BOARD EXAMS VS. COMPETITIVE EXAMS: TIME TO FIX THE DISCONNECT AND RETHINK INDIA'S EDUCATION MODEL

It's been over three decades since I sat in my tiny study room in my childhood home surrounded by stacks of textbooks and scattered notes.

- PRAVEEN PRAKASH

Each night, I found myself staring at a grueling balancing act: the pressure to prepare for my 12th board exam alongside my ambition to crack the IIT-JEE. The dichotomy was stark - one path promised academic validation while the other represented the promise of something greater.

Looking back, I remember an evening when I paused to assess the subjects I was juggling: physics, chemistry, mathematics, two languages, and some concepts that had no bearing on the JEE syllabus. The disconnect was glaring. Why was I being stretched in so many directions? Why wasn't there a system that aligned school learning with the skills needed for entrance exams?

Now, years later, the same story continues to unfold across the country. The characters may have changed, but the plot hasn't: stressed students and fragmented curricula. It's time to rewrite this narrative.

UNDERSTANDING THE DISCONNECT

The core issue stems from the disconnect between school curricula and the demands of entrance exams. While board exams prioritize breadth—assessing a student's general understanding across subjects, entrance tests like JEE and NEET demand depth, evaluating a student's problem-solving skills and application-based knowledge.

This disparity leaves students with no choice but to divide their attention. They spend mornings tackling school syllabi and evenings cramming for coaching classes. The result is a Herculean effort, which often comes at the cost of their mental well-being.