There was a time when education was about discovering knowledge, developing character, and helping every student find a path that matched their abilities. Today, in many parts of Kashmir, that purpose is slowly disappearing. Education is increasingly being viewed through the lens of a single examination. NEET, which is simply a national entrance test for admission to medical colleges, has become something much larger. It has become a measure of intelligence, a source of family pride, a symbol of social status, and for many students, the definition of success itself. This transformation has created a culture of pressure that affects not only students but also parents, families, and society. The greatest tragedy is that an examination designed to select candidates for one profession has begun deciding how an entire generation sees itself.
Medicine is one of the noblest professions in the world. Doctors dedicate their lives to saving others and they deserve immense respect. Every society needs competent and compassionate doctors. The issue is not the respect given to medicine. The issue begins when respect turns into obsession. Somewhere along the way, many people in Kashmir started believing that becoming a doctor is the highest achievement a student can attain. As a result, every other career slowly began losing its importance in the eyes of society.
A child hardly enters higher secondary school before hearing the same words from different directions. Parents encourage NEET. Relatives ask about NEET. Neighbours discuss NEET. Teachers often assume the brightest students should prepare for NEET. Coaching centres advertise NEET everywhere. Social media celebrates only medical admissions. Family gatherings become discussions about ranks, coaching institutes, and expected scores. Before students have the opportunity to understand themselves, society has already decided what success should look like. Most parents do not create this pressure because they wish to harm their children. They genuinely want a secure and respected future for them. They believe medicine guarantees stability, dignity, and financial security. Their intentions are based on love. However, love mixed with overwhelming expectations often becomes a burden.
Children begin believing that they are loved for their achievements rather than for who they are. Every examination becomes a test of acceptance. Every result becomes a judgment on their worth. Relatives unintentionally add another layer of pressure. Every wedding, family function, or social gathering brings familiar questions. “Are you preparing for NEET?” “How many marks are you scored in your mock tests?” “Which coaching institute have you joined?” “Will you get a government medical college?” These questions may seem ordinary to adults, but for students they become constant reminders that society expects only one outcome. Even before sitting for the examination, they feel as though they are being judged. The comparison culture makes matters even worse. If one cousin clears NEET, every other child is expected to achieve the same result. If someone scores higher in a mock test, comparisons begin immediately. Every student has different abilities, different interests, different strengths, and different dreams, yet society often compares them as though they are identical. Comparison slowly destroys confidence because it teaches students that their value depends on outperforming others rather than improving themselves.
The emotional consequences of this mindset are often hidden behind closed doors. Students wake up with anxiety. They study for long hours but rarely feel satisfied. Every low score creates panic.
Every mock examination becomes an emotional roller coaster. Some stop participating in sports because they think they cannot spare even one hour. Others abandon reading, music, art, writing, or any hobby that once brought them happiness. Many begin isolating themselves from friends and family because every conversation eventually returns to the same topic. Their lives become limited to books, coaching classes, and expectations.
The irony is painful. Education should expand a young mind. Instead, it often narrows it. Students begin believing there is only one respectable career. A brilliant mathematician studies biology against his interest. A gifted writer abandons literature because relatives consider medicine more prestigious. A future engineer forces herself into medical preparation despite having no passion for it. A talented teacher, scientist, entrepreneur, economist, lawyer, or researcher suppresses his or her dreams simply because society has elevated one profession above all others.
Perhaps the saddest part is that many students never fail because they lack intelligence. They fail because the competition is extraordinarily intense. Every year, lakhs of students compete for a limited number of medical seats. Even exceptionally talented candidates may not secure admission. That is the nature of competitive examinations. Yet society often interprets this outcome as a failure of the individual rather than the reality of limited opportunities. A hardworking student who narrowly misses selection is treated as though years of dedication meant nothing. This mindset is unfair because no examination can measure every dimension of human ability. NEET measures knowledge in specific subjects. It does not measure creativity, leadership, kindness, resilience, communication, innovation, emotional intelligence, or the ability to inspire others. History is full of people who changed the world through qualities that no entrance examination could ever evaluate.
