ASK MAULANA — Your Questions Answered

ASK MAULANA Your Questions Answered Maulana Wahiduddin Khan answers questions posed by students on the eve of their exams. The pressure of studies, together with the repeated questioning of my parents, is stressful and I end up getting very depressed thinking of the consequences if I do not meet my parents’ expectations. Parents are always eager for their children’s success. But, at the same time, they should be realists. Parents must limit themselves to wise counseling. It would be counterproductive if they constantly question their children and put inordinate pressure on them. Parents must know that in practical life, getting less marks in exams is a relative thing, because a student learns even if he gets less marks, and then in the next term, he tries to score better. This is the case in other spheres aspects of life, too. There are many examples to prove this. For example, Mahatma Gandhi and Swami Vivekananda were not toppers in school, but they became heroes in practical life. We are told that board exams are crucial for students, but fear and uncertainty haunt me and have made me very apprehensive about the future. Some of my friends say that they’ll commit suicide if they don’t perform well. According to my experience, nothing of this sort is crucial in life. What is important in life is sincerity and determination. Parents must inculcate this spirit in their children. Qualifying an examination is good only for securing further admission in educational institutions, but it is not necessary for a better life in the future. Parents must educate their children in the principles of life and try to inculcate in them virtues like patience, wisdom, and adjustment. They must help them understand the importance of a realistic approach. They must teach them to learn from failure, and to know that it really doesn’t matter if you don’t get your way in everything. These are the things that alone come to use in real life. If you top in examinations, it is no guarantee that you will also top in life. If you are aware of the principles of life, then success will follow you. You mentioned about your friends talking about suicide.