The Hidden Toll of Competitive Exams on Teenagers

If stress could be measured, India’s teenagers would likely top the charts. The pressure cooker of competitive exams—for engineering, medicine, law, or government services—has turned adolescence into a battlefield, where self-worth is tied to ranks, cutoffs, and percentiles. A time meant for discovering passions often becomes a relentless race for a seat ina classroom.

- By Rukaiya Merchant

Competitive exams have their purpose: they ensure fairness and reward hard work. The problem arises when they are treated not as a pathway, but the only pathway. Every year, lakhs of students enroll in coaching institutes that run like factories. Daily schedules often stretch 10-12 hours, leaving little room for hobbies, friendships, or even sleep. Life narrows to textbooks and test series.