90% not good enough today, you have to pay a bribe to get a good college

Manjima

50 per cent. Wants to be a physiotherapist. Refuses to do a BA. Ten lakh donation needed to get into a medical college. Parents want to marry her off.

Seher

92 per cent. Wants to pursue Business Studies. Did not make it to the first cut-off list. Didn't do too well in the interview round. Seven lakh donation needed to get into college of choice. Middle class parents don't know how to get that kind of money.

Akash

85 per cent. Wants to study History. Cut-off is 87 per cent first list. The college of choice is full. Parents have to find an outstation college.

Syed

73 per cent. Wants to study Medicine. Can get through quota in certain colleges. Still needs to pay a donation.

In India, how much does a student need to study to get into the college of his choice, without paying a donation?

College admissions are everyone's nightmare. The second list for most colleges was out on June 29 and most students' fates are already sealed. Some are still hopeful for a third list, and some are already getting lectures from their parents for not doing well enough.

The cut-off percentage list for admission as per The Times of India (June 28, 2016) was 82 per cent for Arts and 87 per cent for science courses in one college. The rest of the cut-offs were higher than 90 per cent.

How much do students need to study to get into a college? Is our system so flawed that a teenager's life is defined by studies?

Also read: Why admission to DU is not worth the craze

It is a number, a percentage and an admission that can make a parent happy.

And even if a student gets that number, she/he might not even get admission because the "education racket" is corrupt.

When I was giving my Class 12 Board Exams, I studied every day only to receive approximately 75 per cent. And thankfully, I got into the college of my choice without giving any donations. But, then again, I didn't want to do Business Studies or Medicine, and was happy with English Honours.

Today teenagers are struggling given the pressure and distractions. To be extremely focused and to get above 85-90 per cent marks, when the competition and syllabus is so tough, is an achievement by itself. And as parents, a society and system, we should be praising them for their hard work and effort.

Except that we berate them for not doing well enough. They still need to get into a college.

So if a teenager gets low marks, he/she has two options:

1. To give the Class 12 Board Exams again, and hope for a higher percentage that will allow them to pursue what they like.

2. Pay the donation and acquire their seat.

But most parents are scared that even after coughing up lakhs, will their child stick to the subject and find employment later?

The system is letting the students down. Many of them have got high scores and don't have the money for donations.

Also read: How DU's 95 per cent cut-off almost shattered my dreams

They believe that by studying and giving their best, they could follow their dreams. But they are not able to get into the courses they want even in the second cut-off list.

Somewhere students are learning to make a compromise, either with their choice of education, or their choice of college. So most of them are becoming jaded and uninterested even before they begin the next phase of their life.

If donations are the only way to go, then, most rich students give up even before they take the exams. They know they'll get through in any way. And colleges are reflecting a pattern of rich average students and extremely intelligent middle class ones.

The pressure builds up from Class 8 itself. Most boards complete the Class 8 and Class 9 syllabuses in one year, while still incorporating a sports and annual day event. This puts tremendous pressure on a young 13- to 14-year-olds who can't help but begin to rebel against the education system and parents.

By Class 9, schools are teaching the Class 10 syllabus, and if the student has not picked up, he/she lags behind. 

Why is the education system relying so heavily on marks? Arts students need to get 95 per cent to get into prestigious colleges. And Science streams are looking at a full 100 per cent. Coaching institutes are thriving. And childhood has died.

Also read: If scoring 97% can't get you the right college in DU, what's the point?

Parents don't encourage their children to sports and music any more, unless, the child is brilliant at it and can get in to a college through quota. And every parent is working, saving and struggling to keep their child happy if the donation is needed.

As a parent, we lose touch with reality because of the competition. We stop seeing our children for who they are - intelligent, bright, talented individuals, who can be defined by more than just a number.

Unfortunately, when the system only depends on marks, all a student can do is work hard and pray for good luck. And, maybe, accept that whatever happens will be for the best and their destiny will lead them to the correct path.