Board exams: Celebrating the second best in an era when 90% means nothing

The examination season - and results - represent enormous pressure, both for students and parents. How can parents, teachers and children cope? Sneha Bhattacharjee finds out

A 17-year-old committed suicide in Telangana after she failed to pass in just one subject in examinations. Up north, in Roorkee, a class 12 student committed suicide because he secured 74.5 per cent and not 80 as he was expecting. A Noida girl took her life even before the results were announced fearing she would fail. She secured 70 per cent. These are just a few among the lakhs of stories behind the success of 90 percentiles. Stories that shock, and reflect nothing but grief and anger.

Today, board examination results have become all about celebrating how high you can