The reason behind this plea is a deeply personal, yet universally relatable story. I entered class 10th as an A+ student, striving to excel academically. With the arrival of board examinations, the pressure to perform intensified. Despite my best efforts and previous impressive results, I was told that my future, my college prospects, would be dictated by achieving a specific threshold of marks.

My experience worsened when I progressed to class 11th and opted for PCB (Physics, Chemistry, Biology) in preparation for NEET (National Eligibility and Entrance Test). I was enrolled in a popular coaching centre and soon become familiar with what can accurately be described as a toxic culture. Amidst a narrative that claimed failure in NEET would mean being doomed for life, I often felt attacked, my mental health at stake.

However, this is an experience not just limited to me. Education, a tool to empower us, transform us into critical thinkers and responsible citizens, is currently morphing into a pressure cooker environment for millions of Indian students. It is reported that fear of exams is one of the prominent reasons for stress amongst 73% of students in India (Kumar et al., 2017), which is alarming. It is clear that our current system is risking the mental wellbeing of students for a tunnel-visioned focus on grades and competitive test scores.

The Indian education system needs a sweeping reform, a shift from the stressful, results-driven approach to a more balanced, inclusive, and student-centric model. It is important to provide equal opportunities to all students, regardless of their marks, and to promote mental health initiatives within schools and coaching centres. Our education should prepare us for life, not threaten our mental stability or diminish our self-worth. Lend your voice to this cause, sign the petition, and support a healthier, fairer education system. This petition is going to help millions of Indian student by convincing Indian education ministry and the government.