CBSE 2018 results: Can we really celebrate the feats of the achievers in academics?

It was indeed thrilling to note the news item that four children obtained 499 out of 500 marks in the CBSE Class 10 examinations. The logical question is: Could they not get the elusive 1 mark as well? That brings to mind a tale, perhaps apocryphal, of a student in an American university where attendance rules were not very rigid. The boy secured 96 percent in his final examinations. His professor confronted him, "Surely, you could have got the other four percent as well!" The reply, "Yes, I could; but I attended one class of yours and got confused."

This brings to mind my own time, way back in 1965. I secured 62 percent marks in my Class 10 examinations of the Uttar Pradesh board. I became a sort of VIP in the college I joined soon after for my intermediate. Even though my father could fund my studies, my college exempted me from paying the tuition fees. Mind you, I was not hailing from any of the 'depressed sections of society'. Such was the importance given to first divisioners in those days. Today, this is no longer the case. Look at the cut off marks for admission to most of the colleges in the metros and you will find that even 85 percent marks may not guarantee one ready admission in a 'reputed' college.

A close friend posed a question to me: Full marks in Mathematics are understandable, but how can one secure 100% in subjects like the languages and social sciences? Has the evaluation system become more lenient now?" This is a very moot point and any adverse comment on this issue may invite the jibe, 'sour grapes!' Hence, it is safer not to respond to the query.

A very significant fact that emerged from the results was the outstanding performance of children from government schools. Yours truly recalls the time when he was occasionally assigned invigilation duties for the various competitive examinations conducted by the UPSC. Almost invariably, the examination centres would be some government schools. It was quite normal to have teachers from these schools as co-invigilators. It was logical to expect these teachers to admit their children in the very schools in which they were teaching. Instead, the children of all of them were studying in private (euphemistically known as public) schools. This suggested that the teachers themselves did not have confidence in the institutions in which they were working.

Another joke comes to mind: An out of work actor was forced to work as a waiter in a seedy hotel. A former colleague of his who came there for a meal taunted him, "Never thought I would find you working here." The instant rejoinder was: "At least I am not reduced to eating here." It is hoped that the brilliant showing by many students from government schools will disabuse those who nurture jaundiced notions about schools run by the government.

Earlier, there seemed to be the perception that only private schools could produce good students.

The condition of those languishing in government schools could perhaps be likened to the following scenario envisaged in Thomas Gray's Elegy Written in a Country Churchyard:

Full many a gem of purest ray serene,

The dark unfathomed caves of ocean bear,

Full many a flower is born to blush unseen,

And waste its sweetness on the desert air.

The latest board results have amply shown that government schools too could have gems and fragrant flowers that only need to be discovered, nurtured and encouraged to achieve their true potential.

It is one issue to perform creditably in the board examinations. Equally important is clarity about the future goals. One should not be like the girl who had a dream that a handsome prince was taking her on his horse. Alarmed, she asked, "Where are you taking me?" He responded, "It is your dream – you alone should know your destination."