents needs to be in the right context and should be in tune with the modern realities. The word “results” sometimes becomes a phobia to the children for a variety of reasons like peer comparison, parental expectations etc and so it is important that expectations should not over burden the students and create pressure for them. All concerned need to take cognizance of the fact that there are numerous instancesin the past where students have succumbed to the pressure generated by results and the consequences have been disastrous.

The results of an examination are only an academic evaluation and not the overall evaluation or assessment of a child. To succeed in life, academic excellence is only one of the parameters; there are various other aspects of life which are critical for success. In today’s modern world, there are various careers for which academic criteria is not that relevant.  If the skills and aptitude of a child are identified properly, a suitable career can be built around that and that is why the expectations from a child need to be in the right context and not from only the academic point of view.

The results of 10th and 12th examinations are viewed by many as a “do or die situation” but nothing can be far from the truth. It is not the end of it but rather the “beginning.” There is no reason why a student who has not fared well in these examinations cannot do better in other examinations and tests of life.Parents and guardians need to keep in mind that the way students are handled post their results, irrespective of the outcome of the results is very important. If a student has not done well, it should not become a barrier but rather should be a motivator so that it inspires them to perform better in the future.

It needs to be kept in mind that students at this age are very emotional and hence vulnerable. Unsolicited advices and suggestions from various people will only add on to a student’s confusion and mental turbulence. So students who have not done well at this stage should not be advised by all and sundry. Professional help from competent people should be taken as and where required. Every child is unique. The needs and nurturing would need to be different depending on that child. At this stage, the role of the parents, guardians and teachers attains significance to ensure that there is proper moulding which would enable in bringing out their inherent talent and qualities.

Education is changing and at a very fast rate. Book education is getting replaced by more practical education.  Pedagogy across the globe is changing and we as a country need to adapt and move to more innovative styles and modes of thinking. The definition of the word “results” perhaps needs to be relooked at. The focus should be on assessment and evaluation rather than only on evaluation through results. Results are only a reflection of how one performed while writing and as such may not reflect the exact education standard of that student.  In today’s changing scenario, the role of parents, guardians and teachers are critical for success in academics as well as life in general. While educating our children, we should not lose sight of the most critical aspect of life i.e. “Let the child live life”.

Author info

Arindam Garg's picture

Arindam Garg, Associate Professor and Head, Department of Management, Rajiv Gandhi University, Arunachal Pradesh.

Add new comment

Random Stories

Suspension of juvenile justice in Manipur

23 Oct 2012 - 3:42am | Daya Nath Singh
Asian Centre for Human Rights (ACHR) in its latest report released in Guwahati on October 22, 2012 has claimed that juvenile justice in Manipur has been suspended by the Ministry of Women and Child...

NE Vision 2020: Lots of promise with 13% growth

1 Jul 2008 - 3:34pm | editor
The North east region will no longer be lingering in the back stage of progress if the North East Vision 2020 is to be believed. To be released by Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in the national...

Humiliating defeat awaits Cong: Modi

31 Mar 2014 - 2:31pm | AT News
Congress is heading for a humiliating defeat in the upcoming Lok Sabha polls if Narendra Modi is to be believed.In his address at a poll rally in Gogamukh to campaign for Lakhimpur BJP candidate...

