How can you be so weak minded? Students end life over exam failure

[echarcha]

Now how can you be so weak minded? Who will the parents and media blame this time around? Aamir Khan's Three Idiots? Education policy? College? Examination system?

I have had situations where I felt that the world would end if I failed in a exam, but I was never ever so weak minded to think about suicide! I feel sorry for the parents of these students.

Two students end life in Mumbai after flunking in HSC exams


Mumbai: Apparently frustrated for failing in the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) board exams, two students allegedly committed suicide by hanging themselves at their residences in the city, police said today.

In first case, Mayur Sonawane (18), a Commerce student of Nalanda college, was this morning found hanging to a ceiling rod in the loft of his residence in suburban Kandivali, police said.

Mayur failed in three subjects as the results of the Maharashtra State Board of Secondary and Higher Secondary Education declared the Higher Secondary Certificate (HSC) results yesterday, they added.

His parents asked him not to worry and told him to appear for exams in October, they said. Till yesterday night, Mayur did not show any sign of frustration but this morning he was found hanging, they added.

In the second case, a 17-year-old girl hanged self at her residence when she was alone at home at Bharat Nagar in suburban Chembur, police said.

As their family members left home this morning, Aruna Ingole, a commerce student who failed in Economics, hanged self from a ceiling fan with a dupatta, police said adding further probe was on.

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[swami]

Its the high level of expectation and pressure by parents that lead some student to the extreme step.
I think parents should teach the children that failure is an added mark in one's life and should be taken as a lesson to work hard next time.

[badriprasad]

Pressure is just unbearable. Cant blame students cause they need to do well with HSC and SSC exams but even 6 year old kids are coming home to spend another hour with tutors. Population and competition are robbing kids of childhood fun. Why you think children growing in western countries lagging behind ... at least they get to have fun.

Maharashtra Educational State Board is seriously considering stop making public overall lists of merit ... a step in right direction.

Originally Posted by swami

Its the high level of expectation and pressure by parents that lead some student to the extreme step.
I think parents should teach the children that failure is an added mark in one's life and should be taken as a lesson to work hard next time.

[krantikari]

Suicides have been happening even before 3 idiots. Blaming a movie is easy buck pass. Like tantrik said, kids abroad have it easy going, and kids in India are subject to competitive world right from the childhood. In their group they know who is academically performing well. Admiration and praises float for the topper among 3 year olds. Jealousy among mothers towards the 2.5 yr old who knows more than their child. Well, parents end up forcing academics down the gullet of the 3 to 4 yr olds. We do not see this thing happening with even teens over here in USA. With the kind of environment that schools provide in India, average performing children are terrified and unsure of next thing to expect. Schools in India manufactures followers and not leaders. Only a select few who show flair in academics are celebrated and hence they escape the brunt of the brutal educational environment in India.

[Napolean]

I think parents should be blamed - if they don't put pressure,a boy/girl would never think about suicide.
It is only when a student has nowhere to go that he thinks about committing suicide.Outside world will always mock at someone who has failed in exams but if parents too become strict or give an impression that it is going to be really bad if student fails in exam,then student has nowhere to go to find solace.
There should be a balance between pressure and guidance from the side of parents.

[sprite]

Its more of peer-pressure and society stuff rather than parenting issue. Agreed parents now-a-days are absolute idiots (and I never fail to mention it to parents directly when I come across such parents of any age) but there is huge pressure from society too.

[jeetiaf]

The burden of bag a child carries on its back is more than his or her weight
It is issue of society, peer pressure and parenting as well
Abolishing class 10 exam is one right step, and we need to change outlook of society towards education.

[dhurandhar]

In India, you rarely get second chance to succeed. In US, you get about three chances for most part. For example, if a student fails his HSC exams or inadequate marks to get into say engineering, he is doomed unless his parents are wealthy enough to provide donation and get him admitted into a private college of some repute.

In USA, if you could not pass your high school or you are a high school dropout, you can take GED, and join community college. In community college, they most likely will put you in 10th grade level and you take many of the courses you may have already taken (but get firmer grasp of the subject if you work sincerely). Then (after about 4 years) you can transfer to third year of relatively superb schools like University of Delaware (for example). If you continue to work sincerely and earn/do internships, you are all set for life unless you have some major stroke of bad luck on your way.

