An Indian professional, identified as Mayukh, has sparked discussion online after sharing his observations about India's persistent focus on competitive exam rankings, specifically the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), decades after the exams are taken. Having lived and worked in Germany for nearly ten years, Mayukh found the contrast striking upon his return to Bengaluru.
A Different Professional Landscape Abroad
Mayukh recounted that during his time in Germany, the professional circles he moved in placed little to no emphasis on undergraduate institutions from India. Whether it was an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), a National Institute of Technology (NIT), or Goa University, these names were largely unknown to his German colleagues.
"I left India after my Masters. I have been in Germany since, and people here don’t really know of, or at least in 2016 didn’t know of, any of the Indian undergrad colleges. NIT, IIT, Goa University: here it is all the same," Mayukh shared on X.
His career trajectory, which involved a shift from engineering to pure science, saw him collaborating with researchers from diverse academic backgrounds. In this environment, professional identity was shaped by graduate school reputation, research contributions, publications, conferences, and invited talks, rather than a teenage exam score.
The Enduring Weight of Adolescent Exams in India
Upon his work-related visit to Bengaluru, Mayukh was taken aback by how frequently conversations reverted to a familiar Indian query: "What was your JEE rank, and which college did you attend?" This experience highlighted a cultural difference where academic achievements from adolescence continue to play a significant role in adult professional and social interactions.
Mayukh acknowledged the achievement a strong JEE rank represents, especially at a young age. However, he questioned the societal fixation on an exam taken during one's teenage years, particularly when individuals are well into their professional lives, some even in their 40s. He pondered, "Why are we fixated so much on an exam taken during adolescence?"
Rethinking Career Metrics
While early career stages might reasonably consider educational background, Mayukh's insights suggest a broader societal discussion is needed on how professional success is evaluated in India. His experience abroad underscores that in many global environments, an individual's ongoing professional achievements, research, and expertise eventually supersede the importance of an entrance exam taken in their youth.
This observation prompts a deeper reflection on whether India's strong attachment to early academic credentials might inadvertently overshadow the journey of continuous learning and professional growth that defines a mature career.