First India Post Freighter Aircraft is launched for North East

29 Aug 2007 - 10:02am | jasmine
Union Minister of Communication...

Other Contents by Author

Back2music is a unique concept by two musicians from Assam Rrituraj Sharma and Indrajit Chetia from Assam. The basis of this concept is that songs are composed remotely and released through the net. The composition, lyrics, recording of the voice, video etc are all done remotely and then the final mixing is done in the studio in Mumbai. The compositions are all original and they are sung by such people who have been good singers in their College/University days but have never pursued music as a full time career. These people are now well established in their careers and would never go to a reality show to showcase their talent and in reality have actually pushed music to a backseat because...
I decided to pen down an article on MBA as this is a question that I have to address in most of the counseling sessions that I address. I would like to start from the basics and discuss the various aspects of a MBA degree and why is it important. Just like CAT is the mother of all examinations, similarly MBA is the father of all degrees. It is imperative to have a MBA degree to march ahead in life. MBA makes a person a true professional which is so essential to survive in today’s competitive world. In our daily life mostly our mom ‘manages’ the entire household affairs (clothes, food etc.), our dad ‘manages’ the financial aspect of our upbringing and...
Soft skills is a sociological term relating to a person's cluster of personality traits, social graces, communication, language, personal habits, friendliness, and optimism that characterize relationships with other people. Soft skills are character traits and interpersonal skills that characterize a person's relationships with other people. In the workplace, soft skills are considered a complement to hard skills, which refer to a person's knowledge and occupational skills. Sociologists may use the term soft skills to describe a person's "EQ" or "Emotional Intelligence Quotient," as opposed to "IQ" or "Intelligence Quotient." Soft Skills helps a person to excel and climb the ladder of...
Eli baidew was impeccably dressed in a Mekhala Chadar. It was late evening as I walked into her apartment. Eli baidew (Eli Ahmed) was waiting for me after completion of a discussion on a new play. As I walked in, I was greeted by a number of bookcases stocked with files and books. The walls were decorated with photographs which contained wonderful memories 75 years. If there was ever an “All Rounder” for Assam, it is Eli Ahmed. She is a renowned writer, script writer, director, lyricist, costume designer, actress, social activist to mention just a few of the things she has done in her life. Versality in simple words is Eli Ahmed. Eli Ahmed has been conferred various names by...
Assam has legends like Dr Bhupen Hazarika, Mamoni Raisom Goswami, etc. But is our intellectual, cultural and professional excellence only limited to these few people or is it much more. Actually Assam and Northeast has people who have achieved excellence and recognition in their respective areas but are largely unknown amongst the general public. Assam Times will endeavour to present these lesser known but distinguished people of Northeast to all. One such lady is Dr Minati Hazarika. This year she has been bestowed with the prestigious Sarat Charcha Puraskar -2011 for her work “Anupomar Prem”, which are translations of Short Stories from Bengali. The stories have to be read to...
I had earlier written an article on the Changes in the Banking Probationary examinations. Now there are changes in the Banking Clerical Examinations as well. Before I elaborate on the changes in the Banking Clerical format, let me give you some facts on Banking. Banking in India is on the threshold of vast expansion and as such there is a huge demand for banking personnel with challenging career prospects. There is an acute shortage of manpower in the Banking sector. According to Mr M Balachandran, Director of Institute of Banking Personnel Selection about 7.5 lakh persons would need to be recruited in the Banking sector in the next five years. This is phenomenal by any standard which means...
Assam Times: First of all could you please tell us how you spent your early life in Assam and also how you shift to Europe. I was born and brought up at Jorhat. I attended the lower primary school at Jorhat and then joined the Jorhat Government High School. From Jorhat my father was transferred to Kohima. He was the Principal of Kohima Polytechnic School. I had my matriculation from Kohima Government High School and did my undergraduate study at J.B. College Jorhat. From there I went to study Aircraft Maintenance Engineering at Southern College of Engineering and Technology in Ernakulum in Kerala. The college selected me to join BMW Triebwerkbau GmbH, in Munich, Germany for higher training...
The time was 10.45 pm. My friend Rajiv (name changed) and his friend Pallav (name changed) drove down the GS road stopped the car in front of a posh restaurant and honked. The doorman came near and gestured to him to park the car at the inner area next to the restaurant. They parked the car and walked in. The restaurant was dimly lit (they came to know it was a lounge) Enigma was playing in the background and there were comfortable sofas with tables in between. They were offered the table nearest the counter as it was empty. Rajiv and his friend sat down and glanced around. There was a lot of smoke in the air and the place was full and bubbling with energy and laughter. The next table was...