Crowded at top

Of late, the class X results have been throwing up figures that boggle the mind about the future of the youth. Even as the pass percentages and the number of students shining are shooting through the ceiling, at the same time it sadly accentuates the vacuum that a large majority of those scoring average marks face. This year’s CBSE class X results show that the summit is getting crowded. The top rank is shared by 13 students, the second spot peopled by 25, and 59 are bracketed in the third position. Shining among the top-ranked are the region’s Bathinda girl Manya Jindal and Ambala’s Divjot Kaur Jaggi. Comparatively, last year, four students had topped the examination, seven secured the second position and 14 the third. Equally bombarding the space that was not-so-long-ago considered rare and stratospheric are pupils of the ICSE (Class X). Muktsar’s Manhar Bansal has done the region proud as he is one of the two to jointly top the exam. Last year, 64 children had got more than 99 per cent in aggregate marks in these exams. 

The euphoria over the success of overjoyed students, parents and schools whose hard work is reflected in the excellent results is understandable. They deserve the kudos and all the opportunities that life has to offer them career-wise. But let us also spare a look at the others. A glance below — down up to the 90 per cent bracket — reveals that the multitude of children thronging these ranks would probably outnumber the seats in prestigious institutes that such talented students would aspire for. 

And the sad reality is that these kids constitute just a tiny fraction of our youth, poised to take on responsibilities. It is scary to imagine the plight of the huge numbers of teenagers who may not have breached the cut-off score, but are nevertheless bright and deserve equal access to opportunities. We would fail in our education system if we don't address this big chunk of ‘below 90 per-centers’ with vocational courses and incentives suitable to their aptitude. It has to done now, before both kinds — the toppers and the moneyed — are irretrievably lost to the greener pastures abroad.