By Wasik Murtaza
As board exam season draws to a close, a familiar pattern re-emerges across Kashmir: hushed tensions in homes, sleepless nights for teenagers, and a public countdown to “results day” that often feels more like a societal judgment day than an academic milestone.
In a world where artificial intelligence is doing almost everything, robotics is performing surgeries and what not, and digital platforms are reshaping entire industries, Kashmir remains stuck in a historic academic culture that continues to glorify the notion of “matric pass” as the ultimate stamp of intelligence. Despite the global shift in how knowledge, skill, and success are measured, we continue to place board examinations on a pedestal that is neither fair nor future-ready.
It is no secret that students of Class 10 and 12 bear the brunt of unrealistic expectations. From pressure-driven parents to concerned teachers, and worse, judgemental society — these exams are not just assessments anymore; they have become tests of character. Failure is not treated as an opportunity to learn, but as a lifelong stigma.
This misplaced glorification results in a very negative ways. Every year, heartbreaking tragedies emerge of students taking extreme steps which including suicide — after failing or scoring below expectations in board exams. The emotional tolls are unbearable, and yet it continues, silently sanctioned by a system that equates marks with merit and scores with self-worth.
And what do these marks eventually yield ?
Let’s look at the ground reality. In a region where unemployment is surging, we are now witnessing a deeply unsettling phenomenon: Ph.D. scholars, the so-called academic cream of our society, selling vegetables, juices, and doing menial jobs to survive. There is no shame in being honest about our profession, but the irony is hard to ignore. The same system that once hailed board toppers and “merit holders” now offers them little more than disillusionment.
So, where is the disconnect?
The problem lies in the false promise we’ve been sold — that board exams will decide our fate. Who told us that a 10th-grade report card is our future’s map? That the 12th-grade percentage is our life’s peak or downfall? Who convinced us that our kabiliyat (capability) is defined in a few sheets of paper?
We need to break this illusion. Board exams are important, yes — but they are not sacred. They are not the end-all. In fact, they’re just one form of academic testing in a world full of diverse talents, skills, and intelligences. A system that evaluates a student solely based on rote memorization or one-time performance is inherently flawed and outdated.
Here are some uncomfortable truths we need to face:
Let’s just talk honestly for a moment.
We’ve started calling fear “discipline.” But forcing kids to cram because they’re scared of failing isn’t discipline—it’s pressure. And it doesn’t build success, it builds anxiety.
Somehow, marks became more important than actual understanding. Even those who top the exams often can’t handle real-life challenges. What does that say about the system?
And if someone fails, we act like it’s the end of the world. We don’t give them space to breathe, to try again. We humiliate them. That’s not how growth works. That’s how you kill confidence.
Honestly, it’s time we stop measuring success just by numbers on a mark sheet. In today’s world, skills matter more—knowing how to do things, how to think clearly, how to stay emotionally strong, how to adapt.
We need to shift focus. From rote learning to real learning. From exams to experiences. And everyone—parents, teachers, government, society—we all need to stop hyping these board exams like they decide someone’s entire life. They don’t. They really don’t.
It’s time to move beyond the noise. Beyond percentages, roll numbers, and merit lists. Let’s allow our students to dream freely, fail safely, and succeed on their own terms.
Because board exams may mark a chapter — but they should never be allowed to write the whole book of someone’s life.