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High cut-off lists
RADHIKA CHATTERJEE
It was just last year when I was going through that nerve-wracking phase, waiting for the cut off lists to be out. I had secured 88 per cent, yet I wasn’t sure if I would clear the list. My mother had practically lost all hope of my getting into a respectable college of Delhi University.
Throughout the whole process I was filled with this frustration over what seemed to be astronomical cut off lists. I am not opposed to competition, as I am fully aware that competition helps us to perform better. But there is a limit. The list actually starts off for some subjects way above 90 per cent. Some people may think that this is the only way of extracting the best students. But, what about the pressure that builds up on the unfortunate ones who have barely reached the threshold of life? Some are even driven to suicide.
Super-human scores
The reason behind the insanely high cut offs is the high percentage that is scored by many students. At times I am totally amazed at how do students actually manage such super-human scores!! I solved this mystery while watching news the other day. The chairman of a highly reputed board was saying in an interview that getting high marks was easy. All a student had to do was to follow “the pattern”.
Knowledge, it seems has now taken a back seat, and all that matters is “the pattern”. Why in the world are they checking the student’s ability to follow the so-called “pattern”? Are not board exams supposed to be just another set of final exams testing a student’s knowledge in a particular subject? The only difference between the boards and the normal exams held in school is that the former is considered while getting admission into colleges. And thus they play an important role in deciding the position that one would hold in all spheres of life.
Many would say, be smart while choosing your school since it’s all about the board of the school. In a way it is a correct statement, but for wrong reasons. After all, we should select that board which is recognized in the whole world and not the one that is known in only a few states of our country.
Testing aptitude
It is high time since somebody in these board committees realised that awarding a 90 per cent is not the sole aim of having board exams. It might help in building the board’s reputation. But the main goal of testing the student’s aptitude remains unchecked. For instance, students from a particular board scored very high marks in English. But their performance in college was not up to the mark when compared with their board marks. To rectify such errors, the system of entrance tests was introduced. Such tests clearly indicate a lack of trust in the marking system of the board. But alas, the system remained for only five years. The university is not even giving any clear reason for banishing the system. I sincerely request the decision-making body of the university to please rethink the issue. For it affects many helpless students.
In my case, thankfully, I did manage to clear the list and got admission in a reputed college. But it pains me to think of those who deserved better colleges.
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