The vultures among us

If you are in college and are fairly active on Facebook, you've probably come across videos of online tutors motivating students to work harder by telling them exaggerated tales of their own. Boasting about not sleeping for 20 hours at a stretch or fainting on the table — instances that should be condemned, to begin with, are misused as tools of inspiration. And unfortunately, such toxicity sells.

Our educational approach infamously focuses on institutions rather than personal interests or aspirations. We are obsessed with getting into the most reputed engineering universities or medical schools rather than pursuing engineering or medicine as a field of interest. This obnoxious fixation gives a particular fraction of tutors the perfect opportunity to feast on our students' insecurities and vulnerabilities.

The culture of entrance exams in our country is based on fear and paranoia. Most college students are under the misconception that getting into the most reputed university is naturally going to sort out their future. While it does push an aspirant to work harder, it also puts colossal pressure on them. Panic is created fearing a plausible future where he doesn't get into his desired university. The revolting outlook that our society holds for anything less than engineering or medicine only adds to the horror.

A section of educators capitalises on this insecurity by instigating fear and hysteria into their students' mindsets. Getting sick while studying, not having enough time to eat or sleep properly, studying for unimaginable hours at a stretch — they use these instances of unhealthy obsession to give the students a false idea about the intensity required for their definition of success. They are made to believe that anything less than this unattainable parameter will only result in failure.

Another recurring pattern in their toxic method is the repetitive mention of a dystopian future that includes getting into a private university. The constant derogatory comments about the consequences of not getting into their desired university make students paranoid enough to put their obsession before their physical and mental well-being. They're manipulated into pushing themselves to any extent, chasing goals that are beyond their capabilities or desire.

With unreal expectations set, after a student works hard day after day, only to fall behind his schedule, get poor marks in mocks, and see his classmates excel with ease, he gets chronically depressed. In a generation that already struggles in dealing with failure, these tutors feast on this very fear and bully them beforehand for something they haven't failed at yet.

What's important is to identify the differences in our goals, efficiencies and capabilities. There can never be a universal guide to your preparation routine. As certain coaching centres, teaching platforms and educators continue to capitalise on your vulnerability, it's crucial that you be the one in control.

The university entrance exams in Bangladesh are unnerving, inefficient and tiring. The last thing you need is an egomaniac bullying you into depression and making some money out of it in the process.

Remind Ifti to be quieter at hasiburrashidifti@gmail.com