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Imagine being 17 years old and being told that one exam determines your future and career. That’s the fate for the lakhs of Indian students who choose to pursue fields that require competitive entrance exams. Whether it be law, engineering or medical, these students are put under an intense amount of pressure for these exams. While there are do-overs, the Indian society shames those partaking in it for the second or third time. Whether it’s their own decision, or forced upon by their parents, placing such a burden on a child much too young and inexperienced does not seem like a wise decision.

Although these students are incredibly intelligent and capable of such intense pressure and will surely succeed and make both their family and the nation proud, that does not negate the negative impacts it has on the students. Upon facing such work, it is only a matter of time before these students get burnout, or get depressed. It is very important to make sure a child takes upon such work on their own, and not get forced or influenced by the supporting factors in their life or otherwise. While competing for seats at college may seem like a trivial matter for outside the subcontinent, it is not for those partaking or participating in these exams. They carry upon them their career, their family’s expectations, society’s expectations and much more.

These exams are quite literally life and death situations. If someone did well, they would celebrate. If someone did not perform well as they thought they would, the tragic failure of their results would push them to the extremes, sometimes taking the most extreme step of taking their life to compensate for such results. It is heartbreaking how much these students are expected to perform in these exams. Society deems them unworthy or useless if they do not make it to the top 5 or top 10. Moreover, their family also adds on to the stress and pressure by having such high expectations of them.

If such expectations are not met, they are unsuccessful, unfit and therefore does not deserve the privilege of getting help, love and support in return. Such exams also have an incredibly vast syllabus. The students cannot predict which part of the syllabus is coming, so they would have to study everything in order to be thoroughly prepared. The intense study sessions from the coaching hubs, as well as the constant testing may be a distraction and would misplace their focus on something minor rather than the larger view of the exams.

The intense study sessions, while beneficial, may negatively impact the health of the students. Students get diagnosed with anxiety and depression in the midst of their preparation. Studies show that around 45-60% of NEET and JEE aspirants experience symptoms of stress, anxiety or depression. Such diagnoses get worse when the results are announced. When the students think that they have not performed to the best of their ability, it pushes them to take the most extreme step: suicide.

It is truly heartwrenching to see students with so much potential and ambition to take their life, when they are at the most critical juncture. According to India Today, at least 93 NEET linked student suicides were documented between 2021 and mind 2026. The numbers have increased after this years paper leak. Making the matter more heartbreaking.

Sometime’s its not upto the aspirants, it’s forced upon by their parents. Witnessing their talents and believing that they’re capable of achieving more is every parent’s thought process. Pushing them to pursue the selected fields will make them achieve every amount of success and more. Yet, in reality, that comes out the wrong way. In the modern world, the parent’s push their children harder and harder oblivious to the consequences.

Aside from the fact that the students can burnout quickly, anxiety and depression are no joke. Students can get diagnosed in the midst of their preparations which compromises on the quality of their studying, and the quality of their answers in the exams. The Indian society however, does not believe in such issues and as such does not pay much attention to them. While the aspirants get busy in building a routine and sticking to it the best they can, the parent’s are in charge of the finances.

Coaching. Exam fees.

These things are not cheap. Discriminating against the lower class who will not be able to afford such aspects. In a way conveying that the lower class will not be able to achieve much success. The parent’s push their children and ensure they do the best they possibly can so as to not let the money spent go to waste. Although the parents think they’re being helpful, they’re only adding onto the pressure and stress. No amount of confidence or optimism can push that away.

As the preparation for the exam ensues, everything else fades away slowly. No time for social media. No time to watch anything. No meet ups with friends. The aspirants have one goal at this moment in time: to clear the exam. That would require vigorous study sessions starting early in the morning going to late night, burning the midnight oil. As the preparation continues, the students start to experience a lack of sleep and lack of physical exercise.

Although it may seem harmless in the beginning, they will start to experience the negative effects of said factors which will definitely affect their cognitive functioning and will compromise their quality of studying. In the following months before the exam, the students spend their time studying. Since they do not go outside much because of their studies, they will feel isolated and alone.

At a time where the students require love, warmth and encouragement from friends, they face loneliness, melancholy and pressure in return. A student who sees the four walls of their room, the same textbooks with the same information that they go over and over for months, may feel the soul-crushing silence than the textbooks or the syllabus itself.

Competitive entrance exams are extremely difficult and one requires full dedication towards it. As much as the aspirant is confident enough to think that they will be able to handle it. It is a lot of workload for someone as young as 17 to handle. Not to mention, the amount of sacrifices to be made by the aspirants themselves. Having to give up almost everything for this one goal of theirs. The unpredictability of these exams and their results doubles the pressure the students feel. If they did not perform how they thought they would or how society would expect them to score, then it would mean everything they did has gone to waste. Their hard work. Their sacrifices. The money.