Economist Sanjeev Sanyal raised a stark critique of societal priorities after a news report surfaced about a student in Kolkata who sat for her board exam despite losing her mother in a road accident.
In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sanyal shared the report and wrote, “We know we have lost the plot as a society when a child is made to feel that some board exam is more important than the death of her mother.”
According to the report, the Class X student lost her mother in a road accident just before her ICSE math exam. With the help of the police, she still made it to the exam hall and completed her test.
Sanyal’s post sparked widespread debate. While some called for a systemic overhaul, others argued that the student’s decision was a harsh reflection of reality.
One user commented, “I think the student did the right thing. It shows maturity. Would it really be good that she fails in a subject she devoted a year to? It’s only three hours. I respect the kid.”
Sanyal responded, clarifying that his issue was not with the child but with the societal mindset that justified such a situation. He wrote, “Nothing wrong with the child. She would have been in trauma and did whatever adults advised her. My problem is with the wider society that justifies this (esp when a supplementary exam system exists and she could have taken the exam after two months). This is not a case where the mother happened to have passed away recently. She died on the way to the examination hall.”
Another user remarked, “Board exams are okay, but we have brought them to a level where we think they’re everything and ultimate.”
Some suggested structural changes, such as moving to a SAT/ACT-style system that allows exams throughout the year instead of a single high-stakes day.
Others highlighted the broader implications of the system. “Ten years down the line, when that kid has a gap in academics, companies would sideline her. Nothing to do with society. Just shows where the kid put her priorities. Should be appreciated for her own good,” wrote one user.
Another echoed the sentiment of harsh reality: “That’s the brutal truth, isn’t it? Our system doesn’t pause for personal loss — it forces you to choose between heartbreak and a ticking clock. She chose the clock, not because it hurt less, but because the world wouldn’t wait.”
Some users pointed out similar pressures in the workplace. “There are many instances when companies have refused leave even when someone’s father has died. People have been asked to resign. There is no value of human life in our country — everyone is in a race to the top.”
Others shifted the blame to the education system itself. “No, Sanjeev. Society has not lost the plot. The system has failed society. Missing the exam is not a choice for Indian students.”
Another user summarized the deeper issue, writing, “The modern education system has been reduced to a means of survival. The system has instilled so much fear that without modern education, you cannot survive. They are selling degrees, not the true wisdom this nation was built on.”