“Kashmir’s legacy of success across diverse fields demonstrates that greatness extends beyond a single profession. True educational progress occurs when we stop defining a child’s future by a single exam, empowering students to pursue learning out of passion rather than fear, conform to their own abilities over societal expectations, and realize that one test does not define a lifetime.”
Ironically, India has many examinations that demand equal or even greater academic dedication. Becoming an Assistant Professor requires years of undergraduate education, postgraduate study, qualifying NET or SET, often completing a PhD, conducting research, publishing scholarly work, attending interviews, and continuously contributing to academic knowledge. Civil Services examinations test candidates across multiple disciplines and require years of preparation. Scientists devote decades to research. Engineers solve complex national problems. Entrepreneurs build companies that create employment for thousands. Teachers educate future generations. Lawyers defend justice. Researchers produce discoveries that improve healthcare, agriculture, technology, and society itself. Yet these achievements rarely receive the same emotional recognition that NEET receives in many Kashmiri households. This imbalance damages the educational ecosystem. Schools proudly celebrate medical admissions, but often fail to celebrate achievements in research, education, civil services, entrepreneurship, innovation, sports, literature, or the arts with equal enthusiasm.
Children absorb these messages from an early age. They begin believing that some dreams deserve applause while others deserve silence. Parents must remember that success cannot be imposed. A child forced into someone else’s dream may achieve a degree but never experience fulfilment. True excellence emerges when talent meets passion. A student who genuinely loves medicine will become a better doctor than one who enters the profession only because of social pressure. The same principle applies to every profession. Mental health is another silent casualty of this obsession. Anxiety, self doubt, burnout, loneliness, and fear of failure become common companions for many aspirants. Some lose confidence after repeated attempts. Others begin questioning their intelligence despite years of hard work. A few even develop the dangerous belief that life has no value if they do not qualify. No examination should ever have that much power over a young mind.
Society must also rethink the language it uses. Instead of asking children whether they will become doctors, ask them what problems they want to solve. Instead of praising only medical admissions, celebrate every achievement earned through honesty and dedication. Instead of comparing children with cousins and neighbours, encourage them to become better versions of themselves.
The future of Kashmir does not depend solely on doctors. Hospitals need researchers who develop medicines, engineers who design medical equipment, teachers who educate healthcare professionals, administrators who manage institutions, economists who shape policy, psychologists who care for mental health, and scientists who create new technologies. Every profession strengthens another. No society can progress if everyone is expected to follow the same path. A healthy society values diversity in talent. It understands that intelligence has many forms. It recognises that success cannot be reduced to one examination or one profession. It encourages children to dream according to their abilities instead of public expectations. It respects effort regardless of the career chosen. The greatest gift parents can give their children is unconditional support. The greatest gift teachers can give is confidence. The greatest gift society can give is freedom from unnecessary comparison. When children know they are valued regardless of one examination, they learn with curiosity instead of fear. They pursue excellence instead of approval.
NEET is important. It opens the door to a respected profession. It deserves sincere preparation and genuine respect. But it is still only an entrance examination. It is not a certificate of intelligence. It is not a measure of character. It is not a measure of human potential. Above all, it is not the only path to success. Kashmir has produced outstanding teachers, professors, scientists, researchers, civil servants, engineers, entrepreneurs, writers, athletes, artists, and innovators. Every one of them has contributed to society in a meaningful way. Their achievements remind us that greatness has never belonged to a single profession. The day we stop measuring every child’s future through one examination will be the day we truly begin respecting education. That day our students will study because they love learning, not because they fear judgment. They will choose careers that match their abilities instead of social expectations. They will grow with confidence instead of anxiety. Most importantly, they will finally understand that one examination may shape a career, but it can never define an entire life.
(The author is a teacher at Govt High School Brakpora Anantnag. The views, opinions and conclusions expressed in this article are those of the author and aren’t necessarily in accord with the views of “Kashmir Horizon”)
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