I hope this explains suicides....but I am not condoning suicides

[Rakhi]

I think the entire society (including parents, cinema) need to take the blame (even though its a strong word to use). Unless we start respecting every job we would continue seeing these kinds of instances.

Yesterday my AC was not working at home. I called the concerned person and he charged $220 for 15 minutes work. That is faaar more than what I make in an hour. Even though I have a fancy title, I make far less money than what he makes. And being a college drop out, he could do that what I couldn't do after attending university.

Would parents in India...why, would the society respect the contractor in India the same way people do here? No. Perhaps the contractors make less money in India but if the kid is into mechanical things, why not support him instead of pushing into what parents think is good?

[Anonymous]

Originally Posted by Rakhi

I think the entire society (including parents, cinema) need to take the blame (even though its a strong word to use). Unless we start respecting every job we would continue seeing these kinds of instances.

Yesterday my AC was not working at home. I called the concerned person and he charged $220 for 15 minutes work. That is faaar more than what I make in an hour. Even though I have a fancy title, I make far less money than what he makes. And being a college drop out, he could do that what I couldn't do after attending university.

Would parents in India...why, would the society respect the contractor in India the same way people do here? No. Perhaps the contractors make less money in India but if the kid is into mechanical things, why not support him instead of pushing into what parents think is good?

a very valid point.
In India, its either all or nothing.
Those who have power have all the money (or vice versa). Powerless have neither, neither do moneyless.
Western countries dont lookup or lookdown upon any kind of job.
A technical expert makes more bucks than the top mgmt of the company but the mgrs enjoy the decision making power which the tech expert does not.
Indians have a biased mindset towards what is good or bad. We hardly even want to change that slave mentality. Crabs.

[dhurandhar]

Originally Posted by Rakhi

I think the entire society (including parents, cinema) need to take the blame (even though its a strong word to use). Unless we start respecting every job we would continue seeing these kinds of instances.

Yesterday my AC was not working at home. I called the concerned person and he charged $220 for 15 minutes work. That is faaar more than what I make in an hour. Even though I have a fancy title, I make far less money than what he makes. And being a college drop out, he could do that what I couldn't do after attending university.

Would parents in India...why, would the society respect the contractor in India the same way people do here? No. Perhaps the contractors make less money in India but if the kid is into mechanical things, why not support him instead of pushing into what parents think is good?

Did he get to keep that amount for himself or he was a salaried or wages worker? How many years of experience he has? They say that for two persons doing the same job, the one who has a college degree makes roughly a million US dollars more during his lifetime than one who does not

Also, a saying comes to my mind...when fools are around, crooks don't go to bed hungry

[Rakhi]

Originally Posted by dhurandhar

Also, a saying comes to my mind...when fools are around, crooks don't go to bed hungry

Vaare vaale illai...chumma yen pinnadi

(no other work than to tease me all the time?...no offense)

[swami]

Originally Posted by Rakhi

Vaare vaale illai...chumma yen pinnadi

Tamil tiru illa,konjum konjum tiriyum

[sunnykode]

sad news.
But the only ppl to take the blame is their parents. Ppl in India do not realize how much kids pick up from their parents. If parents come home and conti fight, crib... it has considerable effect on students. Also it is parents duty to guide kids during education.
Parents in India are often found comparing their kids with others.
Setting unreasonable goals and expecting kids to step up.

The next major factor is our stupid society. Our neighbors have this tendency to butt in and pay more attention in others house then our own. Even of parents are satisfied with low grades, it are the goons in the neighborhood that constantly remind parents that low grades is not good.

And the cycle continues. Sadly for some time, i do not see how this will change in India. I am thankful to my parents for never putting any pressure on me for studies.

[dhurandhar]

Originally Posted by Rakhi

Vaare vaale illai...chumma yen pinnadi

(no other work than to tease me all the time?...no offense)

no other work than to post tease material all the time?....no defense